Biomedical Equipment Preventive Maintenance

Biomedical equipment preventive maintenance (PM) is the process of regularly inspecting, cleaning, and calibrating medical equipment to ensure that it is functioning correctly and safely. The goal of PM is to prevent equipment breakdowns and prolong the lifespan of equipment. This can include both scheduled maintenance and preventative measures such as software updates and upgrades.

Scheduled maintenance: Scheduled maintenance is an important aspect of PM. This includes regular inspections, cleaning, and calibrations of equipment to ensure that it is functioning correctly and safely. Scheduled maintenance can also include software updates and upgrades, as well as the replacement of worn or damaged parts. Regular maintenance can help to prevent equipment breakdowns and prolong the lifespan of equipment.

Preventive measures: Preventive measures are another important aspect of PM. This includes implementing procedures to prevent equipment breakdowns, such as regular cleaning and disinfection, as well as monitoring equipment usage and wear. Other preventative measures can include performing software updates and upgrades, as well as training staff on how to properly use and care for equipment.

Regulatory compliance: PM is also important for regulatory compliance. Many countries have regulations in place that require medical equipment to be maintained, repaired, and serviced on a regular basis. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in fines and penalties. Biomedical equipment technicians are trained to ensure that equipment is in compliance with these regulations.

Cost savings: Regular PM can also result in cost savings. If equipment is not properly maintained, it can break down more frequently, resulting in increased maintenance costs. Additionally, regular PM can prolong the lifespan of equipment, resulting in cost savings over time.

PM frequency: The frequency of PM depends on the type of equipment and the environment in which it is used. For example, equipment used in a critical care setting will typically require more frequent PM than equipment used in a laboratory setting. Additionally, equipment that is subject to frequent use, such as a blood glucose meter, will require more frequent PM than equipment that is used less frequently.

PM procedures: The procedures for biomedical equipment PM vary depending on the type of equipment. For example, a blood glucose meter will require a different PM procedure than an electrocardiograph. The manufacturer's instructions should be followed when performing biomedical equipment PM.

In conclusion, biomedical equipment preventive maintenance (PM) is the process of regularly inspecting, cleaning, and calibrating medical equipment to ensure that it is functioning correctly and safely. The goal of PM is to prevent equipment breakdowns and prolong the lifespan of equipment. This can include both scheduled maintenance and preventative measures such as software updates and upgrades, regular cleaning and disinfection, as well as monitoring equipment usage and wear. Biomedical equipment technicians are trained to ensure that equipment is in compliance with regulatory standards and the manufacturer's instructions should be followed when performing biomedical equipment PM. Regular PM can also result in cost savings, as it can prevent equipment breakdowns and prolong the lifespan of equipment. The frequency of PM depends on the type of equipment and the environment in which it is used.

Frequently Asked Questions

A little information about Biomedical Equipment Preventive Maintenance in California

Healthcare Providers
Medical Device Manufacturers

What is California Biomedical Services?

California Biomedical Services is a healthcare technology solutions company. California Biomedical Services is involved in many areas of healthcare. Our primary business model is one of providing biomedical engineering services for healthcare providers and medical equipment manufacturers.

What services does California Biomedical Services provide?

California Biomedical Services provides biomedical equipment maintenance and documentation services, including, but not limited to:

Medical equipment repair
Installation
Calibration Verification
Preventative Maintenance
Electrical Safety Inspection
Applications Assistance and In-Service Education
Inspection and recertification of Isolated Power Systems and Line Isolation Monitors
Service documentation that ensures compliance with the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations Environment of Care standards, CAP, OSHA, AHA, FDA-SMDA, NFPA99, and all governmental regulations.
A simple, consolidated service solution, covering all diagnostic and therapeutic medical equipment used in a healthcare setting.

What types of healthcare facilities does California Biomedical Services provide service to?

California Biomedical Services provides healthcare technology management services to:

Hospitals
Surgery Centers
Imaging Centers
Scientific Laboratories
Dialysis Centers
Health Clinics
Wineries and Breweries
Movie and Television Production Studios
Anywhere Medical Equipment is used

What are the costs for California Biomedical Services services?

California Biomedical Services Healthcare Technology Management services are competitively priced:

$150.00 per hour for biomedical equipment maintenance services, and travel.
$200.00 per our for dialysis equipment maintenance services.
$250.00 per hour for scientific laboratory equipment maintenance services.
$300.00 per hour for medical imaging (X-Ray) equipment maintenance services.
$350.00 per hour for anesthesia equipment maintenance services.
$450.00 per system for isolated power system inspection and recertification services.
Call us for special pricing arrangements on a per-project basis.

Can a healthcare facility save money with a California Biomedical Services service contract?

Yes. California Biomedical Services service agreements are priced to save our clients money. Basically, service agreements are priced based upon the equipment inventory of the facility, and the anticipated service hours expected for completing repairs and preventative maintenance/calibration/electrical safety inspections.

Service contract customers also recieve the added benefit of having the equipment inventory indexed and entered into our computerized maintenance management program. This program monitors and cotrols the scheduled and unscheduled maintenance of each equipment item and tracks service costs and malfunction trends.

Contract customers also receive in-service education and applications assistance to reduce repeat failures due to user error.

What is the California Biomedical Services response time on service calls?

California Biomedical Services guarantees a 4-hour telephone response and a 24-hour in-person response on all unscheduled service events.

Can California Biomedical Services help a healthcare facility obtain or maintain Joint Commission accreditation?

Yes. Regulatory compliance is a California Biomedical Services primary consulting and service objective. Our equipment management program is designed to streamline biomedical maintenance operations, while ensuring that your facility maintains compliance with:

The Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Facilities Environment of Care standards.
The National Fire Protection Association publication NFPA99 (the Fire Code) governing electrical safety in healthcare facilities.
The College of American Pathologists protocols and guidelines.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards and regulations.
The AAMI Standard, published by The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation.
The American Hospital Association publication Maintenance management for Medical Equipment.
The American Society for Healthcare Engineers publication Risk Assesment of Medical Equipment.
All governmental licensing regulations.

How do healthcare facilities benefit from California Biomedical Services education and training services?

The California Biomedical Services Institute offers training and education in biomedical engineering and healthcare technology management. California Biomedical Services service representatives provide in-service education and training to your clinical staff on every service call. This practice has been found to significantly reduce repeat unscheduled services calls caused by operator error.

Healthcare facilities that have a biomedical equipment maintenance staff benefit from California Biomedical Services in-field training services, which are designed to empower facilities to eliminate expensive manufacturer service contracts, and return equipment presently under contract to maintenance coverage by your biomed staff.

What makes California Biomedical Services online service reports so exceptional?

California Biomedical Services adheres to the highest standard of service in the medical device industry by providing online service reports, including pictures and video.

In addition to standard printable reports, our digital reports have proven invaluable for communicating equipment malfunctions and identifying repair parts with manufacturer customer support and tech support representatives. A picture is worth a thousand words, and video is worth even more. California Biomedical Services service representatives are encourage to use their smart phones 'smartly' to empower their service performance.

Why should a hospital or other healthcare facility chose California Biomedical Services over other medical equipment maintenance service providers?

California Biomedical Services represents your 'One Stop Shop' for healthcare technology management services because:

California Biomedical Services provides a consolidated support solution for all biomedical, anesthesia, dialysis, medical imaging, scientific laboratory, and computer equipment.
California Biomedical Services service prices are the most competitive in the industry.
The California Biomedical Services Equipment Management Program ensures compliance with the JOint Commission, CAP, OSHA, NFPA99, and all governmental regulatory agencies.
California Biomedical Services offers a 4-hour telephone response and a 24-hour in-person response on all service calls.
In-service education and applications assistance to your clinical staff to avoid repeat malfunctions.
24-hour telephone technical support.

How does California Biomedical Services medical equipment maintenance services benefit medical equipment manufacturers?

California Biomedical Services offers an outsourced field service solution for medical device manufacturers. This service is especially advantageous for emerging and foreign manufacturers that do not yet have a service footprint in the Western Hemisphere. Our service empowers manufacturers to sell or place medical devices confidently, knowing that California Biomedical Services will represent your organization in warranty and service contract relationships.

What does California Biomedical Services mean by 'Field Service'?

California Biomedical Services service and network representatives are prepared to represent your organization with such services as:

Medical equipment installation and de-installation
Repairs
Preventative Maintenance Inspections
Calibration Verification
Electrical Safety Inspection
Applications Assitance and In-Service Education
Feedback to design engineers on design issues and recurring out-of-the-box malfunctions

What is the geographical service area covered by the California Biomedical Services Service Network?

California Biomedical Services provides service coverage in all 50 stated in the United States, plus Canada, and throughout Latin American and the Caribbean. The California Biomedical Services Service Network covers the entire Western Hemisphere.

The California Biomedical Services Service Network is a consortium of Independent Service Organizations that work as a cohesive unit, providing field service operations for medical device manufacturers.

What types of medical devices does California Biomedical Services service?

California Biomedical Services services all modalities of diagnostic and therapeutic medical equipment, including biomedical, anesthesia, medical imaging, dialysis, and scientific laboratory equipment.

Can California Biomedical Services help medical device manufacturers navigate the Food and Drug Administration's 510(K) process?

Yes. California Biomedical Services service representatives provide feedback to your design and quality control engineers on design issues, as well as repeat out-of-the-box failures that may occur in the field.

Can California Biomedical Services help our clinicians and end users get familiar with operating our medical equipment?

Definitely. California Biomedical Services representatives provide applications assistance and in-service education to clinical staff in the proper operation and care of your medical devices.

How do we certify California Biomedical Services to service our manufactured devices?

Once a service agreement is established, one or two California Biomedical Services representatives will attend service training at your manufacturing or training facility. Once trained, we will provide this service training to California Biomedical Services Service Network members at the BiomeRx Institute in Southern California.

How does California Biomedical Services maintain service quality throughout the California Biomedical Services Service Network?

California Biomedical Services selects independent service organizations for our international service network through a rigorous vetting process, that includes testing and verificatio of credentials, followed by extensive training at the California Biomedical Services Institute.

How does an independent service organization become a member of the California Biomedical Services Service Network?

Independent service organizations that desire to join the California Biomedical Services Service Network are encouraged to submit an expression of interest via the email link on this website. This email should include copies of all training certificates and educational transcripts/diplomas. They will then be contacted by a California Biomedical Services representative to continue the vetting and training process for onboarding.

What makes California Biomedical Services service reporting exceptional?

California Biomedical Services adheres to the highest standard of service in the medical device industry by providing online service reports, including pictures and video.

In addition to standard printable reports, our digital reports have proven invaluable for communicating equipment malfunctions and identifying repair parts with manufacturer customer support and tech support representatives. A picture is worth a thousand words, and video is worth even more. California Biomedical Services service representatives are encourage to use their smart phones 'smartly' to empower their service performance.

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