Why Preventative Maintenance Is Essential For Medical Equipment

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Meta description: Preventive maintenance of medical equipment can reduce costs, improve safety, and give doctors peace of mind.

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Preventive maintenance consists of regular checks on equipment in order to prevent it from failing in the future. It is especially valuable in the medical field. Engineers employ preventive maintenance in various industries, but it is especially useful in the medical field.

In the following post, we will review the many reasons why maintenance is important for medical equipment.

It Generates Significant Financial Savings

In fact, hospitals spend more than $200 billion on medical devices each year. Some hospitals are purchasing new medical equipment. But in most cases, they are simply replacing older items that they have. But most of the time, they are just buying new items.

Medical supplies usually last around seven to ten years when used as designed. With proper care, it can last for many years.

It is much more costly to replace all medical equipment than to make repairs. Routinely replacing damaged components with refurbished ones can cut costs in the long run and save practices a small fortune.

It Improves Safety

Medical devices need to perform to specification all the time; they are used to protect patients and staff. If it doesn’t, it could put patients and practitioners at risk.

In the medical world, equipment that is regularly serviced by qualified professionals is safer than equipment that is not serviced. If a problem occurs with a medical device, professional engineers will quickly find and fix it, so that the problem won’t become worse.

Medical establishments have experienced numerous equipment and device failures in the past. Medtronic’s MiniMed insulin pumps had to be recalled, as well as Edwards Lifesciences’ measuring devices, due to leaks in the power supplies that caused them to be disabled. Those who regularly scheduled preventive maintenance were able to quickly identify these risks; others had to wait until the problem was solved before providing treatment.

It Boosts Operational Efficiency

There are many reasons why it would be advantageous to have regular preventive maintenance performed on medical equipment. If they have the right equipment, doctors will see seven to eight thousand people per day. If the right equipment maintenance schedule is in place, doctors could see even more patients.

When equipment is well maintained, doctors can access and use it more freely. There is less setup time, fiddling about with buttons, or calibration. And they work right away, right “out of the box”, and they provide better service to patients than older devices.

If medical equipment doesn’t perform well, it can actually reduce productivity. When equipment doesn’t perform as it should, patients are forced to wait longer in waiting rooms, and physicians have to work harder to keep up with demand. Queues start to form in waiting rooms, doctors start to work too long to clear backlogs, and nurses start to work longer hours.

The good news is that fitting equipment maintenance into your schedule is easy. Companies like Preventive Maintenance Medical Inc. (PM Medical), sets you up on a preventive maintenance schedule that meets the manufacturer’s and industry requirements. If you need to contact them after hours, they’ll reach out to you. They know that out of regular maintenance, emergencies happen and that you may need a part replaced that day.

It Reduces Frustration

Regular maintenance of equipment prevents frustration and keeps medical staff happy. Deep down, medical staff are human, too They get frustrated when medical equipment doesn’t work properly. Trying to coax a broken ultrasound machine into producing a viable image is extremely annoying.

By ensuring that your medical equipment is serviced regularly, you can avoid these problems entirely. It is as if equipment still works like it did the day it was originally purchased. To get more information about preventive maintenance for your medical equipment, visit PM Medical’s website today!