Time-Motion Study to Evaluate the Impact of Purchasing within Clinical Engineering

Abstract

Biomedical equipment technicians and clinical engineers order medical device parts in most hospitals because of the technical nature, knowledge, and expertise associated with medical equipment. But biomedical equipment technicians/clinical engineers can sometimes fail to source high-quality parts at the lowest prices, fill out work orders properly, or follow up when parts are not delivered on time. Moreover, the hours they spend on parts ordering could be better utilized on repairs to increase the uptime of critical equipment. Solutions include hiring specialized buyers within clinical engineering departments or contracting with an online marketplace to simplify the ordering process.