PMs vs Repairs: The Great Debate

[@ea9334]

I was stuck in that valley of decision with the school system repairing VCR's, TV's and tape players twenty years ago. Up until the director set a value limit of under three hundred dollars in replacement value. We don't fix it. Replace it. And now with the Ipad screen repairs as a learning device. They are so many piled up with broken screens that take a half an hour per repair that we may decide to sell them back to the OEM buyback broken. This is a great topic and a good argument.

[@BetterBiomedChannel]

I try to segment my day. Repairs in the morning due to the need for ordering parts before mid day overnight cutoff and after lunch for PMs if the afterlunch is free of drama.

[@rkaz4647]

You said it, there's only eight hours in a day. Do what you can, then go be with your family. Work to live, NOT live to work. Do the best you can. Some things are out of your control.

[@J-random5]

For P.M work I try to group and prioritize by risk, then number of days overdue. There's a lot of small, high volume devices where the "P.M" is not preventing failures but is rather a functional check. Things like SPO2 monitors, fixed bedside monitors, aneroid manometers, and some monitoring modules (that do not have calibrations) often get pushed aside. Devices such as defibs, lifts, beds, perfusion, stress exercise, central stations, anesthesia take on a higher priority. For repairs it depends on if there are spares available, demand, and the size of the fleet for a modality. Obviously if it involves cancelling procedures or tests then those get top priority. As always there never seems to be enough time for IV pumps - or enough IV pumps available.

[@J-random5]

Funny enough about P.M tags, there was a recommendation in Canada not to affix P.M due tags to equipment because of perceptions to the public with overdue equipment. I do not know of any hospitals that do not use P.M due tags.

[@TheRazz93]

I have set up annual schedule to test each ward on a different month. Plus one month designated for testing any missed/overdue items. This also includes testing patient rooms (RCD testing, earth testing, gas system tests, etc). Repairs are simply triaged and completed as needed. Once all PM's are complete, I can get back to working through the repair list at the end of the month.

[@cullensessions]

I just started last year as a biomed. My director was the only biomed for our system of 6 hospitals. Once I joined we worked out a plan to get each hospital on their own 2 months for pms 6 months apart. With it just being the two of us we try to knock out the pms at the beginning of the month and repairs when we can. If it's a critical machine that takes priority.

[@kyle-ol7xq]

I hammer My PMs out the first part of the month and hopefully, that gives me time toward the end of the month to focus on repair. I still work on my repair throughout when I cant get to PM equipment because it is in use.

[@aeol1197]

Repairs, show admin that pms are not getting done(fully), they get mad, but accept the fact that not all can be done, usually on the reports they sign that they agree the way things are getting handel, even a mail or something so they cant throw me under de bus, and its not always going to work but hey, if they wanna be dicks no matter what we do they gona be dicks.

[@Nanogrip]

Here in the Pacific, medical equipment vendors will always recommend that we get their guy$$$ come in for PMs and repairs for their units. For our small hospital, we do nearly all PMs ourselves and repair nearly every medical equipment from laboratory analyzers, dialysis equipment (our senior tech can line a patient in case for an emergency due to his years in training) to most of our radiology machines, including our CT scan. So we're mostly purchasing consumables and repair parts from vendors for our machines and not utilize their services. With COVID travel restrictions in the Pacific, our hospital did not encounter much issues from downed machines due to not being able to have a tech fly in for a repair as we can do them ourselves. With that said, we do more repairs than PMs but I am trying to bump up the PMs up more.

[@AndrewDPerez]

I usually go in chronological order of work orders that come in. We have a decently sized team so it makes this strategy a little easier to manage. We are a field service company so we get contracted as vendors for hospitals and also get sent equipment from dme type companies. We’re in the Houston area so if you ever need some help, give us a call! -Andrew from the iServe Biomedical team

[@escapeejm123]

I feel your pain, man. 😑 Everywhere in the world its the same thing within the Biomed Equipment Dept. 😆 And sometime its not due to lack of competence but most time its lack of "Time (not enough in the day😥 ) & Resources" (e.g. spare parts & specialize test equipment). I have worked as a Biomed Equip. Tech., in the Caribbean & 2-months in India . My best advice is make due with what you can, & when you can...😅.. OEM's know the same thing and are making a KILLING from it 🤣

[@DumpThump]

Just need enough staff and a good coordinator. Our night crew of 3 guys handles the majority of PM's. The day shift handles repairs and their training specific PM's (vents, anesthesia, dialysis)

[@BetterBiomedChannel]

That's a good solution

[@williamhorvat8224]

How many beds if your hospital?

[@DumpThump]

@@williamhorvat8224 just under 600. Plus surrounding clinics

[@infinitexps]

Work faster to knock out PMs while continuing to chip away at the repairs.

[@tailzer42]

Theres a long standing argument that if you do enough planned maintenance then the breakdowns will reduce. We record the amount of work proactive vs reactive to show the splits. We are trying to push the balance to more proactive, so at least a 60/40 split in that favour. In reality we are still 30/70 Pro/Reactive.

[@personone8415]

PMs are always the focus. If it's going to take too long to repair or if i know there is a contract for repair at no cost which is rare. I send it out which is annoying. I ask for over time to take care of PMs if I had a solid day of repairs.

[@toddschroeder8971]

Amen! You are preachin to the choir. lol It tends to be a 50/50 to which biomed does which. Personally I prioritize repairs since it has less dept and patient impact. Customer first. Taking care of the repairs you also are not surrounded by broken equipment at your desk. Some of those repairs can be time sensitive to warranty also. Last I work on PM's and those do build up since we are short handed and I am doubled up on work. I will work holidays and some weekends while PM equipment is more readily available and hammer some of it out to make a dent. But ultimately that is not sustainable. All you can do is hang tight and hope they get more help eventually so you can rebalance the work load.

[@BetterBiomedChannel]

I do almost exactly the same.

[@joannstrumski939]

I do repairs and PM's everyday. If I find I am getting behind on PM's I will put repairs on hold for a day or two. I try to balance both. I am a one person shop.

[@BetterBiomedChannel]

I love smaller shops.

[@joannstrumski939]

I so much agree. I work in a 100 bed Mommy and baby hospital with 29 bed NICU and 5 OR's. I do everything except Imagining. This is my second career first being a Social Worker, and I use those skils everyday. I have been doing biomed for 21 years and have loved everyday of it, maybe about 5 days not so much. I just love you channel. I am always learning and watching new videos and reading new stuff everyday. I always tell people if you don't like to learn don't be a biomed. My first job was working with a old Air Force Biomed guy for 9 years who started the Air Force biomed school. We have a wonderful friendship as well as him being my boss and mentor. I thank G-d for him everyday. IF you love what you do it's not a job. Live your Passion. @@BetterBiomedChannel

[@skwid11]

Sad to say at this current point in my career I’m one of those guys you described 😭 very frustrating

[@Jay-777-p4p]

Putting out the fires my colleague says.

[@Ronnock]

It's a balancing act: I split it between 60 - 70% PM's, and save my free time for the more challenging repairs.

[@life2lights]

I don't make my own schedule so I don't have that issue

[@RohmanBioMed]

You put expiration tags on you equipment?

[@BetterBiomedChannel]

PM Due.

[@escapeejm123]

😂🤣, ................YES ,you HAVE to indicate when PM was done & when next its due.....

[@konstantinos-antoniosbme-m6472]

What is PM😓?

[@BetterBiomedChannel]

Ha. Always playing catch up..