The ophthalmic equipment in your practice is a valuable asset to your business.
Whether it is part of everyday routine or reserved for specialized treatment, maintaining each piece in good order is an essential investment back into your business. Ophthalmic equipment is often delicate and precise, and the better this equipment is maintained, the less time and money must be spent on replacements and repairs.
Maintenance of ophthalmic equipment takes on many forms, anywhere from simply removing dust to changing out bulbs and replacing worn down parts. Some maintenance actions are required daily, while others are simply on-demand; when a piece has reached the end of its life. Routine maintenance such as replacing dust covers, checking bulbs, and wiping off debris should be a regular part of closing tasks for each day in the office. But what about those more intensive maintenance requirements? Such requirements are unique to every piece of equipment, and keeping accurate records and familiarizing yourself with these varied maintenance schedules can help you retain the value of this investment.
Maintenance and Warranty
First, check the maintenance and warranty information for each piece of equipment. Manufacturer’s details, service manuals, and warranty specifics can help you build a schedule for each item. Create a timetable based on each piece of equipment’s best practices so that your team has a clear understanding of when maintenance should be completed. An overarching timetable should include weekly and monthly tasks (dusting, checking bulbs, safety checks, lubrication) as well as less frequent tasks such as recalibrations and repairs by service agents.
Make sure every employee understands the history and limitations of each piece of equipment as well as how to maintain each piece in a way that will preserve it in good order for years to come.
Maintenance and Repair Record
Keeping a maintenance and repair record is critical to helping you stay on top of routine maintenance. Accurate and detailed records will assist you in highlighting recurring issues, remembering common fixes, and communicating successfully with the vendor or service provider. Each piece of equipment in your office will have a unique personality. The better the documentation of each quirk, the easier it will to be maintain and repair them along the way. Your maintenance and repair record should cover:
- The history of every piece of equipment, including dates of each service call or replacement part and the outcome of each instance
- Common issues affecting each piece of equipment and their associated solutions
- An updated inventory of spare parts within the clinic and a reordering schedule
- Warranty information and service desk phone numbers for each piece of equipment
- The name of each staff member who conducted the maintenance or placed the service call, and the date on which that call took place
- Limitations and specifications of each piece of equipment (temperatures, calibrations, etc.)
Management Program
Create a medical equipment management program within your office, and assign a single individual to the task of staying on top of the timetable. This doesn’t mean you can’t share the responsibilities of maintenance between in-clinic staff and outsourced professionals with intimate knowledge of the proper functioning of each piece of equipment, but it’s important to build ownership into the program. This individual should have an intimate understanding of all the clinic equipment, its history, and its unique maintenance schedule.
Ophthalmic equipment is often delicate and expensive, and great care should be taken to carefully maintain each piece according to the manufacturer’s directions, maintenance suggestions, and active warranty. Well-maintained ophthalmic equipment is always in high demand, and it is a business asset that should be maintained throughout its life. Proper maintenance will allow you to preserve the resale value of each piece and replace or upgrade equipment as cost-effectively as possible.
