| When first released, the Philips IntelliVue system | | | | an exchange. By the way, that will be $1753.89." |
| took the medical world by storm. Their M3001A | | | | They attended OEM schools, but found that they |
| Multi-Measurement Server (MMS) was sleek and | | | | did not address the troubleshooting of common |
| efficient. Their monitoring system offered | | | | hardware failures. Finally, some Biomed |
| sophisticated network functionality. Many Hospitals | | | | departments with the "do it yourself" mentality |
| jumped on board purchasing thousands of | | | | searched for Philips MMS schematics to aid in the |
| systems. Unfortunately, once the OEM warranty | | | | repair, but this search yielded no fruit either. |
| ran out, hospitals were overwhelmed by the | | | | Fortunately there are a few companies that can |
| expense of the M3001A module equipment | | | | provide Quality M3001A repairs at highly |
| failures. | | | | competitive prices. This approach provides a |
| Philips offered not a repair service, but an | | | | cost-effective alternative to the OEM exchange |
| exchange program that slammed hospitals with | | | | program. Before going down that road, however, |
| nearly $2000 in exchange costs with every MMS | | | | there is one common failure in the M3001A units |
| failure. Since most hospitals purchased dozens of | | | | that Biomedical Engineering Departments can fix |
| MMS modules, this expense soon became quite | | | | themselves, thus saving considerable costs to |
| significant. To further complicate matters, Philips | | | | their respective facilities. The common problem is |
| would not sell its customer's repair parts for the | | | | the failure of an MMS module to communicate |
| most common failures. The above circumstances | | | | with its associated monitor. This problem can |
| left many medical facilities with a severe case of | | | | often be resolved by taking a close look at the |
| buyer's remorse. | | | | M3001A module's rear connector. Often times |
| This problem eventually filtered down to the | | | | there are bent pins resulting from continuously |
| Biomedical Engineering departments across the | | | | disconnecting and reconnecting the module to the |
| country. They went to work and did their due | | | | monitor. These pins can be straightened with a |
| diligence. They searched through OEM service | | | | fine pair of tweezers. When you experience this |
| manuals only to find very basic information that | | | | problem with your modules check the rear |
| did not address their repair needs. They | | | | connector as your first point in the |
| contacted OEM technical support who could rarely | | | | troubleshooting process. You may very well save |
| offer any advice other than, "Send the unit in for | | | | your facility an unnecessary expense. |