Over 80% of American adults visited a primary care provider or a medical facility in 2020. With a consistently high volume of visitors and patients, facilities need to routinely maintain their healthcare equipment.
But how should healthcare providers ensure their equipment remains in top shape? Are there any major equipment maintenance factors to keep track of?
That’s what we’re here to look at today. Read on to find out more about key healthcare equipment maintenance tips for your medical facility.
Regular and Thorough Inventory
Healthcare organizations and facilities need to maintain an inventory of all their equipment to make sure they always have what they need. They also need to ensure they have the right number to avoid overspending.
Whenever things begin to run out, there should be a system in place where employees can request a restock. It’s a good idea to routinely evaluate whether each tool is critical to your healthcare facility.
Assessing your inventory items’ utility means you’re using only what you need. Understanding the lifespan of each piece of equipment also helps plan ahead.
Supply Organization
Having a thorough inventory helps quite a bit for supply organization, but it’s not always enough. Establishing a storage system where each employee knows where each piece of equipment belongs is crucial.
Healthcare equipment also needs to be stored in a safe place relative to its durability and importance. Otherwise, you might end up buying things that break before they reach their intended lifespan.
Purchasing storage equipment like containers is a great way to organize all of your equipment.
Regular Maintenance Schedules
Outside of proper storage, the best way to ensure your hospital equipment lasts as long as it should is through proper maintenance. Heavier pieces of machinery often have manuals and instructions to help you maintain them.
Sometimes your equipment breaks down and you need to call in repairmen to doctors offices. Sometimes something just needs a small part to be replaced.
For example, a hospital bed might be malfunction due to a faulty plastic roller that needs replacing. That’s just one of the typical plastic roller applications in healthcare.
Creating a regular maintenance schedule helps ensure your organization has exactly what it needs to help patients. It helps you identify why something isn’t working and how you can diagnose the issue.
Create Cleaning Routine
Cleaning your healthcare equipment is a critical part of your overall maintenance schedule. This involves looking for any rust or otherwise harmful blemishes on any piece of equipment.
It’s crucial that you’re always checking for things that can cause infections. Even something like tape residue can cause bacteria to form. Velcro and other adhesives also present opportunities for infections, such as MRSA.
Creating a cleaning routine helps you eliminate the chances of these incidents occurring. Outlining a routine for your employees is critical for healthcare organizations.
Taking Care of Healthcare Equipment
Regular healthcare equipment maintenance is a crucial part of ensuring your patients are always safe and are being taken care of the right way. Use this guide to help your organization run a smooth and seamless operation.
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