[Medical equipment--old, of poor quality and hazardous?].
In the public debate on Norwegian health care it is claimed that hospitals use old and hazardous medical equipment. A survey carried out on 2,031 pieces of equipment at Lillehammer hospital showed an average age of 7.35 years and a mean life span of 14.91 years. The survey showed that the failure rate was highest for newer equipment. It also showed that the operator error rate was higher for newer devices, older equipment being less complex and therefore easier to use. The results did not support the claim that hospitals use old and hazardous medical equipment.
Hofmann
B
B
Medisinsk-teknisk avdeling, Lillehammer fylkessykehus.
D004868:Equipment Failure; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D004869:Equipment Safety; D004865:Equipment and Supplies, Hospital / Q000592:standards; D009664:Norway