IoT-Based medical oxygen monitoring system in ICU. Case study: Rwandan hospitals with ICUs

Abstract

Globally, oxygen is among the most important medication provided to patients especially the ones with breathing problems. The management of oxygen supply in ICU is very crucial for being aware of oxygen pressure level being supplied from the source. In many hospitals, the oxygen is not distributed directly from the oxygen plant to ICU oxygen outlets. Full oxygen cylinders are installed on oxygen manifold which distributes the oxygen in different room oxygen outlets. Currently, biomedical engineers (BME) must be at the nearest place of the manifold of central distribution (oxygen supply), to observe and control the manifold pressure gauge, for being aware of medical oxygen pressure remaining in installed cylinders for clinical staff. The absence and availability of oxygen is recognized on oxygen flowmeters and other related medical equipment observation such as pulse oximeter and patient monitoring systems. When oxygen is not available and given in the appropriate manner and at the appropriate time in ICU regions, it immediately affects patient's medical conditions. The main goal of this research project is to design an IoT-based medical oxygen monitoring system in ICU hospitalization area that uses IoT devices to check oxygen pressure in installed cylinders and produce an alarm when the oxygen pressure is reaching nearby critical level. The biomedical engineers dealing with the oxygen supply system are frequently moving and checking the oxygen pressure level at the manifold pressure gauges, where this takes their time while they can be doing other activities and get the oxygen pressure level information wherever they are. This medical oxygen alarm system project is intended to be utilized for monitoring oxygen pressure level that is still present in installed O2 cylinders on the manifold, for the benefit of patients in intensive care unit (ICU) who are experiencing respiratory system issues. The system is composed of Arduino board that contains the color sensor, and GSM module. The color sensor senses the red LED bulb light, which turns on when the oxygen pressure is 20 bars or below. Through Arduino, the warning signal is generated after the light becomes red, and it sends mobile phone SMS and calls alerts to selected clinical staff and biomedical engineers wherever they are. In brief, an automatic SMS and call via GSM/GPRS in real-time is used to alert when the oxygen pressure level has not yet reached the unsafe pressure level. The proposed system will help the engineers and clinical staff to be aware of what is happening on the oxygen supply system (manifold) and engineers will only attend to such place only when in need. The system will send an SMS to him/her when the oxygen level reaches the critical level for saving the patient’s life rapidly. The oxygen level data will be maintained for further records analysis, and future decision-making.