The Importance of Regular Equipment Maintenance

By Kylie Gilberg, Brian Hazelwood and Maria Moeller

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a lot of attention on medical equipment. Everything from the quantity and location of the equipment to its accessibility and flexibility. This is leading to renewed questions from caregivers about the equipment they use. Can my equipment be modified for portable use outside of the traditional point of care? Do we need new infection prevention protocols for how we clean and disinfect our devices? Or even—what type of equipment do we need as we recover from COVID-19?  

Another important question that should be asked is, "When was my equipment last serviced?”

Medical equipment is more complex than ever with the integration of technology and ever-increasing compliance and safety requirements. Now is an ideal time to conduct an equipment audit to understand the current state and “health” of the equipment and devices your team uses daily.

Performing preventative maintenance at the recommended intervals helps to ensure the products within your facility are functioning as intended. An authorized service technician should be able to identify any signs of component wear that could affect functionality and the life of the product.

“Regular equipment maintenance can help ensure your products have a longer life—providing you with confidence knowing your equipment will work as it was designed to work,” said Brian Hazelwood, Marketing Manager, Medical Division. “We recommend our customers schedule service if there are any visual cues (for example, damaged or loose parts) before the annual maintenance timeframe.”

Regular equipment maintenance can also help reduce diagnostic errors. For example, we offer product certification for digital diagnostic devices. Annual certification ensures the device is performing optimally, and helps ensure the results are accurate and within specifications for properly diagnosing patients. This can be coordinated through our online parts and service store at your convenience. We recommend performing a preventative inspection prior to each use to verify that there is no visual damage that may cause the equipment to malfunction.

“In addition to the annual certification that is available for the IQspiro^®, we recommend following American Thoracic Society (ATS) guidelines for routine calibration of the device. ATS recommends calibration be performed daily before each use of the spirometer - as well as testing calibration syringes for leaks on a monthly basis,” said Kylie Gilberg, Marketing Manager, Medical Division.

“With the Midmark 626 Barrier-Free^® examination chair, we recommend verifying every six months that the integrated Digital Scale is measuring accurately. Not following this maintenance recommendation could potentially result in improper weight calculations,” said Maria Moeller, Marketing Manager, Medical Division.

Preventative maintenance statements and suggested timelines are available in the product manuals provided with each Midmark product. Most include step-by-step guides or a recommended inspection list. We will provide additional information, if needed, based on the product.

Need technical support or help with your equipment? We are here to help. We’d encourage you to complete this form and you will be contacted by a member of our technical support team. If you need immediate assistance, you can speak to a member of our team. Or, if you are interested in purchasing a specific part, feel free to browse our online store.