Why Medical Equipment Maintenance Matters for Healthcare Safety

What is Medical Equipment Maintenance?

Medical equipment maintenance is a structured process that ensures all your medical and biomedical equipment are working properly, up-to-date, and meet safety regulations, including International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards. Because of the health risks involved in the healthcare industry, thorough maintenance needs to happen daily. That includes cleaning, lubricating, inspecting, repairing, and replacing damaged equipment—not just the tools used to treat patients, but also the software and IT systems used for diagnostics, monitoring, and research.

Benefits

No matter your industry, if you work with complex machinery, technology, or devices, equipment maintenance is a must. This is especially true in healthcare, where the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that 1.7 million injuries were linked to medical devices between 2008 and 2018. Patient safety is the top priority in healthcare, which means everything, from hospital beds to anesthesia machines, needs proper maintenance.

Some key benefits of medical equipment maintenance include the following:

• Increased equipment lifespan

• More reliable diagnoses

• Reduced equipment downtime

• Improved patient safety

• Shorter patient wait time

• Lower operational costs

• Compliance with laws and regulations

• Preventive maintenance

Medical Equipment Maintenance Process

Medical Equipment Maintenance Process

Medical and biomedical equipment maintenance is a very systematic process that should be followed thoroughly to ensure utmost safety. The medical maintenance process includes the following steps:

1. Maintenance Scheduling – Create a maintenance plan that should be followed at all times. Set alerts or notifications so that maintenance won’t be missed.

2. Regular Inspection – Inspect each medical device for malfunctions, leaks, wear and tear, and calibration issues. Address problems early to prevent issues later on.

3. Cleaning and Disinfection –Sanitize equipment after each use and handle with care. Proper medical equipment maintenance training is essential to avoid damage.

4. Replace or Repair – Initiate medical equipment maintenance and repair if a device is malfunctioning or unsafe to use. Replace units that can’t be restored to proper working condition.

5. Proper Storage – Store equipment in clean, safe conditions and at the correct medical temperature to prevent damage or contamination.

6. Logging and Documentation – Keep detailed records of all medical devices and history. Take note of what devices need more attention and maintenance.

Different Types of Medical Maintenance Checks

Medical safety is so important that it calls for more than just one type of maintenance check. Medical devices are complex and highly specialized, so multiple types of inspections are necessary. Here are some different types of effective equipment maintenance:

• Routine Maintenance – These are regular, basic tasks like cleaning and sanitization. Daily checks are especially important for frequently used devices, high-risk equipment, and older models.

• Planned Maintenance – This is the least expensive maintenance check because it is scheduled in advance. It aims to prevent breakdowns and extend equipment life.

• Periodic Maintenance – This maintenance check is performed at set intervals, regardless of equipment condition. This ensures that no component is unchecked.

• Corrective Maintenance – This is a reactive type of maintenance that addresses problems after they’ve been detected. Since the device is already damaged, it may lead to downtime and higher repair costs.

• Predictive Maintenance – Uses real-time data and analytics with the help of sensors to predict when equipment is likely to fail. As a data-driven approach, it helps optimize efficiency and reduce costs.

All these different types of medical equipment maintenance becomes much simpler with digital solutions like SafetyCulture—where device information, inspection checklists, and training resources are all in one place. With this platform, there is no  more need to manually check each device one by one. This solution allows your whole team to access and create updates on medical equipment parts, usage, repairs, issues, and relevant assigned corrective actions, and keep everyone informed in real time of any changes, anytime and anywhere.