A Disrespectful Answer

Abstract

“ Why do customers feel that they can disrespect us?” Biomeds ask this almost daily. I, of course, have an answer. It may even be the answer. But in-house biomeds won't like it. Let me set it up so that I don't hit anyone too hard.Back in the 70s and early 80s, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)—that is, Mr. Goodwrench—controlled the world. They told hospitals what to buy and how much it would cost. There were few alternatives.Mr. Goodwrench wore a suit, acted professionally, and was respected by the departments he serviced. I provided customer skills training to our service engineers, as we called them, in the early 80s. Anyone who went through the program got a special tie to wear with the required suit. These service engineers had a lot of contact with the people in the radiology department.Biomeds lived in hospital basements, next to the morgue. Occasionally they would pop up to visit nursing floors, grab a box, and disappear. They had little contact with the nurses. Biomeds had no real dress code since they were phantoms who performed leakage current tests on boxes on benches. Many biomed departments still live in the dungeons today and provide essentially the same services.Then something happened. Diagnostic Related Groups (DRG) and other constraints made hospitals more aware of what diagnostic procedures were bundled together and what equipment they could buy. Medicare used DRGs to determine how much to pay, since patients within each category were similar clinically and were expected to use the same level of hospital resources.About that time, I helped start a radiology service training organization, and others started special parts publications. With the availability of training and easier parts acquisition, independent service organizations (ISOs) started to sprout. The founders of these ISOs came mostly from the ranks of the OEM service force. Soon, in-house biomedical departments started training some of their people in radiology service. Now hospitals had three options for service: Mr. Goodwrench, Mr. I M Independent, and Mr. I M Fellow Employee.We had a tough time convincing biomeds that they needed to dress better and act better. Radiology departments had great hesitation allowing the “guys from the basement” to work on their equipment. But 25 years later, we have overcome. Radiology is happy to have qualified individuals work on the equipment, no matter where they are from.In-house biomed has advanced to the level that, in many hospitals, they are the ones to call when something is broken or needs attention. A couple of years ago I had gout in my right hand and went to emergency crying like a 7-year-old. The automatic sliding doors opened partially and slammed shut again. I was powerless to use my hands to open the doors. Someone saw me and pried the doors open, and after wiping the tears from my eyes, yelled out, “Didn't you call someone about this door?” The response: “I called biomed”.In many hospitals, biomeds will do whatever is needed: shoveling snow, repairing flat tires on gurneys, etc. Biomeds are considered jacks-of-all-trades, not highly trained and educated service professionals. Biomeds don't even know what to call themselves.Biomeds need to:There are many biomed departments that are professionally managed and they are thriving wonderfully. These may take great offense to this article. If you are among them, then this was not written about you. I challenge us all to take the medical equipment profession to a much higher level.