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Understanding Why Hospitals Outsource Biomed Services: Observations and Insights

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Hendrana Tjahjadi
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27 views

Understanding Why Hospitals Outsource Biomed Services: Observations and Insights

outsourcing

Uploaded by

Hendrana Tjahjadi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Copyright AAMI 2013. Single user license only. Copying, networking, and distribution prohibited.

Columns and Departments

OBSERVATIONS AND INSIGHTS

Understanding Why Hospitals


Outsource Biomed Services
Patrick K. Lynch

About the Author


Patrick K. Lynch,
CBET, CCE, is a
biomedical support
specialist at Global
Medical Imaging
in Charlotte, NC.
E-mail:
[email protected]

268

I am seeing a disturbing trend: Many hospiadministrators would rather have a contract


tals are outsourcing all or part of their
and unburden themselves of the managebiomedical department. While I do not
ment of these services.
believe that this is a good idea in most cases,
Also, there is risk to consider. There is a
I will attempt to explain why I think this is
perception that the financial risk to the
happening.
hospital can be reduced if a blanket contract
First, we must realize that most hospital
can be signed, shifting the responsibility for
administrators, directors, and C-Suite
all medical equipment maintenance to
executive do not understand biomed, also
somebody else. In reality, there is not much
called healthcare technology management
uncertainty in medical equipment mainte(HTM). We are a different breed. We work
nance. It fails with alarming predictability.
with electricity, technology, and other
Those few items that fail more often than
complex matters that are not commonly
normal are balanced by those that fail less
understood. I think some administrators
frequently. Companies make lots of money
would rather sit through a two-hour Powerfrom this perception of great risk, which is
Point presentation than have a 10-minute
shifted to them.
conversation with a
But the main reason
biomedical equipment
that many hospitals
But the main reason that
technician (BMET).
outsource biomed is that
Its also important to
the administration is
many hospitals outsource
understand the core
unable to get the HTM
biomed is that the
mission of hospitals
department to respond
administration is unable to
the provision of medical
to its needs. Many HTM
get the HTM department to
services. So their main
departments refuse to
functions are the
move into more complex
respond to its needs.
recruitment of doctors,
equipment. They are
nurses, and patients,
stuck working on old,
along with maintaining a facility to engage
simple, or low-risk equipment. They refuse
in patient care. Tasks such as biomedical
to take ownership of advanced equipment,
repair can easily be outsourced to compasuch as imaging modalities. Or they are not
nies that specialize in that sort of work. In
trusted by the hospital to work on the more
short, these functions are seen as necessary, mission-critical equipment.
but not mission critical, and hospital
When administrators become frustrated

Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology May/June 2013

Copyright AAMI 2013. Single user license only. Copying, networking, and distribution prohibited.

Columns and Departments

with the nonresponsiveness of their in-house


department, they look for other options.
Some replace the manager or director in
hopes of creating a more responsive and
dynamic department, but many are content
to turn the repair functions over to a professional medical equipment management
company. They are able to wash their hands
of the entire situation and simplify their lives
by signing a single contract (and writing a
single check) that turns the entire medical
equipment maintenance operations over to
someone else.
What they gain depends on what is written
into the contract. If they contract for a
manager to supervise hospital-employed
staff, they may receive improved management systems, better reporting, and the
implementation of some more efficient
systems to manage the program.
If they contract to receive equipment
maintenance using only the service companys

employees (thereby eliminating all hospital


employees), they receive a very specific service
on a specified list of equipment.
Do they lose anything in the process?
Probably. They also can expect to receive
additional invoices as the hospital adds
equipment or repair requests that are not the
result of normal wear and tear. Operator
error and physical damage and equipment
relocation can result in more charges.
In summary, if the in-house HTM department is not responsive to the needs of the
hospital, the administration will find someone who can meet its needs. If an in-house
department is outsourced, a large part of the
responsibility (blame?) rests with the department and its leadership. n

New Edition!

BMET Study Guide


Preparing for Certification and Sharpening Your Skills
Featuring 574 interactive questions, answers, and explanations,
the expanded 2012 edition tests your knowledge of:
u Anatomy & Physiology
u Medical Equipment Function & Operation
u Safety in Healthcare Facilities
u Medical Equipment Problem Solving
u Electronics & Electrical Fundamentals
u Information systems technology

Order code: SGCD


List $165 / AAMI member $95
To order call +1-877-249-8226 or visit
www.aami.org/publications/books/bmetcd.html
A Special Thanks to the Sponsors of this CD:
ARAMARK Healthcare Technologies, CREST Services,
and Stephens International Recruiting Inc.

SOURCE CODE: PB

Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology May/June 2013

269

Copyright AAMI 2013. Single user license only. Copying, networking, and distribution prohibited.

Columns and Departments

with the nonresponsiveness of their in-house


department, they look for other options.
Some replace the manager or director in
hopes of creating a more responsive and
dynamic department, but many are content
to turn the repair functions over to a professional medical equipment management
company. They are able to wash their hands
of the entire situation and simplify their lives
by signing a single contract (and writing a
single check) that turns the entire medical
equipment maintenance operations over to
someone else.
What they gain depends on what is written
into the contract. If they contract for a
manager to supervise hospital-employed
staff, they may receive improved management systems, better reporting, and the
implementation of some more efficient
systems to manage the program.
If they contract to receive equipment
maintenance using only the service companys

employees (thereby eliminating all hospital


employees), they receive a very specific service
on a specified list of equipment.
Do they lose anything in the process?
Probably. They also can expect to receive
additional invoices as the hospital adds
equipment or repair requests that are not the
result of normal wear and tear. Operator
error and physical damage and equipment
relocation can result in more charges.
In summary, if the in-house HTM department is not responsive to the needs of the
hospital, the administration will find someone who can meet its needs. If an in-house
department is outsourced, a large part of the
responsibility (blame?) rests with the department and its leadership. n

New Edition!

BMET Study Guide


Preparing for Certification and Sharpening Your Skills
Featuring 574 interactive questions, answers, and explanations,
the expanded 2012 edition tests your knowledge of:
u Anatomy & Physiology
u Medical Equipment Function & Operation
u Safety in Healthcare Facilities
u Medical Equipment Problem Solving
u Electronics & Electrical Fundamentals
u Information systems technology

Order code: SGCD


List $165 / AAMI member $95
To order call +1-877-249-8226 or visit
www.aami.org/publications/books/bmetcd.html
A Special Thanks to the Sponsors of this CD:
ARAMARK Healthcare Technologies, CREST Services,
and Stephens International Recruiting Inc.

SOURCE CODE: PB

Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology May/June 2013

269

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