| For the Biomedical Engineering department in your | | | | details. When you are upfront with your ISO, it is |
| local hospital, outsourcing a medical equipment | | | | a win-win situation. |
| repair to an Independent Service Organization | | | | Taking the steps mentioned above helps both you |
| (ISO) often comes with a great deal of | | | | and the ISO in some very practical ways. The |
| reluctance. With shrinking hospital department | | | | service facility can save time by going straight to |
| budgets, there is a real concern about the | | | | the problem area and focusing their efforts there |
| expense of the repair. If these concerns have | | | | instead of testing each function looking for a fault. |
| crossed your mind, do not fret. Just because the | | | | Much of today's hospital equipment has so many |
| medical device leaves your facility for a time, it | | | | functions and options that there can be numerous |
| does not mean you can't ensure that you receive | | | | faults on any of several modalities. Detailed notes |
| great value for your dollar. | | | | from the end-user or in-house biomedical |
| There are several ways to make sure you get a | | | | technicians can help give the ISO technical staff a |
| cost-effective repair. One proactive step that | | | | laser-focus on your particular problem. Offering a |
| biomedical engineering departments can take is | | | | good fault description can also help the hospital |
| sending detailed notes about the fault in along with | | | | save money because a shorter time period is |
| the faulty equipment. Detailed notes would include | | | | required for "parts and labor" repairs and often |
| fault symptoms and where you suspect the | | | | times the deciding factor in a tiered repair option |
| problem may lie. Notes can include troubleshooting | | | | is the amount of labor time. Your upfront notes |
| steps already taken by in-house technicians and | | | | may very well keep your repair in the 1st tier |
| any parts that have already been replaced. Is the | | | | instead of a higher tier 2 price. |
| problem intermittent, or does it only occur when a | | | | Keep in mind that medical equipment ISO's value |
| certain function is initiated? Are there multiple | | | | your repeat business. By providing detailed notes |
| problems, or just one? Has the unit been dropped | | | | upfront, you allow them to help you. They deliver |
| or exposed to water? Most biomedical technicians | | | | higher customer satisfaction and you receive |
| can understand the frustration of having a piece | | | | great value for your budget dollars. A true |
| of clinical equipment show up to their shop with a | | | | win-win situation indeed! |
| big note saying "BROKEN", but providing no useful | | | | |