Development of an in-house clinical engineering shared service

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Biomedical Engineering
• Hospital Administration

Background:

• Development of an in-house Clinical Engineering Department within the Greenville, South Carolina, Hospital System.
• Establishment of the department as a shared service across a multihospital network.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the foundational aspects of establishing a shared Clinical Engineering Department.
• To detail the operational considerations for a multihospital clinical engineering program.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of the program's background and rationale.
• Presentation of key operational elements: staffing, equipment, and scheduling.
• Exploration of system-wide integration and future expansion possibilities.

Main Results:

• The paper details the strategic planning and implementation phases for a shared Clinical Engineering Department.
• Identified key considerations for successful integration across multiple healthcare facilities.

Conclusions:

• The establishment of a shared Clinical Engineering Department offers a model for efficient resource utilization in multihospital systems.
• Strategic planning for staffing, equipment, and operations is crucial for the success of such shared services.