TECHNOLOGY, EQUIPMENT & DEVICES
MANAGING MEDICAL DEVICES FAILURE RISK Improving health outcomes Medical devices are tangible assets that need to be maintained properly. They require a lot of investment, have a direct effect on human lives, are very sensitive, have high maintenance costs in a lot of cases, and some of them have short shelf lives. Medical devices play a critical role in diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disease and illness. But the problem is that most hospitals fail to utilise the full potential of the technology that is currently available. Healthcare providers are gradually becoming aware of the need to secure medical devices. Only after we establish clear systems and methods for analysing device failures will we begin to have a full idea of the risks involved. Once we have better visibility and control over the functional aspects of medical devices, healthcare facilities will be able to better safeguard the safety of their patients and ensure continuity of treatment. Sanjay Jha, Director, Colmed
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edical devices play a critical role in diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disease and illness. According to estimates, over 50,000 medical devices are in use on a daily basis in healthcare facilities all over the world. Some of them are simple, while others are quite complex and combine more than pone technology. The global market of medical devices is estimated at US$150 billion, and is expected to grow at a rate of 5 per cent annually over the decade.
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A SI A N H O S P I T A L & H EA LT HCA R E M A N AGE M E N T
IS S UE - 48, 2020