EBME Forums Forums Maintenance Biomed Databases EMS Collaboration needed

Good Morning All

I would like to invite 20 sites to collaborate with me and my team to take the e-RRAM EMS which is built on the Continuum Cloud ERP framework to the next level.

The idea is for collaborative sites to each load 200 devices onto the EMS for full HTM management for their respective sites.

the e-RRAM EMS is hugely powerful with a wealth of features and it is ISO13485 compliant and accredited.

The following functionalities are already embedded with quite intuitive programming architecture. These are just some of the features and is by no means comprehensive. (Unfortunately its not open source)

1. Full EAM with accessibility definable features on the asset dashboards inclusive of financial planning and forecasting features. It also has a traceability dashboard for historical work orders, certificates of service as well as migration history.
2. Full call / ticketing functionality linked to both EAM and CMMS
3. Full CMMS module with PPM scheduling, prioritisation, review and adverse incident management. It also has pre-configured checklists for both SSOW and QA checks for ISO compliance that can be assigned to work orders "on the fly"
4. Contracts and procurement management App with integrated skill-set management.
5. Resource and Media repository App (linkable to EAM loaded assets and users)
6. Process management app (allowing processes and media to be added to intervention task lists for infield maintenance ease of use)
7. Powerful KPI / Reporting app that automates all reports and performance indicators for export to excel, pdf or word etc.
8. Projects management app that. can be linked with child work orders to multiple organisations with timeline management including deadline control.
9. Staff management app with integrated certification and expirations management including clock facility
10. Geographical Management App for management of multiple sites (with user. accessibility control)
11. Warehousing app for inventory management (with expirations. control for AED patient electrodes, pathology calibrators etc.). This is linked to the CMMS for automated stock assignment to work orders and a must for stock management)

Basically it is a full HTM system with a wealth of pre-configured measures that can enable any site to immediately start running an ISO and harmonised standards compliant workflow process for their facilities.

The objective of this collaboration is to finalise a few things and to work together with more intellectuals to find better and more dynamic workflows within the system and I'll list them below:

1. Overall improvement of the current KPI / Reporting dashboards to assimilate hospital needs vs external provider needs.
2. Improvement of the GUI and aligning the CSS towards a more modern outlook. It is currently web IV compliant but we would like to embark on a shift towards web V look and feel.
3. Addition of pre-configured intervention task lists for asset designations that does not currently have these. (about 90% of designations noted by the GMDN for capital medical equipment currently have pre-configure maintenance task lists which enables any new user to start maintaining equipment with certification print-out of all checks and calibration procedures completed on all work orders)
4. Creation of Configuration templates for various types of institutions to further streamline and improve current options to enable sites to get off the mark quicker in the use of the app in the future. This includdes the finalisation of a new user "set-up" wizard for plug-and-play functionality.

If there is enough interest on this then I will set up a system "walkthrough" webinar for those who want to join.

Many thanks

Jandré

But only 200 items? Your're not being very generous there, Jandré.

No doubt your system is "full featured" and aimed at "large enterprises" (large, modern, hospitals and (or) groups of healthcare settings, all with many maintainable items on inventory); but although my own "areas of interest" reside at the other end of the healthcare * "arena" (biomeds serving clinics and small hospitals), the bit that interests me most is:-


Where do these PM procedures (presumably) come from?

Are they cast in stone, or can system users develop (edit) their own (reinventing the wheel as they go)?

Or are you asking others to chip in with their own PMPs? If so:- what format (and do any restrictions apply)? In my time I've come across all sorts ... from ECRI to (single PMPs consisting of) pages and pages of "home grown" lifted straight out of the service manual. And I had better not get started on the various "contractual requirements" I've had to accommodate (and sometimes fend off) in years gone by.

Developing a decent set of PM procedures takes a lot of time, and I always advocate starting on the nursery slopes and getting simple, generic PMPs (check lists, templates ... call them what you will) on solid ground, and then building from there (that is, adding others as the PM programme progresses). I always used to like writing up each PMP when actually visiting each piece of kit - but they were generally all based on a couple of foundation PMPs.

Either way, remember that the great Albert Einstein taught us to:- (and I'm paraphrasing here, of course) "Make it simple, but not too simple"!

Perhaps one day we will at last have a universally acclaimed "definitive" set of generic PM procedures covering every piece of equipment we're likely to encounter.

Meanwhile, don't forget that many (although I have no idea exactly how many) biomeds may have spent hundreds of happy hours developing "test templates" that interface with proprietary test equipment (I'm referring here to stuff like Ansur, vPad and even the Good Old medTester) ... so perhaps consideration needs to be given to interfacing with those efforts as well.

Happy Birthday, by the way (also Empire Day - Queens Victoria's birthday).

* I hope you appreciated these "new-speak" choices.

But only 200 items? Your're not being very generous there, Jandré.

Yip I know but it I'm limited by the Framework licence... So it is one collaboration site with 4000 line items 5 with 800 or 10 with 400 or 20 with 200..

I was kind of going with the quantity of "minds" rather than line items but if there's less interest then participants will most likely be able to manage a complete site "gratis"

No doubt your system is "full featured" and aimed at "large enterprises" (large, modern, hospitals and (or) groups of healthcare settings, all with many maintainable items on inventory); but although my own "areas of interest" reside at the other end of the healthcare * "arena" (biomeds serving clinics and small hospitals)

Not really.... Bioworld manages 300 small clinics world wide on the same platform with only a few large hospitals in the mix. The licence is based on quantity asset line items (unlimited users) which makes it extremely affordable for smaller sites especially. (The perks of having a cloud based framework...

, the bit that interests me most is:-

Originally Posted by sp00k
3. Addition of pre-configured intervention task lists for asset designations that does not currently have these. (about 90% of designations noted by the GMDN for capital medical equipment currently have pre-configure maintenance task lists ...

Where do these PM procedures (presumably) come from?

In 20 years I've worked in 56 countries and engaged with umteenth BMETS worldwide so you can guess the amount of data that got captured onto PM task lists for various asset designations...

Are they cast in stone, or can system users develop (edit) their own (reinventing the wheel as they go)?

The task lists are configured on a cascading workflow engine meaning you can use what is there or configure your own. Nothing is cast in stone and everything is changeable. and you can add or delete whatever you like.

You can also assign a process to either the specification or individual tasks within the specification and attach printed or video media to the process for ease of access in-field.

So if the asset spec on the EAM dashboard has a "definitive" OEM task schedule assigned to it then it will override the default designation task list by default and you can even set OEM tasks or processes as "mandatory" in which case the work order cannot continue if the task is not completed to requirement.

Or are you asking others to chip in with their own PMPs? If so:- what format (and do any restrictions apply)? In my time I've come across all sorts ... from ECRI to (single PMPs consisting of) pages and pages of "home grown" lifted straight out of the service manual. And I had better not get started on the various "contractual requirements" I've had to accommodate (and sometimes fend off) in years gone by.

No restrictions. You create the specification and add the tasks. Then you define pass / fail or array and set the terms. The subsequent certificate will display all results. The whole idea of collaboration is to bolster the OEM specific task lists and procedural components including reference media. We've done a good job with the generic side but the aim of the game is to also get OEM specific task lists out there for everyone. Of course some OEM's will have an issue with this but since it is a closed system whereby ownership dictates authority it becomes easier to manage since the system will not share OEM information between licence holders. The only thing that is shared is generic specs and task lists.

Developing a decent set of PM procedures takes a lot of time, and I always advocate starting on the nursery slopes and getting simple, generic PMPs (check lists, templates ... call them what you will) on solid ground, and then building from there (that is, adding others as the PM programme progresses). I always used to like writing up each PMP when actually visiting each piece of kit - but they were generally all based on a couple of foundation PMPs.

We share the same philosophy here. There is indeed 20+ years worth of task list evaluations and consolidation of information into dedicated tasks per asset designation (type) captured for any site to just step off and start servicing and calibration. If ever I can submit something significant to an educational institution to find a PhD slot then this achievement will most likely be it. Imagine starting off with a software platform that you can use immediately and still have the ability to change both workflow and task lists while at the same time doing things in line with standards from day one.

Either way, remember that the great Albert Einstein taught us to:- (and I'm paraphrasing here, of course) "Make it simple, but not too simple"!
To use it is simple and to configure it for your own bespoke environment is simple. But what went into the back end is indeed not too simple so I guess this is covered..

Perhaps one day we will at last have a universally acclaimed "definitive" set of generic PM procedures covering every piece of equipment we're likely to encounter.

This will bring your idiology one step closer. When you open a work order you can choose from. a multitude of specifications and tasks and drag them into the work order. the generic ones as well as those you captured yourself. whichever one you decide is appropriate is what reflects on the paperwork at the end of the day.

Meanwhile, don't forget that many (although I have no idea exactly how many) biomeds may have spent hundreds of happy hours developing "test templates" that interface with proprietary test equipment (I'm referring here to stuff like Ansur, vPad and even the Good Old medTester) ... so perhaps consideration needs to be given to interfacing with those efforts as well.

Of course. The system allows for these to be imported from various formats so there is no double time or re-doing the same thing. Even the back end is kept open (subject to security.) for API if needed.

Happy Birthday, by the way (also Empire Day - Queens Victoria's birthday).
Thank You!!

* I hope you appreciated these "new-speak" choices.
Always. We come from the same school of thought remember..

It all sounds very comprehensive and flexible, Jandré.

I hear what your'e saying about possible OEM objections, but will sites be able to swap and compare their home-grown task lists (and what format would they need to be in)?

Yes; collaboration is good, and feedback from live data situations is always useful. A User Group (or forum) is also something nice to have (but, of course, someone has to maintain - or manage - that as well). "Two heads (or more) are better than one", and all that good stuff.

Trouble is, these days (unless I am misinformed) many of our younger brethren expect software to do all they want "straight out of the box", whilst seemingly fewer and fewer feel inclined to "muck in" themselves.

How many takers (collaborative sites) have rocked up so far, Jandré?

t all sounds very comprehensive and flexible, Jandré.

I hear what your'e saying about possible OEM objections, but will sites be able to swap and compare their home-grown task lists (and what format would they need to be in)?

You need to see the online webinar to see how easy this is.. No use to try and persuade you on a forum unless you see it for yourself.,

Yes; collaboration is good, and feedback from live data situations is always useful. A User Group (or forum) is also something nice to have (but, of course, someone has to maintain - or manage - that as well). "Two heads (or more) are better than one", and all that good stuff. That is the truth..

Trouble is, these days (unless I am misinformed) many of our younger brethren expect software to do all they want "straight out of the box", whilst seemingly fewer and fewer feel inclined to "muck in" themselves. This is exactly the package and they step off with a compliant system if they want..

How many takers (collaborative sites) have rocked up so far, Jandré? From this forum?
No one.. From the United States a few and from the far east a few.. and from Africa there is a lot of interest to the degree that we have to filter participants..

But we have yet to land a colaboration from this platform....

One of our collaboration partners that are really interested includes a Uni in Quebec,,,
But the feelers are still out there to make it more palatable for the rest of the fraternity..

I appreciate that you need to consider things from a business point of view, Jandré ... but why not apply your efforts where they are needed the most?

You ask a very good question Geoff.

The original request for collaboration is pragmatic by nature whereas the needs identified from requests out of Africa is a reality check at a minimum and requires a very different energy.

So when I'm mentioning "filtering participants" it is simply a way to say that the requests to participate that comes through from most African sites for a collaboration has nothing to do with software and is more an outreach for help. Either in terms of equipment needs or practical assistance.

Unfortunately I don't have the capital means of an Oxfam or a USAID.. All I can do is steer them in the right direction to have their needs fulfilled.

... and you give a very good answer, Jandré ... and "outreach for help" is a phrase that no doubt sums up the situation very clearly.

Yes; you are a business, not a charity.

I should imagine that you must get useful feedback from some of the more prominent hospitals dotted around the Continent, but for others (and as you know, there are many) ... well, although they may not yet be ready for ISO 13485 et al, they can still make progress if they follow the (now well-known) steps in setting up (for example) a basic PM regime.

In short, they need help ... but probably not the sort being discussed on this thread (that much I'll agree).