EBME Forums Forums Management Modernisation (Formerly, Controls Assurance) KPI for Biomedical Engineering Department

... entirely!

The only thing I can suggest to Bong (other than the comments already made) is that he writes up his own list of KPI's, for folk on here to comment on (and make suggestions against). After all, Bong is the guy on site, with full knowledge of local circumstances and the "moods" of the Management.

By the way, I notice your mention of "obtain quotations" there, Neil. I presume that three are required in order to process each purchase. Do your biomeds obtain the quotes directly, or does Supplies jealously retain that privilege?

And (either way), how is that managed (on a database)? For instance, can you use quotes for "repeat purchases" as long as the quote is still valid by date (one month, three months ... whatever)?

It is true that over the years, "biomed" has become much more process (or perhaps "business") oriented. Overall, I wonder what the breakdown (in man-hours) of the various aspects of the typical biomed's daily tasks is these days? Far less "hands-on" repairs than in the Good Old Days, that's for sure.

To speed up the process we obtain all the quotations and process everything except the purchase order. We cannot re-use quotations as they are tied to the 'purchase request' number. All the equipment is tied to the 'asset number' all the purchasing is tied to the PR number and easily crossed referenced, one database!

More or less the same approach we were using 25 years ago, then. That is, a logical system of work-flow progression.

But I reckon there's a flaw in your system there, though, Neil. You must be wasting a certain amount of time and duplicating effort if (when) you need to request an item that you've only recently requested.

Don't the vendors get a bit fed up with re-quoting, as well? I remember the difficulties we sometimes used to have in getting second and third quotes, especially for the more "specialist" items (those where there was really just a single "sole supplier"). We ended up getting away with presenting quotes from one of our sister companies. Either that, or (and, in fact) effectively "buying quotes" from various "friendly" companies.

No doubt all that is familiar to you, Neil. Maybe Bong can work up a relevant KPI to cover stuff like that? You know, straying a little outside the usual "asset management and maintenance box" and considering the efficiency (or otherwise) of the complete "repair cycle".

Don't waste time as we have a minimum stock level, and we never order just one item at a time always order a spare or 2.

Geoff,
These are the Indicators I have suggested(so far):
1. Check Critical Medical Equipment every 6 months
2. Check all major Medical Equipment yearly per department
3. Subject to parts availability, all repairs should be completed within 24 hours of receipt of repair request
4. If parts are not available, repairs should be completed within 2 months of receipt of request.
5. Critical Care equipment should always be available in Critical Care Areas.

I do agree with Neil that it is not practical to set a repair/maintenance target of less than 100% and have also voiced this with the management but still the management insists that "we have no choice because it is required by Canadian Accreditation". As a mainly technical person, I also think this exercise is a waste of time.....

I don't want to discourage you, Bong ...



... you shall need to phrase your indicators in such a way that they can be confirmed (or otherwise) by the visiting inspector, Mate.

You also need to establish some definitions:-

1) Check ... what does that mean? I/PM carried out and still within scheduled dates?
2) Define "Critical" ... you probably need to list the items concerned
3) Define "Major" ... ditto - or refer to your database
4) "Critical Care", "Critical Care Areas" ... what are those?
5) What does "available" mean? Serviceable, I/PM up to date, fully fit for use?

And it might be better not to commit to stuff that could come back and bite you in the [censored] later on. Better make your point 3 something like:-

"All requests for repair are recorded and actioned within 24 hours of receipt" - it's a good word "actioned", but you could (and should) also define it with care (and in your favour).

Similarly, with your item 4 ... why pick on two months? What if parts take longer than that to be sourced, purchased and delivered (or simply aren't available at all)?

Hopefully, Neil or some other such worthy person (and someone who still remains active as a hospital biomed, so to speak) will come on here with a definitive general purpose KPI list for you Bong, thereby saving me the trouble of drawing one up! I don't object to doing that, but it's just that I'm a bit busy right now.

1. Ok then.."Perform PM on Critical Equipment every 6 months according to scheduled month.
2. Critical as defined by our department - used for "Life Saving" like Defibs and ICU/CCU/NNL Ventilators.
3. Major and Minor equipments as defined by our department. all equipment not classified as Minor and are included in our inventory are Major. while examples of minor are stetoscopes, manual BP or manometers,opthalmoscope, otoscopes,etc.
4. Critical Care areas are A&E,ICU,NNL, Theatres, Cath Lab.
5. Available means "ready for use". My boss want to make a KPI for this so as to formulate a process how it can be implemented.

As for the 2 months this is just a starting period. We plan to KPI also the suppliers in case there is a delay in parts purchase. All other departments involved in purchasing will have there own KPI(LOL I do hope so!).
Geoff,
You have been in Oman so you know how it is here. In case the hospital doesn't get accredited for one reason or another they just fire the expat in charge. The same as what they f=do if the football team loses they fire the coach... No blaming the players.....

Yeah, but it's over 25 years since I was there. The place seemed so promising then.

So here's another KPI for you:- how many Omani graduates of the University go on to be employed as biomeds in the government healthcare system?

Hint:- by now, there shouldn't be a need for any expats!

Anyway Bong, before we continue this conversation further, perhaps we should pause to consider what KPI's actually are (or rather, what they are supposed to be) ... and how they are to be expressed (generally as a percentage figure of completion of the designated indicator, I would have thought).

Further clues may be found hiding under this *thread. If nothing else, see John Sandham's post there on 05-Nov-08 ... and then Joe Emmerson's on 04-Dec-08.

Meanwhile (from my own "casual research"):- to my mind this whole KPI thing smacks of "Targets", and (dare I mention it) "box ticking". Guys with checklists on clipboards. As you may have heard, one of the many "cultures" we are required to endure here in the UK is the "Target Culture". £££ millions have been whittled away (and many careers handsomely rewarded) pursuing the Holy Grail of "Quality".

And the result of all this effort (watching, checking, ticking ... and reporting)? Simply put:- "Lessons have been learned". By now we should be the most "clued-up" nation on earth, then. But, to be honest, I don't see too many signs of that.

But if anyone is still wondering if the "target-driven approach" has reaped real benefits in the delivery of healthcare to the masses ... well, I would simply refer them to UK news reports (some of which been dragging on for a number of years).

In short:- by themselves, "targets" are not the answer!

* It would be nice to see some more comments, and thoughts about KPI, added to that thread, by the way.

As an aside, if your bosses really wanted to make a difference out there ... perhaps you might suggest that they set up a rolling program of inspections of medical equipment in government healthcare establishments across the whole country.

And I mean real inspections:- physically examining the kit (yes, 100% of it), assessing and recording its condition, then reporting back with recommendations for maintenance, training, any obvious needs for extra new equipment ... and writing off (scrapping) junk as necessary.

That should keep a few Omanis gainfully occupied until pension time!

Lastly (for now, at least), having just had a quick glance through the old thread I linked to earlier, I was reminded that Joe Emmerson asserted:- "turn around time is the perfect KPI". He could be right there, as he most certainly is (was) with:- "it is pointless having a KPI for something that is beyond your control or remit"!

Two good points to bear in mind there, then, Bong.