ENDOSCOPY
Innovating to meet demand
In 2018, mobile medical unit provider EMS Healthcare launched Quest+ Decontamination – the UK’s first mobile endoscope decontamination unit. To date, the unit has saved NHS Trusts in the region of £5.375 million1 through responding directly to the challenges they are facing.
Identifying the need
The Quest+ journey began in 2017 when EMS Healthcare identified the need, and began reaching out directly to healthcare providers, to understand their specific challenges. What started as a solution intended to support Trusts during planned maintenance – when endoscope decontamination facilities reach the end of their lifecycle – evolved to respond to pressing capacity issues and disaster recovery. Previously, when faced with these issues, healthcare providers had to either use external decontamination services – a complex process that often requires additional investment in scopes – or transfer the decontamination suite to a new location within the hospital estate, which can often result in ward closures. The added element of these issues often being unplanned, can mean there is a period where Trust staff are also not being utilised. There was a clear gap in the market for a solution that could save both time and money.
Design and development
With a complex gap in the market identified, EMS Healthcare assembled the right partners to bring the solution to life. Reprocessing equipment provider, Cantel (UK) and RO plant provider, Veolia Water Technologies were brought on board to ensure a complete understanding of the technical capabilities that would be required.
At design and development stage, there were a range of factors that needed to be considered – not least space. With limited space on hospital sites and location a priority, it was important that the unit’s footprint was minimal, while still delivering on the technical requirements for endoscope reprocessing. Jo Quarterman, commercial manager at EMS Healthcare said: “Working with the right partners on this project has been paramount. The healthcare market is a complex space, and while we have a great degree of knowledge ourselves, we knew that if we were going to create something that would
AUGUST 2019
make a real difference, it required a joined- up approach. “We’re continually reviewing how and where we can make improvements alongside our partners. A great recent example saw us implement Duplex water softener to cope
When we put this partnership with EMS Healthcare and Veolia in place, we aimed to be able to support hospitals in the delivery of
uncompromised care. Nic Barnes, Cantel
with the water variants across the UK.” With the aim to provide a one-stop solution for hospital Trusts’ endoscope reprocessing needs, collaboration was an integral part of the design and development process, and continues to support the unit’s evolution.
Nic Barnes, sales director at Cantel added: “When we put this partnership with EMS Healthcare and Veolia in place, we aimed to be able to support hospitals in the delivery of uncompromised care. This has now been realised and is resulting in real cost and time efficiencies for hospitals embracing the solution.”
The solution
Designed in accordance with JAG guidelines, the Quest+ Decontamination unit enables a one-way flow for scopes with separate clean and dirty areas. Utilising top of the range equipment and facilities, features of the unit include four RapidAER Endoscope Reprocessors, Surestore long term storage,
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