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Umi Offline OP
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Has anyone on EBME been involved with an issue where a piece of gear has been accused of injuring a patient by a surgeon?

It may be the surgeon/nurse is not competent in use of all the setting/control functions on the robot!

How should we biomed's handle such an issues?


UMi-007

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Super Hero
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Here's my advice:- unless (or even, even) if your name is the last to appear on the service record(s) concerned, keep well away from it all, if you can.

Remember, the medics (traditionally) close ranks when threatened, but biomeds rarely (never) have sufficient safety in numbers. In fact, in my experience, the dog-pack mentality is more the norm. That is ... what's that phrase ... being "left hung out to dry"! frown


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A/ remove and isolate the equipment and any accesories that may have been attached at the time.

B/ test and document fully.

C/ report (but do NOT express opinion) to the risk manager/executive of the hospital.

D/ bring in independant biomeds to confirm/retest if requested.

E/ keep the equipment out of use until requested by senior hospital managment to return it.


Thoughts and information provided on this forum are mine and mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the policy of NSW Health. They may also be complete bollocks!!
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Umi Offline OP
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What you say seems correct, we need to formulate to update our procedures Davec


UMi-007

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Umi Offline OP
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When you bring in Independent doe's that mean from another hospital or company?

thxs DaveC


UMi-007

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Hero
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Yes it means someone who is not connected to either the hospital or manufacturer.


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Expert
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If it's an independent engineer, do try and ensure that the equipment involved is within their remit and preferably be within their field of expertise.

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Hero
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Certified comes to mind


If you think hiring professionals is expensive, try hiring amateurs!
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Super Hero
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As does "honest", immune from influence, and free of vested interests. frown

A bit like truly impartial (and unprejudiced - in the true meaning of the word) juries these days ... often hard to find.

Even an independent engineer still has "form" (a history, how he arrived where he is today, and all the rest).

"Certified" (P.E., and all the rest) really just means that the guy can afford an annual subscription somewhere, and also the possibility (somewhat remote, in actual fact) of censure if he screws up too badly along the way. Just look at how many doctors of medicine still continue to practise (and yes, practice does make perfect ... given enough time) even after a string of the most gravest of er, errors. frown

And how can an "expert witness" ever expect to convince people that he is working in "splendid isolation" (that is, without influence from others, even if it is only in the academic sense - and it would be that, at least). Who can agree that the guy is an "expert", apart from his peers (in other words, other experts)? If (heaven forbid) I were ever to be challenged by an expert ... the first thing I (and most others, I should imagine) would do is challenge the expert's expert status!

In short, I disagree with the notion of bringing in a specialist. Far better, I would have thought, to bring in a generalist, with an ounce or two of Common Sense. I would argue that only if the guy had no detailed prior knowledge of the kit concerned could we hope for a truly unbiased, but honest and frank opinion.

The Defence now rests. smile

Meanwhile, my earlier advice still stands. That is, keep well away from it if at all possible. Historically, the medics always win, whilst the biomeds er, lose. The medics not only hold all the cards, but also have the Big Guns. Meanwhile, we (being the lowest of the low) have, er ... nothing.


If you don't inspect ... don't expect.
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Hero
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No, certified training for the equipment in question is what I meant, not chartered.

Last edited by Neil Porter; 22/11/09 12:55 PM.

If you think hiring professionals is expensive, try hiring amateurs!
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