PEVCO is based out of Baltimore, USA, a specialty manufacturer of Pneumatic Tube Systems for healthcare applications since 1978 with more than 700 customers worldwide.
The Pevco system is designed to the most stringent standards for safety, reliability and durability to meet the U.S. standards. For that reason PEVCO uses only galvanized steel tubing that is manufactured specifically for Pneumatic Tube Systems. The tubing network will not burn, melt, crack or rust. It will be in use for decades. Most European systems are installed using thin-walled PVC tubing. Pevco uses only high-quality components. Motors, switches sensors, etc. are durable and support long-lasting operation.
Pevco bends are formed on a radius of not less than 1200 mm, insuring a smooth transition for the carrier. Many European systems use bends with a radius of less than 800 mm, which greatly increases the G-forces on each carrier and its contents.
Pevco uses only ‘end stations’ in the system. Station down time does not affect other stations. Pevco guarantees an uptime rate in excess of 99.5% excluding human error. Our experience tells us that the majority of system failures are related to human interaction. Most human interaction occurs at the stations where the users send and receive carriers. To minimize the impact of these user-related issues, each Pevco station is connected to a diverter. By connecting to diverters, a user-caused failure at a station will impact only that station. All of the other stations in that zone/system will continue to operate. Installing systems this way adds tubing, bends and installation cost; however, it is much better for the long-term operation and results in higher user satisfaction and lower total cost of ownership. Pevco is dedicated to the Fast, Safe and accurate delivery of Specimens drugs and Blood Products .
Transactions travel through the stations to get to their destination. If a station is offline for any reason, transactions cannot pass through. All stations in each zone are dependent on all other stations in their zone to be in operation. Failure at just one station can mean that all stations in a zone are unavailable.
Users interact with the Pneumatic Tube System at the stations. The majority of system alarms are user-related and occur at the stations.
These stations are not designed for high volume. Just one or two carriers may cause a station to become inoperable until the carrier(s) are removed.
Carriers dropping into a basket, a bin or on to the floor, are not considered controlled deliveries and may damage sensitive items.
It is Pevco’s experience that hospitals frequently remodel and renovate. When Through-Send stations need to be relocated, tubing above and below the station must also be relocated or re-worked to keep the station in the same line.
Station power and system communications usually run through a separate cable that is strapped to the tubing. If this cable becomes damaged, it may be difficult to find and correct the damage.
Usually, a simple keypad with LCD display is all that is available at the stations. There is no touch screen to provide feedback or information to the user.
Bar code readers are not available at the stations. Most everything transported by pneumatic tube in a hospital carries a bar code. Incorporating a bar code reader and scanning the carrier and content information into the system is the only method to achieve a true audit trail of the transaction.
Pevco SmartPath™ provides complete redundancy in the system. A blower failure will not disrupt the system operation. In the Pevco SmartPath™, any blower can operate any transaction on any zone from start to finish. Any blower can vacuum or pressure a carrier anywhere in the system. Blowers are not dedicated to a specific zone as in the other designs. The entire network could run off of a single blower if necessary. This not only provides redundancy in the event of a failure, it also provides flexibility when maintenance or other work needs to be done. A blower can be signed off during less busy periods of the day so maintenance or repairs can be performed without negatively impacting system performance. Unlike some other Pneumatic Tube System interchanges, the Pevco SmartPath can process multiple carriers simultaneously. Processing multiple carriers simultaneously improves overall system throughput and increases system capacity.
Pevco Atlas software operates as a service on the hospital server. There is no vulnerable, stand-alone PC to be hacked by outside operators.
Pevco Clinical View is a proprietary item that allows users to see important system operating information in real time.
Pevco’s patented Intelligent Send feature allows the hospital to customize and prioritize transactions based on product and other transaction factors.
The benefits of a Pneumatic Tube System are not just in the cost savings of labor associated with delivery of materials. A system that operates on demand to deliver materials throughout the day is more timely and more efficient for hospital operations. The Laboratory receives samples much closer to when they were drawn. This is not only more timely for generating results but it also evens out the traffic flow into the Lab. Instead of receiving specimens in large batches they are delivered throughout the day.
The Pharmacy is another big beneficiary of the Pneumatic Tube System. While routine medications are delivered in bulk on a schedule, first doses and changes in medication can be made quickly based on Dr.’s orders. A reliable Pneumatic Tube System that includes accountability and the ability to track the medications make this possible.
Finally, a reliable Pneumatic Tube System reduces foot traffic and elevator demand in a hospital. By moving many time sensitive and critical items out of the public spaces they eliminate the need for couriers or transport personnel in the halls and elevators being used by patients, doctors, nurses and visitors. All of this contributes to better patient care and a better environment for all involved.
Pneumatic Tube Systems are basic inventory in hospitals with more than 200 beds. Whether blood, tissue, urine samples or medication – when speed is vital, the hospital tube system will transport items fast, safe and shock-free. Pneumatic Tubes (or capsule pipelines, also known as Pneumatic Tube transport or PTT/ PTS) are systems that propel cylindrical containers through networks of tubes by compressed air or by partial vacuum. They are used for transporting solid objects, as opposed to conventional pipelines, which transport fluids. It helps to link the sending and receiving stations. The air compressor pump at the receiving station can suck or blow air. When it sucks, it pulls canisters along the tube toward it; when it blows, it pushes the canisters in the opposite direction.