How effective is the management of medical equipment at the hospital?

Management of medical equipment at the Hospital is one of the important tasks to ensure the most effective and safe use. This work is carried out by the management department in the hospital, ensuring compliance with the regulations of the competent authorities and the state law on health.

Concept and classification of medical equipment

Concept

Medical equipment (or full name is medical technical equipment) means machines, equipment, supplies, tools, etc. used in the medical field. This is a means of applying scientific and technical achievements and modern technology to human medical examination and treatment.

Classify

According to WHO statistics, there are more than 10,000 different types of medical equipment on the market. Ranging from diagnostic equipment, of great value, linear computer technology to help treat cancer, tomography, magnetic resonance,... to common medical examination stethoscopes and many other devices basic support for medical examination, treatment and health care for patients on a daily basis.

In addition, medical equipment also includes life-improving devices such as hearing aids, sizes, strollers, pacemakers, etc.

The Ministry of Health of Vietnam, according to Circular 07/2007/BYT, divides medical equipment into groups including:

• Group of medical equipment: Including machines, equipment, synchronous equipment systems for diagnosis, treatment, physical therapy - rehabilitation, equipment for scientific research and educate.
• Group of tools, medical supplies, testing chemicals: commonly used for professional medical examination and treatment & daily health care for patients: Metal supplies (scalpel, drill, fixed nails) , nailing frame, speculum, bone drill, surgical kit, ...); Glass consumables (freezers, laminators, micropipettes,...); plastic supplies (intravenous catheters, medical gloves, needles and syringes, drains, catheters, blood bags, respirator ambus, sterile filter cones, plastic bottles, etc.).
• Group of special-use vehicles, including: Mobile special-use medical vehicles (X-ray machine, mobile testing machine, vaccine carrier,...); means of transport (ambulance cars, ambulances, boats, boats, etc.).
• The group of instruments and materials implanted into the human body includes: artificial bone, bone fixation brace, pacemaker, heart valve, cochlear electrode, angioplasty tube, vitreous, etc.

The importance of medical equipment in medical examination and treatment

In order to improve the quality of medical examination and treatment, a hospital needs to be synchronous in terms of a team of good doctors, nurses, and good medical ethics; quality medicines and good facilities and equipment.

It can be seen that medical equipment plays an extremely important part in the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of patients. Being an effective arm to help doctors know exactly the disease, the location of the disease, support the best prevention - prevention and treatment.

WHO also affirmed that medical equipment is a specialty of the health sector. They penetrate and develop more and more deeply into the medical examination and treatment of all disciplines and specialties. Currently, medical technology is only behind space technology and national defense and security. Therefore, the rapid application of scientific and technical achievements to medical examination and treatment will achieve the goal of "for human health".

In recent years, Vietnam's health sector has achieved many encouraging achievements from the investment and application of high-tech equipment. Some fields have reached the level with other regions and some advanced countries, saving the society hundreds of billions of dong per year, especially laparoscopic surgery, organ intervention techniques, organ transplant, brain waves, nuclear medicine, laser, ultrafiltration, balloon pump technology for aortic pulse, extracorporeal circulation, spermatogonial stem cell culture for infertility treatment, external circulation body, building a stem cell bank (initially, there are basic researches on stem cell differentiation, application of autologous and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells in the treatment of bones, joints, cardiovascular, cancer) Documents of the Ministry of Science and Technology – Evaluation of Science and Technology activities 2006 - 2010).

CPT medical equipment company also assessed that medical equipment in Vietnam today, in addition to being imported from big brands, domestic enterprises have also met US-FDA standards for international circulation, reaching a level of assurance. and extremely high safety for patients and medical staff.

Not only improving service quality, the application of science and technology to modern medical equipment also helps hospitals:

• Early detection and accurate diagnosis
• Increase the effectiveness of treatment
• Shorten treatment time, reduce drug use and treatment costs.
• Limit the sequelae, high risks in the treatment of the disease.
• High patient satisfaction.

The current situation of investment in medical equipment and medical human resources in Vietnam still has many challenges

Although the health sector has upgraded and invested in equipment and medical facilities for prevention, medical examination and treatment, traditional medicine, training and scientific research, transferring medical equipment and technology, drug manufacturing technology.

According to statistics of the Ministry of Health, as of the second quarter of 2010, the Ministry managed 64 programs and projects with a total budget of more than 15 trillion VND. That number has increased even more in the past few years.

However:

• Most of Vietnam's medical equipment and supplies are still lacking, not synchronized, and backward compared to other countries in the world.
• The organization of personnel in charge of management, maintenance, equipment maintenance, maintenance procedures and plans has not been paid enough attention. The consistency between departments on management is still not good.
• Budgets and plans do not guarantee the effective operation of medical equipment.
• The rate of inventory of materials, unused, and unrecoverable is still high, which is costly.

National policy on medical devices

Regarding the management of medical equipment and supplies, the country also has appropriate policies to improve this situation. Some summary contents from the national policy on medical equipment such as:
General objective:

Ensure adequate medical equipment and supplies according to regulations of the Ministry of Health. To step by step innovate and modernize equipment, in order to improve the quality of patient care. Strive to achieve the technical level of equipment on par with the average advanced countries in the region (2010). Training staff to operate, maintain, repair & inspect medical equipment. Develop the medical industry to increase the proportion of domestically produced goods, towards export.

Specific solution:

• Developing human resources specialized in medical equipment.
• Mobilize capital, invest in medical equipment. Build an effective capital recovery and reinvestment mechanism.
• Development of medical equipment industry.
• Strengthen management, technical services - medical equipment.

Solutions to enhance management and improve the efficiency of hospital equipment investment

• Establishing, consolidating and strengthening the medical equipment management department at the hospital.
• Establish and strengthen the investment advisory council for hospital medical equipment.
• Training and improving the experience and expertise of medical staff, technicians, and hospital equipment managers.
• Upgrading technical infrastructure, ensuring conditions for equipment to operate safely.
• Applying information technology to optimize the efficiency of hospital equipment management.
• Promote legal forms of capital mobilization in order to improve the quality of equipment and facilities to serve the people.
• Develop a system of standard procedures and apply them to the whole hospital and the whole hospital chain.

Refer to some experience in managing medical equipment at the hospital:

Currently, there are many large hospitals that are performing well the medical equipment management process, you can refer to. Here are some specific suggestions:

Process management:

It can be done according to each process from: Planning, basic budget analysis, technology selection assessment, availability of supply, installation and transportation, skill training in use, operation safety, maintenance & repair, contract termination & liquidation.

The above procedures should clearly state the responsibilities of each individual, department and department. There are regulations on management, repair & maintenance, specific management programs according to standards to ensure the best efficiency.

Build a complete medical equipment catalog with history of operation, maintenance & repair. Planning inspection - maintenance according to specific time of month/quarter/year,...; monthly action plan...

The strict and detailed implementation of medical equipment management activities at the Hospital will well support the medical examination and treatment as well as the smooth operation of the whole hospital.