Guy's & St Thomas

Overview

Guy's Hospital is an NHS hospital in the borough of Southwark in central London. It is part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust which has been providing a full range of lifelong, general and specialist care, as well as clinical research, education, and training since 1721.

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In early 2022, Guys and St Thomas Hospital (GSTT) embarked on a transformation journey by upgrading their outdated patient records system to the modern Electronic Patient Records (EPR) system provided by EPIC under the project name Apollo. 

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This transition involved consolidating legacy electronic and paper records into a single digital platform, to enhance the flow of information and, ultimately, improving patient care.

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To facilitate this transition, EPIC deployed a multitude of new devices, including barcode scanners, printers, and various computer-related equipment. These devices were strategically placed to monitor patients throughout their visits and update information in real time, requiring a comprehensive overhaul of the hospital's data infrastructure.

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Approach

Installation Technology has been working in the Healthcare sector for over 20 years and appreciate how challenging hospital environments are to work in. They operate 365 days per year, 24 hours a day, have high standards of hygiene and strict Health and Safety practices. 

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Theatres and ward environments are extremely complex, installation of new infrastructure such as data access points, cabling and equipment, requires careful navigation around medical apparatus and services such as gas, air and alarms.

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Having installed much of GSTT’s IT infrastructure since 2013, Installation Technology were ideally placed to deliver the enabling infrastructure for this exciting initiative.

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Solution

Installation Technology collaborated closely with GSTT and 3^rd party suppliers to install over 500 new dual data outlets using Cats 6a cabling across 10 separate buildings. This upgrade was crucial to support the deployment of the new devices and ensure seamless integration with the EPR system.

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A significant portion of the new data outlets, approximately 40%, were located in critical areas such as Operating Theatres and Intensive Care Units, demanding meticulous planning and execution. Much of the installation work had to be carried out during night shifts and weekends to minimize disruption to hospital operations. To address the unique challenges posed by clinical environments, extensive communication efforts were made to inform clinical staff and stakeholders about the project's progress and minimise disruptions.

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Special attention was given to operating theatres, where data outlets needed to be positioned at the centre of the room. This requirement necessitated the development of a new containment design tailored to accommodate this specific need. We worked closely with the electrical team to design a suitable solution. 

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Some parts of the GSTT estate associated with the Apollo Project were constructed when the use of asbestos was common place; this meant routes had to be carefully planned to avoid these areas which added complexity to the cabling works, demanding an extra layer of care and expertise.

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