Service Tips to Ensure Smooth Operation of Your Healthcare Equipment
In the world of investments, a "set it and forget it" approach rarely leads to favorable returns. Safeguarding your investments is paramount, and this is particularly true in the realm of healthcare equipment. As a biomedical engineer, you bear the responsibility of ensuring that critical systems remain operational 24/7 to support high-quality patient care in your facility. Moreover, there's constant pressure to keep maintenance costs low while staying abreast of the latest technological advancements. To achieve this, having a dedicated preventative maintenance and troubleshooting team is invaluable. Nevertheless, even smaller departments with limited staff can employ best practices to maintain the seamless operation of healthcare equipment.
1. Preventative Maintenance: Preventive maintenance is a proactive approach that helps healthcare organizations optimize equipment performance, reduce downtime, control costs, improve patient safety and comply with regulations. By investing in regular maintenance, biomedical engineers can contribute to the efficient and reliable operation of medical devices and equipment, ultimately benefiting both healthcare providers and patients. Routine tune-ups greatly contribute to prolonging the life of your equipment. With regards to mounting systems, not only will a PM program extend the lifespan of your mounting solutions, but your staff will enjoy more consistent fluid articulation and stability over the long haul.
2. Prioritize Clinician Comfort: Ensure that ergonomic adjustments work correctly, allowing clinicians to use equipment comfortably. Consider potential damage from other equipment, cables, or tampering by patients and family members. Healthcare equipment such as mounting systems and carts that are designed with user health in mind provide adequate space for monitors, keyboards and other essential items to be set up, stored, and accessed with ease, especially during demanding interactions with patients. An optimal setup is one where the keyboard/mouse height and monitor height are ideal in both sitting and standing postures.
3. Regular Monitoring and Staff Training: Continuously monitor systems for performance issues and address them promptly. Keep your staff well-trained in the use of your healthcare equipment to ensure their effective and efficient operation.
4. Maintain Cleanliness: To mitigate the spread of healthcare-associated infections and to keep your systems running smoothly, establish a rigorous cleaning and disinfection protocol on all medical mounts and healthcare equipment. In doing so, this can extend the lifespan of your systems and decrease downtime.
By implementing these practices, you can proactively extend the life and efficiency of your mounting systems and medical carts. ICW is now part of TouchPoint Medical. For more information on our preventative maintenance program, reach out to our experts.