Healthcare Technology Management Research Articles

Advancing Sustainable Healthcare Technology Management: Developing a Comprehensive Risk Assessment Framework with a Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process, Integrating External and Internal Factors in the Gulf Region

Advancing Sustainable Healthcare Technology Management: Developing a Comprehensive Risk Assessment Framework with a Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process, Integrating External and Internal Factors in the Gulf Region

Evidence based management of medical devices: A follow-up experiment

Ensuring the optimal operation and longevity of medical devices is essential for maintaining high safety standards in healthcare. This study presents a significant advancement in the field by enhancing an existing evidence-based maintenance (EBM) framework, which is crucial for the effective management of medical equipment. Building upon previous methodologies, this research introduces a novel, comprehensive taxonomy for categorizing maintenance reports by revising and updating existing failure codes. This refinement addresses gaps in previous models, enabling more precise and effective maintenance strategies.A key innovation of this study is the development of a standard XML protocol, which addresses the current lack of standardization in the field, providing a consistent and unified approach to data management. This standardization is critical for improving communication and data exchange across different healthcare systems and technologies.To validate the enhanced EBM framework, the study applies it to corrective maintenance work orders related to Digital Angiography Systems, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and Computed Tomography, using data from the Pisa University Hospital’s Computerized Maintenance Management System from 2021 to 2022. This validation demonstrates the reproducibility and adaptability of the framework across different medical equipment, healthcare contexts, and timeframes.The findings represent a significant advancement in healthcare technology management, offering a robust, standardized approach that optimizes the safety, functionality, and longevity of medical devices. This research not only expands maintenance standards in the healthcare sector but also provides a critical tool for addressing the current challenges in medical device maintenance, paving the way for more reliable and effective healthcare technologies.

Healthcare Technology Management: Electronic Health Records and Informatics

The application of health informatics enables the creation of customised health interventions based on each person's requirements, preferences, and risk factors. Public health organisations can identify people who are at high risk for specific illnesses and provide tailored interventions to reduce risk factors and enhance outcomes by using data analytics and predictive modelling. Furthermore, via the use of social media platforms, digital health technologies, and personalised health interventions, health informatics enables public health organisations to interact with communities, encourage healthy lifestyles, and address health inequities. The importance of promoting teamwork, standardising data exchange procedures, and investing in workforce development is emphasised in this work. Public health management can meet these obstacles and fully utilise the advantages of health informatics to enhance population health outcomes.

A meta-analysis of technology acceptance in healthcare from the consumer’s perspective

Consumer-oriented health care technologies are increasingly available and transforming global health delivery systems. However, there is a paucity of research that systematically investigates health care technology acceptance from the consumer’s perspective. This study conducts a literature review and meta-analysis to examine consumers’ adoption intentions toward health care technologies. The findings suggest that technology acceptance models are transferable to health care technology with modifications, and factors such as perceived risks, technology performance expectancy, consumer trust, and habit significantly correlate with consumers’ adoption intentions. This study provides valuable insights into health care technology management and practical implications for health care service designers, providers, and regulatory authorities.

What Is Healthcare Technology Management?

What Is Healthcare Technology Management?

Pediatric Characteristics Associated With Higher Rates of Monitor Alarms.

Background: Continuous physiologic monitoring commonly is used in pediatric medical-surgical (med-surg) units and is associated with high alarm burden for clinicians. Characteristics of pediatric patients generating high rates of alarms on med-surg units are not known. Objective: To describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of pediatric med-surg patients associated with high rates of clinical alarms. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, single-site, retrospective study using existing clinical and alarm data from a children's hospital. Continuously monitored patients from med-surg units who had available alarm data were included. Negative binomial regression models were used to test the association between patient characteristics and the rate of clinical alarms per continuously monitored hour. Results: Our final sample consisted of 1,569 patients with a total of 38,501 continuously monitored hours generating 265,432 clinical alarms. Peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) low alarms accounted for 57.5% of alarms. Patients with medical complexity averaged 11% fewer alarms per hour than those without medical complexity (P < 0.01). Patients older than 5 years had up to 30% fewer alarms per hour than those who were younger than 5 years (P < 0.01). Patients using supplemental oxygen averaged 39% more alarms per hour compared with patients who had no supplemental oxygen use (P < 0.01). Patients at high risk for deterioration averaged 19% more alarms per hour than patients who were not high risk (P = 0.01). Conclusion: SpO2 alarms were the most common type of alarm in this study. The results highlight patient populations in pediatric medical-surgical units that may be high yield for interventions to reduce alarms. Most physiologic monitor alarms in pediatric medical-surgical (med-surg) units are not informative and likely could be safely eliminated to reduce noise and alarm fatigue.1-3 However, identifying and sustaining successful alarm-reduction strategies is a challenge. Research shows that 25% of patients in pediatric med-surg units produce almost three-quarters of all alarms.4 These patients are a potential high-yield target for alarm-reduction strategies; however, we are not aware of studies describing characteristics of pediatric patients generating high rates of alarms. The patient populations seen on pediatric med-surg units are diverse. Children of all ages are cared for on these units, with diagnoses ranging from acute respiratory infections, to management of chronic conditions, and to psychiatric conditions. Not all patients on pediatric med-surg units have physiologic parameters continuously monitored,4 but among those who do, understanding patient characteristics associated with high rates of alarms may help clinicians, healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals, and others working on alarm management strategies to develop targeted interventions. We conducted an exploratory retrospective study to describe patient characteristics associated with high rates of alarms in pediatric med-surg units.

The Role of Healthcare Technology Management Professionals in Adverse Event Reporting

Healthcare technology management professionals play a key role in the medical device environment. By sharing their insights and expertise on medical devices issues with the US Food and Drug Administration, healthcare technology management professionals help the agency resolve medical device safety concerns and help improve patient safety. This article presents two real-world case study examples in which medical device reports containing critical healthcare technology management input were submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration's MedSun (Medical Product Safety Network) reporting program and helped contribute to 2 recalls. The details in the reports, provided by the hospital reporting team, offer a unique perspective for identifying the device concern and greatly contribute to the investigation and resolution of the reported device safety issue.

Two New Partnerships for International Healthcare Technology Management

Two New Partnerships for International Healthcare Technology Management

Addressing Burnout among Healthcare Technology Management Professionals.

This article suggests ways in which healthcare delivery organizations (HDOs) may address and mitigate burnout among healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals. Burnout is defined as a state of emotional and physical exhaustion resulting from workplace stressors. Although not intended to be a fully comprehensive empirical analysis of causes of burnout, this article discusses four likely causes for burnout that are particularly relevant to HTM professionals in HDOs: (1) gaps in developing a trained and sustainable workforce, (2) growing demand for HTM expertise across knowledge domains, (3) increasing occupational stressors related to patient safety, and (4) perceived lack of understanding of employee needs. Next, based on existing literature, the article proposes four possible solutions in response to each of these issues: (1) developing human resource planning and mentoring to ensure adequate transfer of skills and knowledge, (2) implementing ways to accomplish knowledge filtering, (3) integrating HTM workers in quality improvement initiatives, and (4) implementing employee voice practices. The article concludes by discussing the possible benefits that may be derived from implementing these solutions.

Benefits of Healthcare Technology Management Input in Medical Product Safety Network Reports

Healthcare technology management professionals play an important role in reporting medical device adverse events to the Food and Drug Administration by helping to identify and report device concerns, providing critical context to medical device reports, and mitigating safety concerns. The expert opinions and insights shared by healthcare technology management professionals are beneficial to the Food and Drug Administration and help the agency mitigate device-related problems and improve patient safety. This article is a case study that discusses how a medical device report involving infusion pump controllers was submitted to the Food and Drug Administration's Medical Product Safety Network reporting program and contributed to a voluntary class I recall affecting more than 800,000 devices nationwide. The details and context provided in the medical device report by the reporting team helped inform the investigation into, and resolution of, a device safety concern.

Overview of the US Food and Drug Administration's Medical Device Databases and Applications for Healthcare Technology Management Professionals

Healthcare technology management professionals play a role in assisting hospital leadership teams to make informed decisions related to the purchase, maintenance, and management of medical devices and other healthcare technologies. To do so, they use various resources both internal and external to their organization. One such external source is the US Food and Drug Administration databases. The intent of this article is to provide an overview of US Food and Drug Administration's medical device databases that may be relevant to healthcare technology management professionals and an explanation of how healthcare technology management professionals can leverage this information during their day-to-day operations.

TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT IN HOSPITALS

Advances in technology assumes a significant part in medical care, and their compelling administration is critical to the acknowledgment of quality medical care provided. Medical services changes decisively due to innovative technological developments, from sedatives and anti-toxins to attractive reverberation imaging scanners and radiotherapy. Health technologies are utilized to cure disorders ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. It creates and maintains essential operational frameworks for health services and technology that are both safe and dependable. To reduce asset downtime and streamline maintenance workflows, most hospital healthcare technology management (HTM) departments now employ a Healthcare Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS). The goal of HTM is to make sure that the right technologies are used to solve healthcare problems with acceptable, cost-effective, safe, and functioning equipment that poses the least amount of danger to users, patients, and the environment. This paper illustrates the importance of Technology Management in Hospitals.

Analysis of Medical Device Reports Involving Ventilator-Related Incidents in a Clinical Setting

Continuous ventilators are a critical resource for the treatment and management of respiratory diseases, particularly in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare technology management professionals (HTMs) are instrumental toward protecting the safety of patients by ensuring that ventilators and ventilator accessories (ventilator-related medical devices) remain functional during their lifetime. This article discusses a retrospective analysis on the failure modes described in ventilator-related medical device reports that were submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration Medical Product Safety Network (MedSun). In addition, the article also examines MedSun case studies, obtained from medical device reports, to provide HTMs with a comprehensive analysis of the lifecycle of a safety signal and how their input is essential to improve the safety and effectiveness of medical devices. Postmarket medical device surveillance in a constantly changing medical device ecosystem benefits from the first-hand knowledge that HTMs contribute to the cross-functional collaboration between the clinical community, medical device manufacturers, and the US Food and Drug Administration.

Resource Depletion Risk for Medical Equipment: Embracing the Circular Economy.

Resource Depletion Risk for Medical Equipment: Embracing the Circular Economy.

Context-Rich Medical Device Reports

Healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals and other clinicians can provide critical information to help the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) understand serious device issues from the hospital's perspective. By reporting context-rich adverse events to the FDA, HTM professionals help ensure that medical devices remain as safe and effective as possible throughout their use across the continuum of patient care. The medical device reports discussed in this case example were submitted to the FDA by HTM professionals and incorporated additional clinicians' observations. Key context in the medical device reports indicated the scope and relative degree of health hazard of a recurrent device malfunction and informed a class I recall classification for the device.

Survey: Open Positions and Untapped Diversity for Healthcare Technology Management

Survey: Open Positions and Untapped Diversity for Healthcare Technology Management

The Case for Medical Device Cybersecurity Hygiene Practices for Frontline Personnel

The Case for Medical Device Cybersecurity Hygiene Practices for Frontline Personnel

Ten Lessons Learned During the Pandemic From the Healthcare Technology Management World

Ten Lessons Learned During the Pandemic From the Healthcare Technology Management World

Assessment of Computerized Medical Equipment Management and Maintenance System From Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Perspective: Need and Approach

Appropriate management of medical equipment is of crucial importance for providing quality healthcare. A computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) is a computerized program used by healthcare technology management (HTM) systems as an instrument for maintaining, organizing, storing, and reporting the data related to medical technologies in health facilities. Though CMMS is introduced as a beneficial and flexible tool for transforming the management of biomedical equipment, but no evidence of the same has been documented yet to highlight the efficacy of CMMS in the Indian context. CMMS, an e-Health system used by HTM programs, is a relatively new technology being adopted by various states of India. Such systems are vital to judging whether the system is operating and delivering the effects as desired. Assessment not only can inform policy-makers about what is known about the technology, but it also provides a better knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the intended technology. Health Technology assessment (HTA) is a systematic process designed to synthesize and evaluate the prevailing evidence for treatment or health delivery innovation. So considering the HTA perspective, an assessment approach to CMMS could be planned. Systematic reviews and empirical frameworks that have been used for understanding and assessing e-health programs can be used for evaluating technologies. Assessment of CMMS from a HTA perspective should be vital to the implementation of HTM systems by healthcare agencies.

Healthcare Technology Management Professionals Are Influential for Device Safety and Reliability

Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) professionals are key stakeholders in the medical device ecosystem. When HTMs report medical device concerns to Food and Drug Administration (FDA), they contribute to patient safety, as FDA ensures that medical devices remain safe and effective throughout their use across the continuum of patient care. The HTM's perspective provides valuable context and insights to medical device problems and can lead to device improvements. We present a device concern reported to FDA by HTMs and analyze the strengths of each report. The HTM's perspective, shared clearly and thoroughly, resulted in improvement to the device design to mitigate a recurrent malfunction.