How to Successfully Plan for Medical Equipment Implementation

With care systems slowly moving into communities, healthcare facilities are beginning to rethink their facility designs, workflows, and the correct use of space. The guidance of an equipment planner is therefore needed by construction managers, architects, and facility planners. Unfortunately, not all facilities have stopped to consider why equipment planners and medical equipment implementation plans are necessary. Healthcare industry newbies even fail to identify what a planner is and how their inclusion can positively impact the project.

Medical Equipment Planners: What They Do

Part of the medical equipment planner’s job is to specify, procure, and install the equipment in new facilities and remodeled projects. The planner is involved with everything from the smallest trash bin to the largest medical imaging equipment. Other key functions include helping the hospital make equipment decisions, like assisting the engineer and architect with the design of the facility. They ensure contractors stick to the remodeling and construction schedule and follow up with the distributors’ delivery schedule for equipment to be delivered.

Playing a Part in Medical Equipment Planning and Implementation

Aside from the actual construction, the new equipment in a facility is the largest investment made by the project owner. Having an equipment planner who is knowledgeable of the equipment and the medical industry can further help a hospital cut costs through the identification of items that can still be re-used and moved. More importantly, determine which ones can be donated and discarded if needed.

Equipment planners and implementation experts act as the primary source of info for all the parties involved. They assist in the management and dissemination of useful tech-related info in the medical equipment implementation industry.

Importance of Equipment Implementation Planning

Hospital rooms have increasingly evolved into high-tech habitats. Along with this, pressure on logistics, finances, and patient safety impacts has been building up. Thus, the safe, efficient, and cost-effective implementation of medical equipment in healthcare facilities is notably difficult to manage. As a result, the importance of equipment implementation planning cannot be stressed enough. These are the three key takeaways.

Planning Ensures Everyone Sticks to the Schedule

One of the major difficulties involved in construction projects is the inability to keep to a schedule. With a medical equipment implementation plan in place, hospital administration and owners need not worry about equipment delivery. Planners in charge of the project will ensure that everything runs smoothly without causing any further disruptions. This means medical equipment planners will work hand in hand with equipment vendors to make certain that all installations are well coordinated. Furthermore, they will ensure that no overlapping between installations will occur.

Validation of Medical Equipment Provisions and Utility Mapping

Planners work closely with general contractors to provide them with accurate requirements needed for medical equipment implementation even before the equipment arrives. This is done to guarantee that all the equipment is up to code.

Prototype Room Development

Part of the planning and implementation process involves creating a room prototype or a mock-up. This is implemented so that planners can determine if there are any issues that could disrupt the overall usability of the room. The goal is to make sure that the designated space can hold all the equipment. Above all, they ensure that the room can fully function for its intended use, not only for patients but for the staff as well.

To Wrap It Up

Improvement of safety, efficiency, or quality common practices in facilities across the globe requires ample development and implementation. As the integration of new tech in day-to-day activities remains to be a challenge, holistic and proper models for the implementation of medical equipment is crucial.

Need Medical Equipment for a Facility?

VOC Associates has experience in planning and implementing medical equipment for numerous facilities of various sizes. We have streamlined our logistics to include every piece and part without anything being left out. Visit our website or call (216) 859-1401 today!