BEAMS reduces alarm response times at Leeds Children’s Hospital

The multi-award-winning Bedside Equipment Alarm Monitoring System (BEAMS) recently installed on a ward at Leeds Children’s Hospital has significantly reduced alarm response times.

The number of alarms taking more than five minutes to respond to was reduced by 57%, more than 30 minutes by 100% and average response by 43% to one minute 42 seconds. The system was implemented to enhance patient safety in a timely manner and improve nursing efficiency and conditions.

BEAMS is a monitoring system developed for and with Sheffield Children’s Hospital by Tutum Medical Ltd to significantly improve response times for critical bedside alarms; it is the only acoustic solution that listens for medical device alarms and notifies staff of the source, device and type of alarm.

This allows staff to prioritise the most critical alarms, which supports improved patient outcomes, better workflow for nurses and reduced healthcare costs for hospitals.

Jenni France, ward manager at Leeds Children’s Hospital, said, “We had heard from other children’s hospitals how this simple and easy system was significantly improving response times to critical equipment alarms.

“We saw great results from a trial on Ward L30. Patient safety and reassurance for nursing staff markedly improved. We know immediately which patient’s device has raised an alarm and the urgency of the alarm so we can prioritise alarm responses in seconds.”

BEAMS, which Future Market Insights named in a 2023 report as a recent development in the market to watch, listens for specific alarms and when an alarm has been identified notifies nurses which room needs attention, together with the type of alarm that has been triggered.

The system is designed to send the notification via Wi-Fi to a nurse console display located at the nurse station, and to speakers along the corridors (which give a spoken notification). BEAMS creates its own Wi-Fi mesh network, which removes the need to interface to hospital infrastructure.

Paul Rawlinson, managing director at Tutum Medical Ltd, said: “We are delighted Leeds Children’s Hospital have installed BEAMS and are seeing significant improvements in response times to alarms.

“Patient safety and better working conditions for nurses are vital, especially at a time of nurse shortages and increased alarm fatigue. We are proud to be making a difference not just at Leeds Children’s Hospital but on wards across the country with our unique system.”

The BEAMS system is currently being trialled on other wards at Leeds Children’s Hospital as well as in other hospitals across the country.