Medical equipment planning

Healthcare providers worldwide are facing an increasingly competitive environment and, in response, are downsizing to reduce costs and improve efficiency. Providers that are unable or unwilling to become more efficient will close. To stay in business, healthcare institutions must consider the cost of medical equipment and plan accordingly. Policies based on sound principles and experience prevent costly and/or harmful mistakes. In this article, we discuss the different phases of equipment planning, detail some of the relevant concepts and terminology, describe how clinical engineers can become involved, and highlight ECRI resources available to those carrying out the process. Whether you are a clinical engineer facing downsizing and consolidation, a healthcare administrator with a mandate to rein in the costs of technology, or a minister of health facing the task of building or maintaining a nation's healthcare infrastructure, this article will help you seize opportunities and meet challenges.