Abstract
This research targets the performances and lifetime of medical devices with regard to preventive maintenance (PM) practices in large and small health settings. A new maintenance effectiveness metric (MEM) has been developed and applied in this research for quantifying effectiveness due to PM activities using a synthetic data set. Descriptive and comparative analyses can show that larger hospitals tend to have higher values of MEM and longer lifespans for devices, probably because of more frequent and organized schedules for maintenance. On the other hand, clinics tend to present lower MEM values and longer device downtime, which may indicate a lack of proper practices for maintenance. Regression analysis indicates that the major factors contributing to the longevity of a device are PM schedules and duration, while the number of repairs and the amount of device usage rate are minor. The inference that seems to emerge is that, in many cases, clinics can be helped more by a more regular and predictive approach, taking proper maintenance strategies like periodic training for staff and resource allocation. The study emphasizes the fact that effective PM practices are of high relevance for the performance and operational efficiency of devices within healthcare facilities. Future recommendations proposed for this study included continuing to research advanced predictive maintenance technologies and performing, based on real-world data, a cost-benefit analysis of enhanced PM protocols.
Published Version
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