Managing Overdue Scheduled Maintenance

When managing your scheduled maintenance (SM), the HTM site leader will have to develop/follow policy and procedure to address unperformed maintenance. This can be addressed at a high level in your Medical Equipment Management Plan, refined in your Scheduled Maintenance Policy and detailed in a SOP. I recommend this approach as it will protect your compliance and the “red tape” to change the SOP is a lot easier than changing policies. I outlined below some of what I recommend: 

SM that is overdue by less than 1 month

• Use your CMMS to pull a report of overdue SM as appropriate and send it to department leaders.
• I use the following statement: The following pieces of equipment have scheduled maintenance work orders which were not performed. The reason for the delay may be indicated. When any of the pieces become available, please notify Technology Management.
• You should send these individually and not to all department leaders.
• Document in your CMMS

SM that is overdue more than 1 month and less than 2 months

• Use your CMMS to pull a report of overdue SM as appropriate and send it to department leaders and one level of leadership above. This can vary depending on your Health Delivery Organization.
• I use the following statement: The equipment listed below are over one month past due for scheduled maintenance. Please notify Technology Management when the item is located and available for service before using the equipment.
• You should send these individually and not to all department leaders.
• Document in your CMMS.

SM that is overdue more than 2 months

• Use your CMMS to pull a report of overdue SM as appropriate and send it to department leaders, one level of leadership above and your EOC committee head. This can vary depending on your Health Delivery Organization.
• I use the following statement: The scheduled maintenance for the equipment listed below has not been performed. This is the final notification; the condition and performance of the equipment can no longer be guaranteed. Please notify Technology Management notify Technology Management before use.
• Document the e-mail communication in your CMMS and close the work order.

If equipment is found and in active use

• Open a SM work order and perform SM

If equipment is found and in storage

• Remove SM sticker
• Attach a note to not use the equipment unless biomed evaluates the unit.
• Send a communication to the department leader that outlines the need for SM/evaluation by biomed if the equipment is activated.
• Document in your CMMS and set equipment status to inactive or as outlined in your MEMP.

If equipment is not found

• Send a communication to the department leader that outlines the need for SM/evaluation by biomed if the equipment is found
• Document in your CMMS and set equipment status to retired or as outlined in your MEMP

I hope this helps to establish a strategy that helps you maintain compliance and exceed the expectations of your customers. Stay safe!