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Medtech Business Review | Saturday, July 01, 2023
Effectively managing medical devices is critical to supply chain management in healthcare facilities.
FREMONT, CA: Managing medical devices poses significant challenges for supply chain management in health systems and hospitals. Hospitals need to acquire these devices and track and maintain them effectively, from monitors to IV pumps to expensive imaging machines. This article delves into the complexities of medical device management. It explores strategies to enhance visibility, measure utilization, establish benchmarks, involve stakeholders, establish effective governance, determines useful life, and leverage aftermarket parts to maximize value and patient care.
Bridging the gap: Many healthcare facilities struggle to comprehensively understand their medical device inventory. The vast majority of people have discrepancies between what they believe they own and what they possess, with discrepancies as high as 30 percent. Conducting thorough inventories and implementing efficient tracking systems can bridge this visibility gap, enabling accurate management of medical devices.
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Improving efficiency: Determining the utilization rates of medical devices is a challenge most hospitals face. Without technology-enabled monitoring systems, tracking and analyzing usage becomes difficult. Consequently, hospitals may only utilize 40 to 50 percent of their equipment daily, leading to suboptimal asset utilization. Implementing technological solutions that capture real-time data on device usage can help hospitals improve efficiency and make informed decisions.
Gauging investment: Hospitals often lack comparative benchmarks to evaluate their equipment investments. Similar hospitals can provide valuable insights into the adequacy of their inventory by knowing how many devices, such as ventilators or IV pumps. By establishing comparative benchmarks, hospitals can gauge the level of investment in clinical assets and identify areas for improvement or optimization.
Navigating complexity: Medical device decisions involve multiple stakeholders, each with their perspectives and priorities. Administrators, frontline caregivers, finance professionals, regulatory experts, and infection control personnel all play a role in the decision-making process. Managing the complexities of device selection and procurement requires effective communication and collaboration among these stakeholders to ensure that decisions align with the overall goals and priorities of the healthcare facility.
Aligning goals: To enhance medical device management, healthcare facilities should establish robust governance mechanisms. Like pharmaceuticals and supplies, ongoing investments in clinical assets should have dedicated governance structures. Bringing all stakeholders together, aligning goals, and establishing clear accountability for decision-making processes are essential to effective governance. This ensures that decisions regarding medical devices are well-coordinated and contribute to the overall objectives of the facility.
Maximizing device lifespan: While manufacturers often recommend device replacement intervals, hospitals can extend the useful life of medical devices through a comprehensive clinical engineering program. Hospitals can perform timely repairs and maintenance by employing highly trained and skilled clinical engineers, keeping the equipment functional beyond the manufacturer's suggested lifespan. This approach allows facilities to optimize their capital investment and improve the longevity of their medical devices.
Ensuring safety and functionality: Even after manufacturers cease producing specific device parts, aftermarket options are available from qualified suppliers. To benefit from aftermarket parts while maintaining patient safety and device functionality, healthcare facilities need to implement rigorous supplier management practices. Conducting thorough evaluations and quality assessments of aftermarket suppliers ensures the reliability and performance of the devices, supporting effective patient care while managing costs.
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