Hyperbaric critical care patient data management system

A patient data management system (PDMS) has been used for years in the intensive care unit (ICU) at the Karolinska University Hospital to provide bedside or remote clinical patient documentation and information. Data from monitors, mechanical ventilators and syringe pumps are fed into a central clinical information management system to monitor, display trends and record data of vital parameters, ventilator settings and drugs. In order to continue routine critical care monitoring and recording during hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), without endangering the safety demands of hyperbaric procedures, we have modified the PDMS system for hyperbaric use. Via an ethernet box placed inside the chamber, data are transmitted to the Clinisoft™ system through the local area network. By standardised risk-analysis procedures, in close cooperation between the hyperbaric and biomedical engineering departments, the chamber producer and the notifying body (Germanischer Lloyd), the ethernet box was modified to receive full safety approval by all parties. The PDMS is now functioning routinely during HBOT for intensive care patients so that data can be seen bedside and followed on-line in the ICU. Data are also continuously stored on the clinical information management system for later clinical or research purposes. Work continues to obtain CE approval for hyperbaric use for modern syringe pumps and mechanical ventilators connected to the PDMS system. Improved documentation of ICU care will improve quality of care during HBOT and facilitate research and development in hyperbaric medicine.