Olympus Medical has partnered with one of London’s busiest teaching hospitals, King’s College Hospital in Denmark Hill, to deliver what is reportedly Britain’s largest 3D surgical endoscopy installation.
Two new laparoscopic operating theatres have already been created via the conversion of existing facilities – featuring upgraded surgical technologies including full HD (FHD), 3D, and 4K surgical imaging platforms, and Olympus’s surgical tissue management system, THUNDERBEAT. A third such theatre, specialising in liver surgery, is due for completion in September.
In October 2012 Olympus was invited by the King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to tender to provide a managed equipment service within a theatre setting. It proposed use of its Guaranteed Performance Solutions (GPS) model, via which it guarantees to ensure that the latest medical technology, within the agreement’s scope, is available to clinicians precisely when required, and to maintain it ‘to an appropriate level to enhance the patient’s experience’. The company added: “GPS removes the reliance on high residual values typically built into traditional leasing agreements.”
In March 2015 Olympus was confirmed as the successful service-provider, and began preparing for a large-scale implementation of mobile imaging equipment and fully integrated turnkey operating theatres.
The KCH requirement was for ‘a technological and financial solution’ for inpatient and day surgery services operating around 2,000 procedures per month across general surgery, bariatric, liver, urology, orthopaedics, and gynaecology. Olympus supplied, installed, and will maintain, on an ongoing basis (including via the provision of a full-time on-site engineer), fully integrated laparoscopic theatres and related equipment.
Throughout, the Olympus project management team has worked closely with senior clinicians, divisional leads, procurement personnel, and the KCH Estates Department. The company said: “A critical aspect has been to ensure minimal disruption, to allow one of the UK’s busiest operating departments to continue operating seamlessly.”
During the consultation phase it was vital that the design would meet the clinical and estates team’s requirements. Olympus utilised 3D modelling using BIM software, Revit, and virtual reality ‘head gear’, to produce ‘a true-scale virtual operating theatre’ to aid in visualising the design of each theatre prior to construction. This allowed the project teams to adapt the theatres ‘in a 3D world’, rather than risking having to make potentially costly and time-consuming changes during the construction phase.
Kara Hollings, theatre service manager, King’s College Hospital, said. “The introduction of this ground-breaking technology has been incredibly smooth. The delivery of efficient patient care has been maintained during the entire process, and disruption minimised.”
