How to Visually Manage Department Equipment?

Original: https://cli.im/article/detail/2255

With the continuous development of medical technology, the management of emergency instruments and equipment has become a top priority in healthcare institution management. Our department has introduced QR code technology to strengthen the standardized, refined, and personalized management of equipment. This approach visualizes each stage of equipment management, enables collaborative sharing of equipment data, and makes management work more intuitive, transparent, and efficient. This visual management not only simplifies management processes but also improves equipment utilization and safety.

Standardization: Standardized Management with QR Code Technology

First, conduct a thorough inventory of department equipment, accurately registering each device's name, model, manufacturer, service life, status, and other information. Referencing the equipment manuals and combining them with hospital management standards, establish standardized procedures for each device and generate independent QR codes for each piece of equipment.

This QR code acts as the equipment's "ID card," containing all basic information and operational procedures. Through standardized processes, equipment management becomes more regulated.

Additionally, QR codes can be used for equipment operation training. Through multimedia formats like images and videos, clinical staff can receive online equipment operation training, significantly improving training efficiency and expanding training avenues.

Refinement: Precise Management of Equipment Usage and Maintenance

Building on standardized management, organize all instruments and equipment using the 7S management principles, label them, and affix status identifiers. The department schedules a weekly disinfection shift for preventive maintenance on all equipment, such as cleaning ventilator filters and calibrating emergency device timings, to promptly identify and address issues.

With the synergy of visual management, it's possible to track progress in real-time, provide feedback, and record maintenance information, helping the department efficiently coordinate equipment fault resolution. Sharing information and data allows different departments to quickly grasp equipment status, facilitating efficient problem-solving and improving overall equipment utilization. For example: when equipment malfunctions or is damaged, the operator adjusts the equipment status identifier, places the equipment in the fault storage area, quickly scans the code to report the issue, records the fault condition with images or videos, coordinates with relevant technical personnel for handling, and promptly fills in the resolution status and provides feedback after repair, forming a closed-loop fault reporting process. Related records are automatically saved in the QR code, gradually building a health record for the equipment.

Personalization: Intelligent Analysis and Aggregation of Equipment Data

Based on long-term data accumulation, multi-dimensional analysis of equipment usage can be performed, such as failure rates, frequency of use, and maintenance costs. This data helps better understand equipment conditions and provides a basis for decisions regarding equipment updates and maintenance. For instance, based on equipment manuals and combined with specialized disease care standards and nursing routines, create professional ECG monitor alarm labels and uniformly affix them to monitors, dynamically adjusting alarm thresholds according to patient conditions.

Furthermore, QR code technology enables quick retrieval of equipment data. Whether for routine maintenance or periodic inspections, scanning the QR code allows rapid access to the equipment's historical data and operational status, providing strong support for the equipment's continuous and stable operation.

Summary

In summary, this visual management approach improves the accuracy of information transmission, management efficiency, and problem-solving speed, enhancing the overall quality and effectiveness of management. Consequently, it better ensures work and management efficiency and improves patient safety.

Original article reprinted from the WeChat Public Platform: China Nursing Management 《How to Visually Manage Department Equipment? What Head Nurses Care About Is Here》