How to Maintain and Care For Your Medical Equipment to Ensure Longevity

Medical equipment is critical for patient safety. From defibrillators to anesthesia machines, medical practices depend on these specialized devices to perform at their best.

A 24 hour emergency service Lafayette, AL maintenance can extend the lifespan of these important pieces of equipment. Here are some tips to follow: Use the following guidelines to ensure that your equipment lasts: Follow manufacturer storage guidelines.

Use Parts That Have Been Made to Last

Medical equipment has been made to last, but it is important that users clean and disinfect it regularly to keep the devices working properly. Using non-abrasive cleaning products, adhering to contact time guidelines, and ensuring that the proper sterilization techniques are used will ensure that medical devices can be reused repeatedly.

It is also a good idea to turn off medical equipment when not in use, as this can help prevent overheating and extend its lifespan. This is particularly important for defibrillators and anesthesia machines, which must always be in top condition.

Keeping detailed repair records of medical equipment is another way to ensure it can be repaired promptly when needed. This can help avoid wasting money on buying replacement parts or hiring additional staff to cover when a device is unavailable. It can also be helpful when planning for future repairs and allowing for the best scheduling of services.

Clean Your Equipment Regularly

Using disinfectants approved by the manufacturer and used according to their guidelines can greatly increase a medical device’s lifespan. It is also important to always ensure a clean environment is maintained near any medical equipment. To prevent contamination, food, fluids, and flammable substances must be kept away from equipment.

Turning off a medical device when not in use is also important. This will not only save on energy costs but will also help prolong the equipment’s life.

Often, it is difficult to keep track of who will be responsible for cleaning and disinfecting certain pieces of equipment. This can be even more of an issue in ambulatory settings, where infection control is more relaxed. For this reason, it is important to examine the cleaning instructions for any equipment you are considering purchasing and determine, in cooperation with your environmental services department, who will be responsible for what.

Store Your Equipment in the Right Place

When stored improperly, medical equipment can deteriorate much faster than it should. Medicines and soft medical supplies must be kept in durable containers that protect them from high temperatures and excessive moisture. The storage containers should also be clear so medical staff can easily and quickly find necessary items.

Some equipment requires additional security measures, especially if it is expensive or contains sensitive information. This can be done by securing the equipment physically or implementing virtual security solutions like inventory software.

Hospitals can also ensure all their equipment works optimally by establishing rock-solid maintenance programs that include work order documentation. This gives field technicians the necessary information, including previous maintenance history and nuanced equipment performance metrics, before arriving at a customer location. This information can help save hospitals a significant amount of money over time. To learn more about the importance of maintaining your medical equipment, contact a team from Coast Biomedical today.

Repair It When Needed

As a medical facility manager or a professional with a private practice, you need to be able to count on your devices to work properly when needed. Faulty equipment could lead to medical mistakes that could endanger patients’ lives. That’s why following the guidelines and instructions for each piece of equipment is important.

Keeping in regular contact with field service companies is also an effective way to ensure that your medical device parts are being repaired when necessary. Using field service management software can make it easy for dispatchers to generate recurring work orders that specify each device’s maintenance schedule.

Properly maintaining your medical equipment will help to prolong its lifespan. Following these tips can save money on repair costs and keep your medical staff more productive. For more helpful information on maintaining and caring for your medical equipment, visit our website.