There’s
a whole range of businesses that deal with and use biomedical equipment every
day, from dentists to GP’s, tattooists and nursing homes, and there’s an even
greater amount of people who are subjected to this biomedical equipment every
day for diagnosis, treatment and assistance. So, biomedical equipment
calibration is incredibly important from a moral, technological, medical and
legal standpoint as it should be in full working order, safe to use, and
calibrated to the highest level of accuracy.
Calibration
defines the accuracy and quality of measurements recorded using a piece of
equipment. Over time there is a tendency for results and accuracy to ‘drift’
particularly when using particular technologies or measuring particular
parameters such as temperature and humidity. To be confident in the results
being measured there is an ongoing need to maintain the calibration of equipment
throughout its lifetime for reliable, accurate and repeatable measurements. The
goal of biomedical equipment calibration is to minimize any measurement
uncertainly by ensuring the accuracy of test equipment. Calibration quantifies
and controls errors or uncertainties within measurement processes to an
acceptable level.
Why biomedical equipment calibration is
necessary?
The
calibration of biomedical equipment and devices to determine their accuracy and
efficiency is very crucial to an effective and efficient national health
delivery system. If calibration of the equipment is not taken seriously, it
will give wrong results that will lead to wrong prescriptions by doctors. Differences in results due to inaccurate readings
raise a number of questions, namely, requirements for laboratory accommodation
and environmental conditions, maintenance of laboratory equipment, examination
and post-examination procedures and the format for reporting among others.
Biomedicalequipment calibration is important for two main reasons. First, it ensures that
users of the equipment rely on accurate measurement results. Second, it
increases customer confidence and quality assurance. It is important that these
medical devices are calibrated on a regular basis, meaning that they should be
regularly compared with a measurement standard to find out how far they deviate
from the standard. This helps to establish the relationship between the value
indicated by a measuring device or measuring system and the corresponding
standard or known values derived from the standard. For better health services
biomedical equipment should be calibrated in an effective and efficient manner
at regular intervals.
