Biomedical Engineering Angle vis-à-vis Patient delays in
Hospitals,

Please do we as biomeds contribute to some problems in hospitals, in our hospitals we face some problems and some are due to doctors and there assistants messingup with the equipment and some problems are due to the Biomeds, whats your view and your experience in hospitals?


Roman

Can't really see what you're getting at with this one, Roman. Patient delays because kit is "down"?

In any hospital, there is always a lot of kit, and a lot of staff. So the opportunities for "messing up" are many and various.

Some users have "pride of ownership" of their equipment, others are careless. So, what else is new?

But that's why the biomeds are there, to put things right.

Or are you referring to users fiddling about ("experimenting", even) with the kit, and biomeds (so-called) who leave a trail of destruction wherever they go? Yes, I've encountered both in my time. I was usually able to sort out the biomeds, but the user problems were not always so easily dealt with.

Hello Roman

We may cause delays without knowing it. If a piece of kit is down:

C-arm x-ray: can affect the patient throughput if not available through breakdown

Infusion pumps: Patient needs iv antibiotics due to serious infection. Antibiotics prescribed for delivery via pump. Pump not delivered from equipment library for 11 hours - patients condition deteriorates due to wait.

There are are many examples of patients being affected by equipment not being available, whether that is longer stays in Hospital or cancelled procedures.

It would be interesting to see data regarding reasons for canceled surgery (for example). My guess is that "lack of kit" (in the sense of awaiting or undergoing repair) would be quite a way down the list.

I guess there will be spare kits around just for the purpose of fitting in to those which have just been broken down or awaiting repair.

Biomed should not be a contributor to the delay in the care delivery within a hospital.

On the other hand, Biomed should be proactive enough as to secure loaner unit available from the vendor to alleviate the situation of shortages.

You know in our context, those critical care equipment are stocked up for emergency situation such as during mass casualty.

Kits such as Infusion Pump, Transport Vent, ICU Vent, etc. So there is no reason for such a shortages or being blame under any circumstances.

In short, planning is important to avoid unnecessary delay, etc given time and money for this purpose.

I notice that Roman hasn't yet come back clarifying what he was driving at (see my first response).

I believe there must be a story line to tell.

Planning goes a long way in hiding the techs from being in the limelight.I believe must EBME depts have a rescue plan just for the worst moment scenerio like buck-up kits,temporary modification,times when rules can be broken to save a situation and of course a convincing reason why we are not to blame.I have also indeed met biomeds who leave a trail of destruction but,just like the others we take care of our own.There seems to be a story
NB:Its always easy to let others hang

When all else fails:- tough it out!

And always remember Mr.Geoff's Golden Rule (what ... another one?):-

"We're right, and they're wrong"!

I thought the customer was always right, Geoff!!

There's no harm in letting them think they're right!