Reliable Operating Theatre

This project aims to study the activities of staff and patients in the operating room of a hospital. The systems we deploy are designed to help understand how people are moving within the building, monitoring not just the staff members, but also the patients and providing crucial information on the entire flow of people.

From the moment they enter the building, patients will be given a tag, which is a Bluetooth beacon. This allows us to see the flow – where they get stuck, see if there are any delays, and follow their journey from reception, to the ward and surgery, then to recovery, and until the moment they leave.

The project is now in the pilot phase with a sample of staff testing the BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) beacon technology, with sensor boxes deployed in areas throughout the operating room environment. Staff have been given a small tag to carry, which directly communicates with the boxes.

The collected metrics will be used to model, analyse, and interpret the systemic actions taking place in operating rooms. After the initial testing phase, the technology will also be rolled out to track equipment.

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Tracking equipment used in this project.