Medical equipment team Another important back-office unit in providing technology care, supporting treatment, reducing risk, reducing infection with modern medical equipment and sufficient readiness, especially in times of crisis.
In the previous episode, we had the opportunity to learn about the department that we often visit, Radiology. Many of you probably understand why I can say that Radiology is a popular department. Even if you don’t have cancer, you still have to have the opportunity to visit it. In addition, there was a mobile lung X-ray during the time when COVID-19 was spreading heavily in Thailand. Their dedication is truly admirable.
Next, the admin will take everyone to get to know the agencies that are involved in every part. Every agency depends on them, and there are more than 70 agencies that they are currently taking care of. That agency is the medical equipment team. When they say that this unit takes care of another 70 agencies, the admin is not exaggerating. So let’s get to know this agency with Ms. Wanida Sangphet, Head of Medical Equipment at Thammasat University Hospital.
“Initial stress comes from unpreparedness.”
Ms. Wanida told us that during the initial outbreak of COVID-19, the staff in the agency were very stressed because there were not enough medical equipment and tools to provide treatment. Since COVID-19 is a new epidemic that has never been dealt with before, the preparation at that time was not good enough. The situation that followed was the lack of interest in medical equipment.
“From past experience, we must prepare for a second outbreak.”
The first outbreak, everyone was new to dealing with it. When the second wave of the outbreak became severe, the medical equipment team carefully prepared and predicted the outbreak, so there were no problems with medical equipment. In addition, we can be a center for procuring and sending medical equipment to help various agencies in every place. Wherever there are fewer patients, we will pull equipment from that point to help at the COVID-19 service points, which have an overwhelming number of users instead.
“The medical equipment team supports providing medical equipment services to more than 70 nursing units in Thammasat University Hospital.”
Since this is the central part of distributing medical equipment, equipment must be sent to support every unit that needs it. For example, the medical equipment team is currently supporting medical equipment for more than 70 units. The central part’s job here is to know how to plan and allocate medical equipment well. We have to calculate the total number of equipment we have, calculate how many units we should send to each unit, and keep how much in reserve. For example, if there are 20 beds left, which unit should we send them to? Which unit has received too many beds? How many should we return? Or how many should we keep in reserve at the central part?
“It is important that all our staff and teams understand the use of the medical equipment they are using.”
When allowing personnel such as doctors and nurses to use medical equipment from the central office, it is important that all personnel understand how to use every piece of medical equipment that they need to use. In normal situations, there is no need to worry because doctors and nurses already know how to use the medical equipment that they need to use. However, in the COVID-19 situation, there will be a rotation of shifts in work, with both freshmen and seniors mixed together. Some freshmen do not yet understand how to use medical equipment well enough.
“Incorporating technology into medical equipment operations”
For medical equipment in the ward, such as ventilators or defibrillators, these medical equipment must be tested before use because it is a preparation of the equipment before actual use. A system will be created that can link data from the ward to display at the medical equipment center. It is like a Wi-Fi transmitter into the program. For example, when using an defibrillator, there will be a program that monitors its use, has a machine code, the unit that received the machine, and a status that shows whether the machine has been tested before use or not, whether it is ready for use or not, etc.
“Important: Why must medical devices be tested every time before use?”
The reason why we need to give this much importance is because these medical devices are used on patients. If the devices are not ready for use in time, the results could be worse than you can imagine. For example, if the defibrillator is not tested and the battery runs out before it is ready for use, the patient cannot be saved in time and the patient may die.
“Using technology to enhance the efficiency of medical equipment teams”
This technology can help us know the status of the machine without having to go there. The medical equipment team is a unit that has to take care of the use of more than 70 units of equipment. Therefore, going to the area to take care of and supervise the work in every unit is too much work for the team personnel and there are not enough personnel. Using technology to help is a good solution to the problem. It makes the team work systematically, easier to work, and reduces the risk of getting infected with COVID-19.
“We are an agency that never takes a day off because we have to be ready to work 24 hours a day.”
During the initial COVID-19 crisis, all personnel must have felt afraid. The medical equipment team coordinated with the IC unit about various medical equipment, how to prepare for such a situation, how to take care of yourself when you have to go to work in front of the ward, provide services to patients and risk groups, and what to do after work, etc. Every unit needs to use medical equipment, so medical equipment must be ready to use at all times. This means that this unit has no holidays and must work 24 hours a day.
Conclusion
No matter what department the personnel work in, every department has to use medical equipment. This means that the scope of work of the medical equipment team is a very large task. Even with the help of technology, all personnel must devote their physical and mental strength to planning, implementing, inspecting, and predicting the most appropriate use of medical equipment so that the crisis of medical equipment shortages does not happen again.
The most impressive thing in such a terrible crisis is that when the unit needed medical equipment, the coordination of requests for donations from various units allowed the team to quickly increase the number of medical equipment. This shows mutual support, which makes the team’s work easier and saves more patients’ lives. No matter how many patients come in, medical personnel are ready to handle it. The equipment is ready, the people are ready, and we can get through this together.
“Everyone is proud to be a part of helping people receive treatment quickly,
with medical equipment ready for treatment and modern,” said Ms. Wanida Sangphet, Head of Medical Equipment at Thammasat University Hospital.
Treatment Support Technology, Medical Equipment Team | Thammasat University Hospitalพระเกียรติ
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Radiology, another important department of Thammasat University Hospital
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