Why is regular maintenance of medical equipment important for patient safety?

What equipment is used in medical institutions?

In medical institutions, various groups of equipment are utilized, each performing functions corresponding to specific areas. All devices are categorized into diagnostic and therapeutic groups. Typically, devices are further classified by type, focusing on their medical category:

  1. Surgical: laparoscopes, endoscopes, scalpels, coagulators, patient monitors.

  2. Laboratory: thermostats, centrifuges, analyzers.

  3. Dental: chairs, autoclaves, devices for diagnosis, treatment, disinfection.

  4. Therapeutic: tonometers, phonendoscopes, scales.

  5. Ophthalmologic: laser systems, ophthalmoscopes, refractometers;

  6. Diagnostic: MRI, CT, ultrasound machines, mammographs, electrocardiographs.

  7. Physiotherapeutic: inhalers, massagers, machines for magnetotherapy, ozone therapy, electrophoresis.

  8. Resuscitation: defibrillators, ventilators, aspirators, anesthesia equipment.

  9. Sterilization: distillers, sterilizers, autoclaves.

Customer service utilizes registration systems, wheelchairs, equipment for individuals with disabilities, and anti-decubitus systems. Gynecological and urological medical equipment, devices for plastic surgery, and medical furniture are categorized separately.

Benefits of regular maintenance

Research data indicates that a significant amount of equipment in medical facilities either malfunctions or does not receive proper maintenance. Regular technical inspections of devices are essential for their effective use. A well-organized maintenance policy for equipment offers several advantages:

  • safety of operation for the doctor and patients;

  • avoidance of emergency situations;

  • reduction of downtime;

  • increased efficiency of the medical center;

  • Increasing the service life of the devices.

Up to 80% of breakdowns can be prevented with a systematic approach to equipment use. The primary objectives are to maintain operational condition, avoid failures, and prevent breakdowns. The repair duration for some types of equipment can be as long as 5-6 months. Timely maintenance of medical equipment reduces the likelihood of failures and extends the lifespan of devices.

How regular maintenance affects patient safety

During the maintenance and repair of equipment, it is essential to adhere strictly to regulations to ensure the safety of medical devices. Key requirements and maintenance guidelines to consider include:

  • training and qualification of specialists;

  • personal protection;

  • knowledge of equipment features;

  • Safety checks before starting work;

  • regular compliance with operational requirements;

  • disinfection, sterilization;

  • planning.

The safety of medical activities is a vital aspect of maintaining and repairing medical equipment, ensuring the proper operation of healthcare facilities. Failure to comply with safety requirements can result in serious consequences.

The main components of maintenance

Maintenance of medical equipment ensures the correct and full functionality of devices. Monitoring functionality and maintenance involves several activities:

  1. Regular monitoring of condition and performance.

  2. Identification of defects, malfunctions.

  3. Monitoring performance, status of updates, software, compatibility.

  4. Checking batteries, adjustment, cleaning.

  5. Replacement of worn parts.

  6. Calibration, checking accuracy of measurements according to requirements.

  7. Troubleshooting, restoring performance.

  8. Maintaining records and documentation.

Specialists in the medical institution responsible for the equipment should be familiar with the warranty service requirements and features provided by the manufacturer or supplier. Repairs must be conducted by qualified specialists with experience, adhering to established requirements and safety standards. The use of original spare parts and components ensures the quality of device functionality. After repairs, thorough testing and performance verification are conducted.

Service maintenance: peculiarities

Regulating maintenance involves a set of measures to maintain and restore the performance of medical devices. Several types of service work include:

  • warranty;

  • post-warranty;

  • unscheduled;

  • maintenance of equipment from other manufacturers;

  • repair and technical diagnostics;

  • commissioning.

Routine maintenance (warranty) involves regular inspections of devices to identify defects. The inspection intervals should align with the specifications in the technical documentation, typically occurring two to four times a year or monthly. Daily inspections of medical equipment are conducted by nurses, doctors, or designated personnel within the medical institution.

Periodic maintenance (unscheduled) is performed for diagnosis, prevention, and reduction of wear and tear on devices. This may include tasks such as replacing consumables and cleaning electronic units and components to remove contamination.

Devices that are installed in a stationary manner are maintained directly at their place of operation within the clinic or medical office. If necessary, the device may be taken to engineers for further servicing. Mobile and portable models are serviced at the organization's workplace conducting the inspection. Medical gas systems are also maintained at their place of use.

Calibration of medical devices

Calibration is a set of actions aimed at adjusting medical devices to specific standards to ensure their accuracy. It is essential to perform calibration regularly to guarantee precise measurements. Key features of calibration include:

  • compliance with the device specification and manufacturer's instructions;

  • Ensuring that the device captures the data accurately;

  • reliability and correct operation;

  • measurement of a reference value.

During the calibration process, errors in the measuring device are corrected to ensure proper functioning. Calibration of medical devices is conducted by qualified personnel to guarantee the accuracy of the process.

Conclusion

The thorough and effective maintenance of medical equipment is essential and should not be underestimated. Suboptimal operation or failure of devices used for diagnosis, treatment, or life support can result in poor service quality, diagnostic errors, and ineffective treatments.

Proper organization of medical equipment maintenance aims to eliminate potential downtime, ensuring the quality of clinic operations and guaranteeing medical safety.

 

04.11.2024