Even though you have your equipment installed, calibrated, and ready to use, the journey of getting new equipment is far from over. Crucial steps follow to ensure its smooth operation and a long and prosperous life at your clinic.
This article covers what to expect after installing your equipment, from training and service plans to setting up routine maintenance schedules. Following these steps will optimize your investment and ensure the highest-quality care for your patients.
Setting up your medical imaging room is a significant undertaking. Sometimes, it requires a whole brand new build, while in other cases, people choose to retrofit a room, each option with its advantages and disadvantages. Once the room is set up and the machine is installed, what’s next?
Let’s examine those next essential steps.
If you purchased a system with training, this should already be scheduled so your technicians can be trained on how to operate it, any customizations you may need for specific procedures, and any required maintenance.
If you didn’t purchase the system with training, talk to your product rep, and they will gladly help you arrange it. In some cases, your technicians may be able to get continuing education credits for their training.
If your purchase comes with a service plan, your product rep will connect you with your dedicated customer service representative. This team member will be your primary point of contact throughout the service coverage.
However, you could still reach out to your product rep, who will want to know that you are completely satisfied with the product and the installation process.
All new systems come with a first-scan warranty, ensuring the system is fully operational and functional upon delivery and installation. The installers will test it before they leave your site. Some clinics just use this and then handle the ongoing service in-house. Even if you choose this, you should still maintain a close relationship with your provider.
Contact them if you have any issues with the equipment later down the road and in-house troubleshooting cannot solve them. They should be happy to assist 24/7. They may be able to provide parts for repairs and upgrades for specialty procedures, and you won’t have to worry about compatibility or quality control issues. They may also offer additional services like preventative maintenance contracts or engineer support.
Equipment providers want to hear how they did with your installation, so they may send you a survey once it’s complete. Take a few moments to provide feedback that will help them know they did a good job or where there is room for improvement so they can better service you next time. Everyone wins when feedback, good or bad, is provided.
Regular maintenance is critical to ensure safe and effective operation.
Corrective maintenance involves identifying, isolating, and correcting faults when equipment performs suboptimally. It’s critical to execute this immediately when issues are seen, as delays can result in safety issues and increase the chance that something will break down if not corrected, leading to greater costs and impacting patient care.
Preventative maintenance is done on a regular schedule and involves things like inspections, tuning, calibrating, and cleaning. It is equally critical because it reduces the need for emergency repairs and equipment replacement and ensures patient care and safety.
Create a list of your machines on-site, including make, model, date of purchase, location, and condition. Your list should also have a field for the last time it was maintained and the next date that it should be maintained.
Then, a staff member should be appointed to ensure that all maintenance is done according to schedule. How often it should be maintained varies with the device and patient volumes, so create a schedule according to the manufacturer's recommendations.
When the scheduled date arrives, have your trained biomedical engineers and technicians conduct the inspections. They should be trained to look for indications of damage or malfunction and should also perform tests to ensure the equipment is running in top condition. If problems are detected, calibration or repairs may be necessary.
Some machines also require consumables, so be sure to include routine inventory checking as part of your regular maintenance routine in order to help prevent unnecessary downtime.
Some machines require routine software and security updates to ensure smooth operation. Make sure that your maintenance schedule also includes checking for updates. If you receive a memo to perform an update outside your maintenance schedule - don’t wait; it should be done immediately.
Ensuring that the room, machines, and accessories are clean is crucial to your machine's optimal performance. It means that after every use, the machine and accessories must be cleaned, sanitized, and disinfected to reduce the risk of foreign materials interfering with the scans and ensure patient and staff safety. Ensure your staff is trained in what cleaning products to use on which devices.
Sometimes procedures change, staff changes, or people forget, so ongoing training is also critical to ensure that all staff are well-versed in operating it effectively. This ongoing training includes staying current with healthcare standards and regulations regarding their use or maintenance.
Turning off electronics when not in use helps increase their lifespan and prevents overheating and damage to the power supply. However, some equipment should not be turned off for long periods, so check your manufacturer’s instructions.
Ensuring your staff is fully trained to operate, clean, and maintain your machines extends the lifespan of your imaging equipment and contributes to a safe and high-quality patient care environment.
If you're looking for new imaging solutions or have questions about some you already purchased, contact PatientImage, where you'll find an extensive range of medical imaging equipment with convenient in-house financing.