Authors: (including presenting author): :
Lai YM(1), Lui CT(1), Hung PS(1), Tin KY(1), Tsang MY(1), Chan YWW(1), Mok CTT(2), Leung KCC(2), Lo KCE(2), Hau LMJ(3)
Affiliation: :
(1)Accident and Emergency Department, Tuen Mun Hospital, (2)Information and Technology Section, New Territories West Cluster, (3)Quality and Safety Department, New Territories West Cluster
Keyword 1: :
Digital transformation
Keyword 2: :
Clinical Safety
Keyword 3: :
Oxygen cylinder management
Keyword 4: :
intra-facility transfer
Keyword 5: :
Accident and Emergency Department
Introduction: :
Stable and adequate oxygen supply is critical for patients experiencing respiratory distress. Effective oxygen cylinder management is particularly vital during intra-facility transfers, especially in the Accident and Emergency Department (AED), which handles a high volume of patient movements and oxygen cylinder exchanges. Paper records for oxygen management have proven challenging to document and track, leading to gaps in compliance with cluster policies. Digital transformation can enhance adherence to standard and maintain clear, organized records.
Objectives: :
To develop and implement a digital oxygen management system that aligns with the cluster oxygen cylinder standard and provides step-by-step guidance.
Methodology: :
A mobile application (SCO2, Smart Check O2) was developed by NTWC IT Section based on clinical inputs. Nurses would use the app, via working mobiles, to scan a patient’s wristband. Then the system would automatically load the oxygen requirement and prescription from eAED and eResus. The system would provide step-by-step guidance on the “Safe Use of Oxygen Cylinder 3-2-1” policy. The nurse would capture two photos of oxygen knob, flow regulator and pressure gauge. Transactions details including username and date/time would be recorded to assure traceability.
Result & Outcome: :
SCO2 was piloted in TMH AED on 18 November 2025. In 6 weeks, 2,651 transactions had been recorded. A time-motion study illustrated comparable efficiency between traditional checking and documentation versus SCO2 [mean 33.5s vs 35.6s]. Vigilance was reinforced with training and familiarization sessions of the digitally transformed workflow. The safety, traceability and accountability were assured. Random sampling of archived photos demonstrated full compliance of oxygen checking steps in all transactions. No incident related to oxygen cylinder occurred during the pilot. A staff satisfaction survey revealed positive feedback. 76.9% of users strongly agreed that the innovation enhanced patient safety. Upcoming, integration with AI is undergoing, to recognize and alert frontlines if the captured photos illustrated problems in the oxygen cylinder settings, including the automatic flow rate crosscheck from prescriptions, inadequate oxygen content and inadvertent closure of oxygen knob.
