Medical equipment classification: method and decision-making support based on paraconsistent annotated logic

Abstract

As technology evolves, the role of medical equipment in the healthcare system, as well as technology management, becomes more important. Although the existence of large databases containing management information is currently common, extracting useful information from them is still difficult. A useful tool for identification of frequently failing equipment, which increases maintenance cost and downtime, would be the classification according to the corrective maintenance data. Nevertheless, establishment of classes may create inconsistencies, since an item may be close to two classes by the same extent. Paraconsistent logic might help solve this problem, as it allows the existence of inconsistent (contradictory) information without trivialization. In this paper, a methodology for medical equipment classification based on the ABC analysis of corrective maintenance data is presented, and complemented with a paraconsistent annotated logic analysis, which may enable the decision maker to take into consideration alerts created by the identification of inconsistencies and indeterminacies in the classification.

Are Technology Interruptions Impacting Your Bottom Line? An Innovative Proposal for Change

“…() and Oshiyama et al. () found, 10% of the equipment causes 90% of the cost. Smart, preventative maintenance will allow for the identification of high failure equipment mandatory for safe patient care delivery to be functional when needed.…”

“…When hospital administrators appreciate where nursing time and money are being spent, a preventative and streamlined business approach makes economic sense and will be instituted (see Appendix H). Medical devices expenditure is 5-6.2% of the total healthcare cost in the United States, Europe, and Japan (Oshiyama et al, 2012). In 2008, the estimated cost in the United States was $365 per capita (Oshiyama et al, 2012).…”

“…However, medical equipment preventative maintenance cannot be examined as solely an equipment cost. Patient safety and positive outcomes, along with nurse satisfaction, must be part of the cost equation (Hamdi et al, 2012;Li & Jones, 2013;Oshiyama, Bassani, D'Ottaviano, & Bassani, 2012). Hamdi et al (2012) found that comprehensive preventative maintenance could essentially eliminate downtime originated by equipment failure, thus saving scarce financial resources.…”

“…However, medical equipment preventative maintenance cannot be examined as solely an equipment cost. Patient safety and positive outcomes, along with nurse satisfaction, must be part of the cost equation (Hamdi et al., ; Li & Jones, ; Oshiyama, Bassani, D'Ottaviano, & Bassani, ). Hamdi et al.…”

Medical equipment classification according to corrective maintenance data: a strategy based on the equipment age

“…Additional information may be necessary for a correct and robust decision (Oshiyama et al, 2012). In the daily, routine use, as it should be the case for all types of indicators, clinical engineers should monitor and investigate each aspect, aiming at improving equipment choice and service delivery, as well as adequately training of the health care staff.…”