Survey - Replacing Tube Systems

[Victor G.]

Hello!

My group's 12th grade project requires us to develop an alternative solution to pneumatic tube systems, but first we must collect data so that our solution may satisfy customers. Please fill out this survey for my team, it would be very helpful and appreciated!

1. What would you want the alternative solution to pneumatic tubes to have/feature?* (Choose as many answers as needed)
-Time (solution should transport specimens as quick as possible)
-Cost (be more affordable)
-Size (larger or smaller)
-Navigation (self navigates/ doesn't need someone to send it back)
-Security (requires a badge, a password, other recognition)
-Temperature controlled (to store test tubes/blood)
-Maintenance (rarely breaks down/ rarely needs to be fixed)
-Variability ( a wide amount of specimens or objects can be transported)
-Other:

2. What objects or specimens would you like to see be transported with the alternative solution?* (Choose as many answers as needed)
-Test Tubes
-Blood Tests
-Medicine
-Urine tests
-Other body fluids (other than blood/urine)
-Biohazardous materials (chemotherapy, radiopharma - ceuticals, cytotoxic medications
-Documents/Papers
-Larger objects such as lab equipment, first aid kits, medical devices, PPE, surgical instruments
-Other:

3. What would you want the size of the alternative solution to be?* (Choose one answer)
-Standard size of a pneumatic tube  (around 1 foot)
-Larger than a pneumatic tube (around 3 feet)
-Smaller than a pneumatic tube (around 1/2 foot)
-Other:

4. How important is NAVIGATION (the ability to self navigate without anyone needing to control it)?* (Choose one answer)
Not that important
1
2
3
4
5
Navigation is the most important thing

5. What changes if any, would you want to see in our alternate solution? (Optional Question)

 

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Great question -- hope our hospital based nurses respond.

Is any hospital using robots to transport specimens to lab?

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

1. What would you want the alternative solution to pneumatic tubes to have/feature?* (Choose as many answers as needed)
-Time (solution should transport specimens as quick as possible)
-Cost (be more affordable)
-Size (larger or smaller)
-Navigation (self navigates/ doesn't need someone to send it back)
-Security (requires a badge, a password, other recognition)
-Temperature controlled (to store test tubes/blood)
-Maintenance (rarely breaks down/ rarely needs to be fixed)
-Variability ( a wide amount of specimens or objects can be transported)
-Other:

2. What objects or specimens would you like to see be transported with the alternative solution?* (Choose as many answers as needed)
-Test Tubes
-Blood Tests
-Medicine
-Urine tests
-Other body fluids (other than blood/urine)
-Biohazardous materials (chemotherapy, radiopharma - ceuticals, cytotoxic medications
-Documents/Papers
-Larger objects such as lab equipment, first aid kits, medical devices, PPE, surgical instruments
-Other:

3. What would you want the size of the alternative solution to be?* (Choose one answer)
-Standard size of a pneumatic tube  (around 1 foot)
-Larger than a pneumatic tube (around 3 feet)
-Smaller than a pneumatic tube (around 1/2 foot)
-Other: Whatever size needed to contain materials being transported 

4. How important is NAVIGATION (the ability to self navigate without anyone needing to control it)?* (Choose one answer)
Not that important
1
2
3
4
5
Navigation is the most important thing

5. What changes if any, would you want to see in our alternate solution? (Optional Question) The tube stations are pretty necessary in very large institutions. If they were to be replaced, I think it would be challenging to make them efficient and reliable while being cost effective. 

I would love to hear what alternatives you all come up with! This is a very challenging ask!  Best of luck 🙂 

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

NRSKarenRN said:

Is any hospital using robots to transport specimens to lab?

I wonder if they are. I cannot imagine a more cost efficient way to move some of the things around that the tube stations handle. If they use robots, it seems they would need a separate pathway to get where they need to go, it seems it would be a disaster to put them in the same hallways as people traveling in the halls (visitors or staff or even transporting pts in beds/stretchers). 

Can't wait to see what they come up with!