Self-Assessment of Biomedical Activity Related to Medical Devices Embedded in EMS Ambulances: Towards a Roadmap for an Efficient Improvement

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Objective: The present investigation is focused on a self-assessment of the biomedical activity related to embedded Medical Devices on board a fleet of 46 EMS medicalized ambulances, according to the High Authority of Health standard (criterion 8K) and the Guide of the Good Practices of Biomedical Engineering. Materials and Methods: The methodology adopted for this purpose is based on an analysis allowing the evaluation and observation of practices related to biomedical activity in these ambulances. An initial assessment, carried out in March 2021, made it possible to measure the gaps between the actual situation and the recommendations of the two self-diagnosis tools (High Authority of Health and Guide of the Good Practices of Biomedical Engineering standards). A series of corrective actions were proposed and then implemented. A second self-assessment took place after 6 months, in October 2021. Results: Between March and October 2021, an improvement in the scores for almost all the axes of the two self-assessment tools was noted. Indeed, the score of the self-assessment for the High Authority of Health reference system rose from 44% in March 2021 to 63% in October 2021, i.e. an increase of 19%, and that of the Guide of the Good Practices of Biomedical Engineering increased from 67.54% in March 2021 to 80.96% in October 2021, i.e. an increase of 13.42%. Conclusion: The implementation of a maintenance strategy integrating the notion of quality, relevant procedures and pertinent work tools has made it possible to significantly improve the biomedical activity within the medical ambulances and to optimise the embedded medical devices.