By Dale Munson
There is a vast array of medical test equipment in use today, but some are incapable of performing all of the required tests. Test equipmentmanufacturers have done an excellent job of keeping pace with the ever-evolving technological advancements in medical instrumentation, but hospitals have been slow to understand the importance of maintaining this complementary relationship.
When I teach my ESU classes across the country, I use a BC Group ESU-2400 analyzer to perform calibration and output checks on Valleylab generators. I use this particular analyzer because, in my opinion, it is one of the easiest and most accurate analyzers on the market. With the help of well-illustrated student guides, the students can quickly perform all the required tests and then export a report of the preventive maintenance (PM) results.
During breaks or after class, I am often asked by a biomed whether their in-house analyzer(s) will “suffice.” In many cases, what they have on the bench is fine, at least for the Valleylab products, but in other cases, I see older, less capable analyzers – analyzers that don’t have the required accuracy and appropriate loads to test all modes in the newer electrosurgical generators. When I see this, I turn to the biomed and ask, “With this test equipment, how can you – in good conscience – sign off on an annual PM when you know the equipment is incapable of performing the required tests?”
The answer is, “We do the best we can; the hospital doesn’t have the budget to get anything else.” When I hear this, I shudder. I am reminded of the words of Zig Ziglar, “Wouldn’t it be better to pay a little more than you planned than a little less than you should?” Biomed shops don’t necessarily need the latest and greatest test equipment, but they do need equipment that is capable of verifying the operational readiness of equipment that is vitally important to patient care.
Sometime during our conversation, I tell them about an incident that resulted in a lawsuit. Investigators looked at the error and event logs on the sequestered electrosurgical generator and then looked to see when the last PM occurred. After obtaining all the pertinent information, they interviewed the biomed that performed the PM. They asked how the test was conducted, the equipment used for testing and the validity of the measurements s/he had documented. I’m not sure what analyzer was used and whether it had a way of capturing test data, but it seems that the PM process was deemed acceptable. But what if it wasn’t?
Given the opportunity to talk with the shop supervisor, I would tell the story about how, when I was a young kid, I would either do an engine tune-up myself or I would take my car down to the local garage and watch as they checked everything out with the super-duper Sun Engine Performance Analyzer, the high-tech machine of the time. Then, I would explain how I would feel if I were to open the hood today. The newer engines not only didn’t look like the engines I once knew, but they were also microprocessor-controlled. Unquestionably, the old Sun Engine Performance Analyzer was no match for what is required now.
For electrosurgical generators, shop supervisors should take into consideration the following factors:
- Range of internal loads that meet the testing requirements.
- Ability to display a variety of measurement parameters.
- Ability to measure both continuous and pulsed outputs.
- Accuracy of the measurements.
- Whether there are embedded or user-defined auto sequences.
- The ability to capture and print verifiable test results.
- Ease of use (which translates into person-hour costs).
These are a few considerations for testing electrosurgical generators, but the same holds true for any equipment used in the hospital. Because testing is more than just a biomed task, it is an action that might prevent an accident or save a life. Reliable and verifiable test results are more critical than ever in today’s litigious society. For that reason, hospitals should ensure that their test equipment keeps pace with technology.
Dale Munson is the owner of Biomed Support Services.
