Introduction to medical equipment inventory management

1. Introduction to medical equipment inventory management Presented By [Presenter Name] [Presenter Title] Date

2. Introduction • Topic placement • Definition & importance of inventory • Purpose of inventory management document • Key Elements • Types of inventories • Items included in an inventory • Data included in an inventory • Inventory Management • Inventory as a tool • Challenges, resources & working group session

3. Topic Placement • Equipment inventory is part of the management cycle of medical equipment • Inventory starts after procurement or receipt of donations and is the main input to a medical equipment management program • Inventory is a primary component of a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) and assists to organize the maintenance of equipment

4. Definition • An inventory is a detailed itemized list of assets held by an organization or institution • Must be continually maintained and updated to reflect the current status of each asset • Depending on the nature of the organization and its assets, different details are tracked and updated as changes occur • Medical equipment inventory is a list of the technology on hand, including details of the type and quantity of equipment and the current operating status • Accessories, consumables and spare parts inventories are directly correlated with the main medical equipment inventory

5. Importance • Equipment inventory is an essential part of an effective health-care technology management (HTM) system and may be used to: • Develop budgets for capital purchases, maintenance and running costs • Build and support an effective clinical engineering department • Support a medical equipment management programme • Plan the stock of spare parts and consumables • Support equipment needs assessment • Record equipment purchase, receipt, retirement and discard • Support facility risk analysis and mitigation, and emergency and disaster planning

6. Purpose of document • To provide an overview of medical equipment inventory for people working within the health-care field and who wish to understand the topic in greater detail • To present the different types of inventory and the data included in these inventories • To illustrate the role of an accurate, detailed inventory in HTM and the importance in ensuring the inventory provides useful information to support informed decision-making throughout the HTM cycle

7. Key elements • Types of inventories • National, regional, facility • Medical equipment, consumables, spare parts, workshop tools & test equipment • Items included in an inventory • Some facilities may include every piece of equipment • Facilities may establish inclusion criteria • Risk assessment (equipment function, physical risk, maintenance requirements, incident history) • Mission criticality & utilization rates • Facility needs & usage rates

8. Key elements Data included in an inventory: Condition/operating status Power requirements Operation/service requirements Date inventory updated Maintenance service provider Purchase supplier Other info as needed • Inventory identification number • Type of equipment/item • Brief description of item • Manufacturer • Model/part number • Serial number • Physical location within facility

9. Key elements • An inventory is effective only when it is comprehensive and accurate • Inventory is updated whenever there is any change or addition of information and during annual audits and reviews • Three stages of inventory management: • Initial data collection • Information update (due to any change in information) • Annual audit/review

10. Key elements • Inventory may be paper- or computer-based • Keeping a paper-based record back-up is good practice • Once the inventory has been established, it can be a very helpful tool within the clinical engineering department and the health-care facility as a whole • Inventory can be used as a tool in: • Forecasting and developing budgets • Planning and equipping a technical workshop • Determining required staffing • Identifying training needs

11. Key elements • Inventory can be used as a tool in (cont’d): • Managing service contracts • Running an effective medical equipment management programme • Planning for spare parts and consumables orders • Performing needs assessment • Developing replacement and disposal policies and goals • Developing purchasing and donations goals • Performing risk analysis, management and mitigation • Planning for disasters and emergencies • Making a case for equipment standardization

12. Challenges • Change of mindset • Any change will always be met with resistance • Collecting and updating data, assigning numbers, organizing paperwork and/or information may be seen as ‘extra work’ • Workers might be unclear on the purpose or benefit of the work • Staff leading inventory data collection should encourage workers and explain benefits for collecting and maintaining inventory data • Lack of manpower or time for initial data collection • Dedicate one person or a certain amount of time each week to inventory data collection

13. Challenges • Lack of budget • Inventory may involve extra costs for supplies, such as paper, inventory stickers/labels, computers, files • Evaluate ‘bare minimum’ vs ‘nice-to-have’ • Ex: printing inventory ID# with market vs. inventory stickers/labels • Ex: paper-based vs. computer-based inventory system • In dire need, responsible department should evaluate current budgets and attempt to re-allocate funds or request

14. Challenges • Determining the inventory identification number system • Sequential numbering: 1, 2, 3... • Simplest method • Does not give any information about the machine • Coded numbering: identifies unique features of the equipment • Tells information about the machine • May be complicated; department must agree on and understand codes • Barcodes: barcode stickers label each piece of equipment • Can easily access detailed information about the equipment remotely • Requires barcode stickers, barcode reader and appropriate software

15. Challenges • Handling/discarding unused or obsolete equipment discovered during inventory • When performing initial inventory, equipment that is unused, obsolete or beyond repair may be discovered • The facility can use this inventory data collection process to ‘clean house’ and remove all such devices • The disposal process may be complicated and lengthy, but facilities should attempt to push through the process to eliminate hazards and unnecessary clutter • Donating equipment to local biomedical technician programmes is an excellent way to discard of equipment while supporting healthcare technology programme development

16. Challenges • Maintaining/updating inventory • Inventory data collection is fairly easy and straightforward and is probably the simplest step in developing an effective medical equipment management program • Records must be updated every time there is a change • A clear process on when and how to update records will simplify the workflow

17. Resources available • ‘How to Manage’ Series for Healthcare Technology, Ziken International (Health Partners International), 2005 • Clinical Engineering Handbook, J. Dyro, Elsevier Academic Press, 2004 • Recommended practice for a medical equipment management program. American National Standard ANSI/AAMI EQ56

18. Working group session • List examples of types of equipment that could/should be included/excluded in an inventory. Why? • A list of data included in an inventory was presented • Why are each of these items important? • What other data could be included in an inventory and why? • For your setting, discuss: • Pros and cons of paper- and computer-based inventory systems • Which inventory numbering system might be most appropriate? • How might an inventory be used as a tool? • Personal experiences with medical equipment inventory End

19. WHO Medical Device technical Series Training module of : Introduction to medical equipment inventory management Developed by Tania O'Connor April 2011 Global Initiative on Health Technologies, WHO Supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

20. Thanks! Contacts: http://www.who.int/medical_devices/en/ mailto:medicaldevices@who.int Phone: + 41 22 791 1239 Fax: +41 22 791 48 36 Skype: WHOHQGVA1 (then dial 11239) Other: (presenters name and email) Objective: to ensure improved access, quality and use of medical devices.