title: Breaking out of the biomed box: an audit assessment and recommendations for an in-house biomedical engineering program.
abstract: In order to assess the current performance and to identify future growth opportunities of an in-house biomedical engineering (BME) program, senior management of Lehigh Valley Hospital (Allentown, Penn) engaged (in July 2001) the services of a clinical engineering consultant. Although the current in-house program was both functionally and financially sound, an independent audit had not been performed in over 4 years, and there were growing concerns by the BME staff related to the department's future leadership and long-term support from senior management. After an initial 2-month audit of the existing program, the consultant presented 41 separate recommendations for management's consideration. In order to refine and implement these recommendations, 5 separate committees were established to further evaluate a consolidated version of them, with the consultant acting as the facilitator for each group. Outcomes from each of the committees were used in the development of a formal business plan, which, upon full implementation, would not only strengthen and refine the current in-house service model but could also result in a substantial 3-year cost savings for the organization ($1,100,000 from existing operations, $500,000 in cost avoidance by in-sourcing postwarranty support of future capital equipment acquisitions). Another key outcome of the project was related to the development of a new master policy, titled the "Medical Equipment Management Program," complete with a newly defined state-of-the-art equipment scheduled inspection frequency model.
authors.affiliation: Medical Technology Management, Inc., Clarkston, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Dickey
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jagiela
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fetters
mesh_terms: D001698:Biomedical Engineering / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017046:Cost Savings; D004864:Equipment and Supplies / Q000191:economics*; D005375:Financial Audit; D006801:Humans; D008284:Maintenance and Engineering, Hospital / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008330:Management Audit; D010414:Pennsylvania; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods*