Medical Equipment Management Manual

Abstract

Author: Robert H. Stiefel, MS, CCE, Publisher: AAMI, ISBN: 1-57020-350-4, Publication date: 2009, Pages: 111, Price: List: $135/AAMI member, discount: $85Audience: The seventh edition of AAMI's Medical Equipment Management Manual by Robert H. Stiefel was released this spring. This manual is useful for those who are responsible for the design and/or implementation of a medical equipment management program in preparation for The Joint Commission's accreditation survey. It is written as a reference that allows the new medical equipment manager to read it from cover to cover and emerge with a thorough understanding of the standards, while also serving as a reference for the more seasoned medical equipment manager. Medical equipment managers will appreciate the discussion of the evolution of the accreditation process and in the accreditation standards included in the manual.Features: The manual includes the standards pertinent to medical equipment management, contained in The Joint Commission's Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Hospitals. In addition, standards related to human resources, infection prevention and control, information management, and leadership are given the same level of attention.As it is written from a historical perspective, the manual explains how standards have evolved. It contains a helpful “Crosswalk” comparing 2009 standards to those from 2008. A discussion of the history of The Joint Commission's formation and work culminates in a detailed explanation of the most recent Standards Improvement Initiative, launched in August 2006, and the resulting changes.The intent of each standard is discussed, as well as its pertinence to the overall medical equipment management cycle of Plan/Assess, Evaluate/Select, Acquire, Install/Implement, Use, Maintain, and Replace. Suggestions on writing a medical equipment management plan are made and examples of policies that will support the plan are provided, as are multiple sample documents.The survey process and scoring methodology are explained in detail. The scoring section is perhaps the most difficult portion to understand as it represents a process that has developed incrementally and changed with the standards. Recommendations are made regarding documentation to be prepared in advance and presented during the survey process. An overview of the survey process as it relates to the overall organization is also explained. For example, the exit interview and the rendering of an accreditation decision are described as well as the required process for responding to identified deficiencies.Several appendices supplement the text. The glossary is a helpful tool as The Joint Commission survey process is full of acronyms that are used throughout the manual. A listing of other accrediting agencies is included with a short description of each.Assessment: The manual is a very comprehensive treatment of the subject matter and the reader emerges with broad knowledge of The Joint Commission requirements as they pertain to medical equipment management and related standards. The reader will take away the knowledge that there is some latitude in designing a program to meet the standards. However, the example documentation and methodologies described are quite conservative and even dated in their approach, most likely because this is written as a tutorial document. For example, the author favors an all-inclusive medical equipment inventory but recognizes that a risk-based inventory is sufficient. An exhibit of suggested fields for inclusion in that equipment inventory is offered but doesn't illustrate the more contemporary needs of such things as software version, applicable anti-virus software, and operating system. Discussion of the historical development of standards is intertwined with discussion of current standards, making it difficult at times for the reader to focus on the current requirements. This is most evident in the discussion of survey scoring methodologies. While this approach is very interesting for the seasoned medical equipment manager, people new to that role may need more time to study the text for comprehension. Having invested that additional time, however, understanding the historical perspective may better prepare the new medical equipment manager to understand the evolution of his or her own program.