There is a real need in the market for personnel skilled in medical equipment repair. When your car breaks down you want skilled technicians to work on it. When clinical equipment fails, you need skilled technicians to service it. Medical devices can be highly complex. Technologies such as digital signal processing, RFID, laser optics, and x-ray systems are just a few of the high-tech applications found in today’s clinical machinery. Adding to this sophistication is the increasingly software-driven applications built into modern hospital equipment. Indeed, many of these devices are computers with a very specific clinical focus.
In the hospital arena, medical equipment technicians have the primary responsibility of maintaining and servicing clinical devices. Considering the risk involved with faulty hospital equipment, technicians need to not only have a high skill set, but also be involved in ongoing service training. Some “must have” skills for technicians who serve medical equipment repair include electronic trouble-shooting, proficient soldering ability, an understanding of AC/DC electronic circuits, as well as pneumatic, fluid, and mechanical systems.
While Repairing Medical Equipment, Quality Service is Not an Option
People will often spend quite a bit of time searching for a quality family doctor that meets their needs. Few people just look up the word “doctor” in the phone book and then go to the nearest one available. However, in the field of medical equipment repair, many hospitals are using the “flip a coin” approach to select a company who will service their clinical equipment.
Finding a company that provides quality medical equipment repair service is not impossible, but some forethought should be put into the selection process. Very few people understand how many medical machines are in use every day. There are so many different types that they require specialized physicians who are trained to operate them. Interpreting these machines correctly is just as important as having a machine that is functioning properly. These machines are so specialized that only fully trained professionals can read it; untrained physicians risk making errors if they look at the data themselves.
Don’t Sacrifice Quality for Cost When it Comes on Medical Equipment Repair
This field is an extremely important one because these individuals perform routine check-ups and repairs on essential pieces of medical equipment and machines. These machines helps doctors diagnose and treat diseases so it is necessary that these pieces are in working order. If there is a glitch, or something is not working correctly, the doctor could make a misdiagnosis by missing something important because the machine malfunctioned. Therefore, medical equipment repair personals save lives by keeping this equipment ready for use and accurate.
Everyone loves a bargain, but where do you draw the line between wanting quality service and paying a low price. In many areas of life the answer to this question is quite clear, but when it comes to medical equipment repair, at times the distinction is a bit harder to make. Quality is an important consideration due to the risk involved with equipment used on a hospital patient. Substandard repair jobs could not only cause injury to patients, but could lead to costly law suits or worse.
There are countless ways to measure quality, but there is one simple way to know if a medical repair vendor is truly concerned about quality. If a company has gone through the rigorous processes required for ISO 9000 certification, it shows that they have a commitment to quality service and performance improvement. The ISO 9000 series of standards is a family of standards for Quality Management Systems. Many hospitals are seeking ISO certification and it makes sense for companies that work closely with hospitals to do the same.
Here are some key factors to look for, with regards to quality, in whoever will be servicing your facility’s medical equipment:
· Do the technicians have relevant technical degrees?
· Do the technicians have relevant industry certification?
· Does the organization have a continuous education program?
· Is the organization ISO certified?
That covers the quality factor, but what about real value for your money? In this regard, there is one simple indicator that will show if a repair vendor is a real value. This indicator can usually be found within the company’s policies and procedures.
By following these simple guidelines for choosing a medical equipment repair company, you can be assured that your equipment will receive skilled service at a fair price and that your organization will be able to continue providing quality care to your patients.