Effectively utilizing device maintenance data to optimize a medical device maintenance program

Methods developed by the clinical engineering community and the principles outlined by ISO regulations for the application of risk management to medical devices were integrated to provide a basis for the unique optimization system implemented into the University Health Network medical device maintenance program. Device maintenance history data stored in the database is used to conduct a risk analysis and to compute predefined benchmarks to highlight groups of equipment for which the current maintenance regime is not optimal. Using a software data research tool we are able to investigate device history data and support alterations in maintenance intervals, user training, maintenance procedures, and/or device purchasing. These alterations are justified, documented, and monitored for risk in a continuous management cycle. The predicted benefits are an overall improvement in the reliability of the devices maintained, coupled with a drop in repetitive device checks that result in no measurable benefits.