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Electrical Safety Inspections on Medical Equipment

Why Do I Need Electrical Safety Inspections on My Medical Equipment?

Electrical safety inspections do more than simply protect the health and safety of patients and medical staff. Regular preventative maintenance can save your organization money and resources. Auxo Medical technicians hold the highest certification for biomedical equipment repair and maintenance in the country. Auxo Medical can inspect your new or refurbished medical equipment to help extend its working life.

The Value of Safety Inspections

The average recommended life expectancy of electrical medical equipment is around ten years. This was determined by a number of criteria, including the frequency of malfunction or failure, the detectability of electrical failures, and the severity of failures should the equipment cease functioning.

This is true for all medical equipment, from complex anesthesia machines to simple hospital beds. Proper electrical safety inspections can allow your equipment to continue functioning while providing the high level of service your patients expect.

With regular electrical safety inspections, our technicians can reduce the chances of or prevent the following issues:

  • Risk of fire from electrical faults
  • Imprecise or incorrect diagnostic output
  • Improper sterilization due to temperature irregularities
  • Expensive equipment replacement
  • High costs of emergency repairs

Fire Prevention

Recent studies on proper medical device maintenance, focusing primarily on bed-head panels for powered hospital beds, have unveiled principles that hold true for many electronic medical devices. Due to the many chemicals used by doctors and medical staff to provide patient comfort and care (including oxygen, certain plastics, and many cleaning solutions), the risk of fire in hospitals, laboratories, and other medical facilities is high. This applies to most medical laboratories as well. 

Without proper maintenance, worn or damaged hardware is capable of creating electrical sparks. This is an immediate danger in such oxygen-rich environments. When performed by certified professionals, electrical safety inspections can verify that the electricity supplying the equipment remains insulated. This includes an inspection of both internal and external wiring, lowering the risk of short circuits.

Diagnostic Accuracy and Consistent Precision

The accuracy of the medical equipment we use greatly depends upon the quality of the electrical hardware with which it was manufactured. Mobile devices, such as ventilators and patient monitors, can be particularly susceptible. Regular electrical inspections can verify that your devices are providing accurate diagnostic information for your patients.

Such inspections also verify that the equipment you rely on can meet the regulations and standards of the healthcare industry. 

Protect Your Patients Through Proper Sterilization

Autoclaves and other sterilization equipment are delicate pieces of machinery. They rely upon high levels of pressure and temperature which are susceptible to malfunction or failure if not regularly inspected.

Because of the serious risk surrounding bacterial, viral, or fungal contamination, the technicians at Auxo Medical specialize in the inspection and calibration of sterilization machines. All of our inspected equipment generates the pressure and high temperatures necessary for the modern medical or laboratory environment.

If your sterilization equipment regularly fails its biological or chemical indicator tests, one of the possible faults can lie in an electrical malfunction. Before replacing the equipment, give our technicians a call, and we can perform a full inspection to identify the true cause.

Preventative Maintenance: As Helpful As Preventative Medicine

Our certified maintenance technicians share this motto in common with all medical professionals: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Auxo Medical provides a wide range of services that can help your organization to save valuable time and money. Services include electrical safety inspections, scheduled maintenance plans for your current medical equipment, and high-quality refurbished medical equipment from the industry’s leading manufacturers.

According to the American Hospital Association, the average cost of medical supplies and equipment rose by approximately 20.6% per patient. The rising costs for ICU equipment are even higher (approx. 31.8%).

The expense of replacing hardware in a timely manner can quickly skyrocket, especially during emergency situations. Repairs can become equally expensive for both facilities and patients. With regular preventative inspections and maintenance, the chances of incurring such costs can be drastically reduced.

Schedule Preventative Maintenance On Your Refurbished Medical Equipment

Proper working tools can make all the difference in the quality of care medical professionals provide, and Auxo Medical is here to help. We follow the strictest guidelines, including NFPA99 standards and AAMI recommendations. Our certified biomedical equipment technicians can perform both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance on the medical equipment you own. We are here to help keep all of your devices in top working condition so that your medical practice can run smoothly.

Don’t spend a fortune on new electrical medical equipment. Check out how we can help you repair the equipment you already own. We offer the latest hardware and supplies, including refurbished medical equipment that is fully tested and ready for service. Choose from our selection of preventative maintenance service plans, and discover what Auxo Medical can do for you!

Medical Equipment That Requires Regular Maintenance

You rely on your medical equipment to function when it is required for patient care. So that there is less downtime for the equipment in your clinic, hospital, or medical office, you must plan for regular medical equipment maintenance. Auxo Medical can keep your medical equipment in optimal condition.

Anesthesia Equipment

If your facility provides surgical procedures for patients, all equipment must be maintained. Regularly scheduled maintenance prevents issues that may arise with faulty equipment.

Part of this maintenance is regular calibration. That way, readings are accurate, especially when monitoring the vitals of patients or the amounts of anesthesia given. Auxo Medical also provides testing of the vaporizer back pressure and vaporizer output as well as performing an electrical safety inspection.

We refurbish anesthesia equipment, using OEM parts and kits for current models as well as those that have been labeled as obsolete. Our preventative maintenance plans verify that the unit performs to industry requirements and OEM specifications.

Biomedical Equipment

Biomedical equipment must be maintained to specific requirements, especially those items that need to be calibrated and inspected on a regular basis. Auxo Medical provides inspections and maintenance for patient monitors, disinfectors, boilers, sterilizers, and autoclaves. We calibrate EKG and ECG machines, AEDs, and defibrillators so that they maintain accuracy and are ready for use when needed.

We provide periodic inspections to monitor any issues that might arise before it compromises patient safety. Incubators must be maintained as that will help keep temperature readings accurate. Fluid and blanket warmers must also be inspected to prevent the risk of overheating.

Sterile Processing Equipment

Sterile processing is at the heart of every clinic or medical facility and impacts every department. Without quality equipment that is carefully monitored and regulated, patient care can suffer. Downtime for sterilizing equipment means time spent away from patients.

Auxo Medical technicians travel with most parts they would need for any emergency repairs that are necessary. We have the means to test your water quality and make improvements as needed. We also use certified thermocouples to calibrate the sterile processing equipment. You can choose from several maintenance plans so that your sterilizing equipment is maintained according to regulations.

The Growing Need for Medical Equipment Maintenance

As medical equipment becomes more complex and more technical, the need for preventative maintenance and regular inspections increases. Service technicians must be trained to provide inspections, calibrate equipment to a detailed level of accuracy, and make diagnoses and repairs. Auxo Medical technicians are rigorously trained to provide the highest level of service to our clients and their medical equipment needs.

Preventative maintenance has become an even more critical part of equipment management with the increasing requirements to meet compliance and accuracy. Many of these pieces of equipment must now integrate with networks and other components.

Because of the complexity of the equipment being used in medical facilities, the need for outsourcing maintenance and repairs has grown. Most facilities don’t have technicians on staff with the level of expertise needed to maintain and repair this technical equipment.

The Need for Documentation

Facilities require access to full documentation for each piece of equipment that is serviced. They need a log of maintenance performed, a list of repairs made, and other documentation for regulatory requirements. Consistent reporting of data can help facilities determine the optimal timeframe for how often preventative maintenance should take place.

Auxo Medical provides complete reports for diagnosis and calibration, which are logged into a portal or sent directly to the client. All testing equipment is current and certified to maintain accuracy. Technicians receive specific manufacturer’s training to know how each product is designed to work and how to diagnose issues when the equipment isn’t working correctly.

Preventive Maintenance Service PlansPreventative Maintenance Service Plans

When looking into a specific service plan for preventative maintenance, you receive ongoing support that fits your needs and budget. Auxo Medical provides multiple plans for scheduled maintenance labor and parts as well as unscheduled service calls.

For those customers who need more care for critical equipment, Alpha is the highest-level service plan with complete coverage. From there, we can adjust other plans based on the facility’s needs and investment. Every plan includes detailed service records to help facilities manage their maintenance needs. Technical support is also included.

Auxo Medical provides loaner or rental equipment to reduce downtime for critical equipment while more in-depth repairs are being made. We provide verification of credibility with proof of certification for our technicians. You can also request years of experience from our technicians to ensure you feel confident about working with our team.

If you’re looking for third-party medical equipment maintenance or to buy new or refurbished equipment, contact Auxo Medical. We also provide service plans to help your facility care for the equipment necessary to provide optimum patient care. We’ll help you determine which plans best suit the goals and needs of your facility.

Internet of Medical Things (IoT): The Vast Impact Inside & Outside of Hospital Walls

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A patient’s heart monitor sends an alert to a physician that her arrhythmia is back.

A senior forgets to take their prescribed medication on time, and a devices helps remind them to take it and also documents what time they took it.

 A man’s implanted device monitors blood glucose symptoms and delivers a corrective insulin stimulus, alerting the physician simultaneously.

All of these examples are the epitome of the “Internet of Medical Things” (IoMT). The Internet of Medical Things refers to an ecosystem of medical devices and applications that collect data that is then provided to healthcare IT systems through online computer networks. Wi-Fi enabled devices are a catalyst for machines to communicate and link to cloud platforms for data storage. The “Internet of Things” (IoT) has influenced several industries, and the healthcare field is no exception. The medical industry across the board has gradually started to enter the integrated world of IoT.

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A Look Inside the Expanding Landscape of HAIs

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Health care-associated infections (HAIs) are infections that patients acquire while receiving treatment for medical or surgical conditions, and many HAIs are preventable. HAIs can occur in a number of health care facilities, such as acute care hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, outpatient care e.g. physicians’ offices and clinics, dialysis treatment facilities, and long-term care facilities e.g. rehabilitation centers and nursing homes. HAIs can be caused by bacteria, fungi, viruses, or other pathogens.

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Outpatient is the Future of Total Joint Replacement

Ambulatory Surgery Centers are Paving the Way

Outpatient is the Future of Total Joint Replacement

 

Elective outpatient hip and knee replacements increased by 47 percent from 2012 to 2015, according to a study by Sg2. This insight is an early indicator that total joint replacements (TJR) are becoming more common in the Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) setting as a higher number of surgeons become experts on minimally invasive technology and pain management techniques for outpatient procedures.

Total joint surgeries moving toward outpatient can also be attributed to:

  • The transition to value-based care since ASCs are a high quality, low cost option
  • Insurance companies are more willing to cover outpatient TJRs
  • Studies show that patients who fit a particular criteria can achieve desired results in the outpatient setting

In this month’s newsletter, we’re peeling back the TJR outpatient trends, cost analysis, and how ASCs are taking a driver’s seat in the total joint arena.

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ASCs Bring Extra Value in Value-Based Care

Value-Based Care

Value-based healthcare is a delivery model in which providers are compensated based on patient health outcomes. Under value-based care agreements, providers (including hospitals and physicians) are recognized for helping patients improve their health, reduce the ramifications and incidence of chronic disease, and live a healthier lifestyle in an evidence-based process.

Value-based care is different from a traditional fee-for-service (FFS) approach. FFS providers are paid based on the amount of healthcare services they deliver. The “value” in value-based healthcare is derived from measuring health outcomes against the cost of delivering the outcomes.

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4 Reasons You Should Make Preventative Maintenance of Medical Equipment a Top Priority

untitled-design-80Preventive maintenance programs are designed to ensure equipment is in quality working order to maintain reliable operation, protect patients, minimize the risk of injury to patients, and avoid pricey, unscheduled repairs.

Maintenance. The word itself can often times come with a negative connotation due to the term “High Maintenance.” But when it comes to medical equipment maintenance, the key here is PREVENTative. In this issue’s Auxo Medical newsletter, we’ll peel back why the importance of preventative maintenance cannot be overemphasized.

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Sterilizer Chamber Cleanings

Saving Time, Trouble & Money: Sterilizer Chamber Cleanings

What is easy to do is also easy not to do.  – Jim Rohn

As a “microwave society” — we enjoy seeing results immediately, and not necessarily waiting for the compound effect to kick in over a long period of time.

Taking a few minutes every single day to clean sterilizer chambers has both short term and long term benefits. Think about the concept of dental hygiene; it is preventative maintenance. Do you brush your teeth daily? Of course you do. But, do you floss daily? Maybe not. It’s easy to do, but it’s also…easy not to do. The benefits of doing this mundane and extra minute or two of work every single day has exponential benefits for your health in the long run.

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