The management of medical devices and equipment has taken on a new level of complexity in recent years, due in part to the increased sophistication and specialization of equipment, integration with electronic networks, dependence on outsourcing for specialized maintenance and repair, and ever-increasing requirements for compliance, safety, reliability, and accuracy.  A capital equipment maintenance program provides for the early detection of problems and is designed to increase the useful life of buildings, technology, and equipment; ensure the safety of patients and personnel; prevent costly emergency repairs; and prevent inconvenience and expense due to unscheduled down time. 

 

This session will review the creation, setup, and ongoing assessment of an equipment maintenance program. Discussion will include factors to consider when determining who should complete the maintenance, how to identify roles and responsibilities for support, tools to document those roles and responsibilities, and ways to measure and monitor your program.  Understand options for ongoing maintenance of capital equipment and considerations when assessing whether to insource or outsource maintenance.  The presenter will also review Support Plans, RACI diagrams, Service Level Agreements, Vendor Management Assessment Tools, and ways to measure and monitor your program.

 

Future-proofing connected devices requires building robust security mechanisms into connected medical devices and equipment. Tracking inventory of what you have is pivotal for successful management.  Learn how to evaluate connected medical devices so that they can still be used in the future, even when technology changes, as well as how to set up an RFP process and evaluation guidelines. It is also important to enlist stakeholders to participate and weigh in on what attributes are essential. Other methods of monitoring and maintaining network-connected devices will also be covered.