Posted by Chris, 5/30/2009 5:37:32 PM

First, the greatest benchmarking arsenal in your toolbox begins with measuring your department’s performance using your automated Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS). In fact, everyone in your department should understand the importance of Data Quality Management (DQM) within your CMMS. I am often asked what is “DQM”; I smile and explain DQM with a simple mathematical equation “garbage in = garbage out”. As clinical engineers, we must ensure that everyone inputting information within the CMMS database guarantee’s that the entered data is accurate and thorough for every work order and historical record we manage.

Next, there are many performance measures we can talk about, but for now I’ll talk about one way of determining the number of BMETs required to fulfill your organization’s mission. In fact, using reports from your CMMS or spreadsheets and calculating the department’s total available chargeable hours (# total technician hours per year) and total workload (# of unscheduled/schedule work order’s per year) is what determines that number. Pretty simple, huh? I use this data as firepower to my leadership (i.e. hospital administration) to help make my case when I require more manning to offset the heavy burden of added work load.

Lastly, I strongly recommend using AAMIs and ECRIs newly released biomedical engineering benchmarking tools to help analyze departmental performance. Another fantastic aid is to sign up to ACCEs directory and become a member or mentor to other biomed’s. ACCE membership has many benefits and can put you into contact with others that can guide and mentor those within our field.

NOTE: An upcoming CCE Review Course by ACCE will be held June 4-5 2009 in Baltimore, MD. To register (http://www.accenet.org/default.asp?page=cce_review). I attended it back in 2008! Its great review courses which I highly recommend to those who want to pursue certification. If you have any questions about the review class please feel free to contact me at christopher.correll@pope.af.mil

Posted by Call Center Software, 6/7/2009 9:19:31 PM

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Posted by VSarmiento, 6/9/2009 6:53:20 AM

One can make use of any performance benchmarking tools available in the market today, BUT will still find themselves short of what they really want to accomplished and to meet their of respective goals.
Bottom line, no matter what the orientation and how a Clinical Department was initially set up, one of its main if not the key objective is to be able to provide needed satisfactory services to the clinicians and the hospital at large.

Conducting QAs, paper trails and /or documentation analysis, although are very pertinent aspects of the department's functionalities, may still fail to demonstrate its total effectiveness . One can attest that a very effective and economical means that can be added, to be used as an effective benchmarking tool to complement the above are;
1) by conducting regular customer satisfaction surveys, normally filled /done by both doctors and nurses, soliciting comments and complaint as well as commendations pertaining to the level of service being delivered.
2) A regularly conducted, un-announce Walk-thru of all nooks and crannies of the hospital., searching for , or hoping to see any equipment that either broken, dumped and neglected, dirty, due for inspections, etc. ( Nooks and crannies should include all areas (except private offices) of the hospital, cabinet drawers, storage bins, dirty closets, housekeeping /utility rooms. This task is done by the Dept. manager and the QC Engineer in coordination with the Nursing and any other concerned departments.
3) A regular reshuffling of staff assignments is a must. By doing so, not only encourages cross-training among the Biomed staff. Although we want to establish a good working relationships with our customers (RNs / MDs), by doing so may also help us avoid any future "too close to customer" relations problems that may arise.

So far no software based programs can fill-in for these added tasks, for it to be considered complete that also justify the biomed's existence and importance in the hospital.