The healthcare industry is required to meet compliance standards. One consistent method proven to ensure equipment uptime and compliance is problem code analysis and to optimize preventive maintenance intervals. This process is also known as a root cause analysis. Setting up problem codes and conducting a failure analysis is one of the most important maintenance processes a healthcare facility can complete. Problem codes let a company easily identify and report on common issues consistently. Without the use of problem codes, a company is left to search reasons fields or review many work orders to help identify the failure and conduct an analysis. This process can lead to inconsistency and make accurate reporting impossible. By using the failure analysis feature of a CMMS separately. These problem codes are typically used by a healthcare facility's Clinical Technology or Biomed departments. The codes are systematically broken down into logical groups to allow for ease of reporting.
The Benefits and Necessity of Problem Code Analysis in Healthcare
Taking the time to implement a problem code analysis process can benefit a healthcare organization’s maintenance process and budget. Here are a few of the top benefits a company can receive when a problem code analysis plan is put in place.
- More Proactive and Less Reactive Processes
- Identification of Trends and Problems for Specific Equipment Types
- Cost Savings and Efficiency
- Longer Equipment Life and Reliability
- Ability to Maintain Compliance & Meet Regulatory Standards
Another great incentive and time saver for healthcare facilities is the ability to instantly produce compliance reports to meet healthcare standards. There are many legal codes and requirements healthcare facilities must deal with daily. A few key bodies that publish codes and drive standards within the healthcare industry are –
CMS and Joint Commission have established minimum standards on emergency preparedness which affect various healthcare settings including hospitals, ambulatory care centers, home health agencies and hospices. Fire and Life Safety regulations compliance is mandatory for CMS guidelines and regulations are constantly updated by the Joint Commission. Supervision of medical gas and vacuum systems is imperative to ensure functionality in accordance with CMS regulation. HVAC and utility systems must be maintained to the air quality standards set forth by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
How Do Problem Codes and Analysis Help Maintain Compliance and Save Expenses
So how does the failure analysis process really help with compliance, efficiency, and cost reduction? After a company has set up problem codes in the work order system, a related ‘problem’ and ‘solution’ code can be created from conducting a problem and root cause analysis. This analysis aids companies by doing the following.
- Helps track work order history and failures related to each equipment
- Documents work procedures to verify work is being carried out in accordance with regulations
- Tracks labor and hours spent on each work order
- Generates reports and dashboards to show KPI (key performance indicators) data for equipment
- Tracks work requests to ensure on-time completion
- Exposes problems by identifying equipment which is incurring excessive expenses
Instead of trying to guess what equipment is failing and what the correct response to that failure is, a properly implemented failure analysis plan can help you generate ideal Preventive Maintenance intervals into your CMMS. This can ensure these issues are proactively mitigated. Although a CMMS alone will not guarantee compliance
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