Budgets, Cybersecurity and Activity: The Importance of a Robust CMMS

The biomedical department plays a key role in ensuring equipment is safe and ready for use on patients. They are also instrumental in determining what technologies hospitals should invest in based on the clinical needs of their facility.

Recently, our Director of Modality Services, Russ Lang, was invited to be part of a TechNation roundtable to discuss the importance of computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS). Not only do these systems help track maintenance and repair activity, they can serve as the ‘source of truth’ to provide healthcare technology management (HTM) teams the key data they need to build a prioritized 3 to 5-year equipment replacement plans based on age, support required and repair trends.

Read the TechNation roundtable to learn more about:

• Using CMMS to help build capital planning budgets
• What information CMMS should track
• CMMS integrations, interfaces and software applications
• Managing cybersecurity, data and reports through CMMS
• Features and tools designed for positive user experience

Making Your CMMS Work for You

With an influx of equipment entering hospitals over the last few months due to COVID-19, HTM teams have had their hands full. Yet, an even greater challenge may be in store in the months ahead as health systems grapple with the ongoing financial fall-out from the pandemic. For HTM leaders, there will be pressure to effectively service their newly acquired medical equipment while extending the useful life of their previous inventory – without incurring excess costs.

How HTM teams utilize key data from a CMMS may play a big role in addressing those challenges. As Lang pointed out in the roundtable, an updated, functional CMMS is not just about tracking service events. Rather, it’s important for any clinical engineering department to run efficiently and make informed decisions.

Lang mentions in the roundtable that “[a] well-designed CMMS system … should also be able to track service costs annually and compare those costs to the estimated acquisition value of the medical device. With those components, HTM can provide the capital planning committee with a 3- to 5-year plan for replacement based on age, support and repair trends. This allows the department managers to make fact driven decisions on where to apply their limited capital.”

Having access to this deep level of data is key in ensuring department managers have the data needed to make informed decisions regarding the service and management of vital medical equipment. Not only will this help shape any needed capital purchases moving forward, but this will ultimately lead to reduced costs long term.

Tough choices lie ahead for HTM teams nationwide. Agiliti can help lessen the burden on HTM teams by offering local technical resources across the county to support your service strategy. For the best results, start planning for the service you need before you need it.