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Major medical equipment malfunctions and maintenance

Release time:

2025-03-12 09:39

Medical equipment, during use, inevitably experiences various malfunctions that hinder normal operation. Timely repair and troubleshooting are crucial to ensure safe and effective use. Advanced medical equipment not only provides hospitals with cutting-edge diagnostic and treatment methods but also creates opportunities for improved social and economic benefits and overall hospital development. Currently, clinical advancements heavily depend on technological progress, making medical equipment maintenance and management a critical area in modern hospital administration. Malfunctions are unavoidable due to various factors, and repairing equipment to restore functionality is an essential part of technical maintenance. Effective medical equipment management, maximizing benefits and extending lifespan, necessitates a focus on equipment failure analysis, repair, and maintenance; this is also a significant component of hospital management.

1. Common Malfunctions in Medical Equipment

Medical equipment typically comprises electrical components and mechanical parts. The electrical part consists of many semiconductor electronic components, which are significantly affected by temperature, humidity, and cleanliness. For smooth operation and minimal malfunctions, equipment must operate within a suitable environment.

1.1 Daily Use Malfunctions

nbsp_tag nbsp_tag nbsp_tag Unfamiliarity with operating procedures can lead to malfunctions or unsatisfactory diagnostic results due to improper understanding of device capabilities. These issues often occur during initial use and staff changes, highlighting deficiencies in hospital training programs and the lack of implementation of necessary procedures, leading to operational inconsistencies. While not a physical device malfunction, frequent occurrences suggest an unfriendly user interface or poorly designed procedures, hindering memorization. Advanced operation is a crucial aspect of modern medical equipment. Minimizing human error, enhancing automation, and simplifying usage are essential features of advanced medical equipment.

This is not a physical malfunction of the equipment itself; however, if usage malfunctions occur frequently, this indirectly indicates that the user interface of the equipment is not user-friendly or that the operating procedures are not well-designed and are difficult to remember. With technological advancements, equipment operability has also become an important aspect of the equipment's functionality. Reducing human error, improving the automation level of the machine, and facilitating ease of use have become important indicators of the advancement of modern medical equipment.

1.2 Equipment Aging and Wear

nbsp_tag nbsp_tag nbsp_tag Prolonged heavy use leads to component wear and tear. Untimely replacement results in equipment failure. Regular maintenance and periodic inspections prevent such failures. However, inspecting without regularly replacing parts compromises smooth operation. Imported medical equipment parts are expensive, and hospitals rarely replace parts before failure. Take CT X-ray tubes as an example; in China, hospitals typically replace them only when they fail to emit light or trigger unrecoverable alarm failures. Some wear-and-tear failures show signs, like frequent CT tube alarms, but most are asymptomatic, such as some film processor gear damage. These consumable parts mainly include mechanical components and high-power electron tubes.

1.3 Electrical Malfunctions

nbsp_tag nbsp_tag nbsp_tag Electrical faults cause control failures, halting operation. Severe faults can cause total equipment damage. One type is an open-circuit fault where the current is interrupted, for example, due to loose solder joints or broken wires, preventing power or signal transmission. Another is a short-circuit fault due to a connection between the main control circuit or a local circuit power supply and ground, or between the control signal line and ground.

1.4 Software Malfunctions

nbsp_tag nbsp_tag nbsp_tag Software malfunctions are often resolved by restarting. However, if data is lost, the software needs to be reinstalled to restore normal operation.

2. Medical Equipment Maintenance

2.1 Strengthen On-the-Job Training Before Equipment Use

　　Medical equipment, serving patients through medical personnel, is technologically advanced and complex. Only qualified personnel can perform repairs. During installation and commissioning, medical engineering technicians must participate to understand usage requirements and proper methods, learning operating principles, workflows, and maintenance from manufacturers. After use, technicians should regularly check equipment status, identifying and addressing abnormalities. Following international best practices, a technician qualification system should be implemented.

2.2 Establishing a Medical Equipment Inspection SystemEquipment maintenance and inspection are necessary to improve operating conditions. A comprehensive system is needed, including daily, general, and focused maintenance. Daily maintenance involves user cleaning and operational checks. General maintenance involves periodic internal cleaning by technicians. Focused maintenance is preventive; users and technicians jointly inspect main components, replacing parts when necessary. Given the variety of equipment, they can be categorized: Class 1, crucial equipment such as CT, MRI, linear accelerators; Class 2, semi-crucial equipment like ECG monitors, blood cell counters; and Class 3, non-crucial equipment like humidifiers. Safety checks are also necessary.Safety inspections are also crucial. Many devices directly contact patients; electrical leaks or grounding issues can cause electric shock or fire. High-frequency electrosurgical knives are examples. Therefore, users and maintenance personnel should coordinate regular maintenance to improve management.

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3. Effective Management of Medical Equipment Use and Maintenance

nbsp_tag nbsp_tag nbsp_tag Managing medical equipment use and maintenance is core to overall management. High-quality, well-maintained equipment generates positive social and economic benefits. The following points are important.

3.1 Maintaining Accurate Records of Medical Equipment UseOperators must daily record equipment use, reporting issues to the equipment management department promptly to ensure smooth operation and timely troubleshooting.

3.2 Maintaining Daily Records of Medical Equipment MaintenanceWhen medical equipment malfunctions during daily use, the fault must be promptly rectified within a short time, and maintenance records must be kept, including the time of the malfunction, the symptoms of the malfunction, the location of the malfunction, the cause of the malfunction after inspection and repair, the method of troubleshooting, the components that were replaced, and the restoration of normal operation.

3.3 Importance of Major Repairs for Medical EquipmentIf medical equipment suffers a major malfunction, clinical operators and maintenance technicians should analyze the incident, find the cause of the major malfunction, and clarify responsibilities. Major repairs can be carried out on such equipment, and associated components can be tested. Damaged components or those whose parameters have changed due to damage must be completely replaced to prevent future problems. Medical equipment that has been in use for a certain number of years, if still of value, can also undergo major repairs. After major repairs, medical equipment must undergo necessary metrological testing to meet the original technical standards before it can be put back into use.

3.4 Strengthening Post Responsibility SystemEstablish a sound and complete medical equipment maintenance system and strengthen the post responsibility system. The maintenance and upkeep of each piece of equipment is assigned to a specific individual, ensuring that each piece of medical equipment is managed, forming a scientific and orderly management system.

4. Conclusion

　　In short, during the installation and commissioning of imported medical equipment, manufacturers are increasingly tightening control over equipment maintenance technology, creating significant difficulties for users undertaking repairs. To scientifically manage and utilize medical equipment, maximize its effectiveness, and extend its service life, it is necessary to strengthen the management and maintenance of medical equipment.

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