title: Analysis of medical equipment management in relation to the mandatory medical equipment safety manager (MESM) in Japan.
abstract: Half a decade has passed since the fifth revision of the medical law and mandatory appointment of a medical equipment safety manager (MESM) in hospitals in Japan. During this period, circumstances have changed regarding maintenance of medical equipment (ME). We conducted a survey to examine these changes and the current situation in ME management. Maintenance of ME and related work were found to have increased in many hospitals, but the number of clinical engineering technologists (CETs) has only slightly increased. The appointed MESM was a CET or physician in most hospitals. In hospitals where physicians were appointed as the MESM, 81% had operation managers. Many respondents commented that it was difficult for one person to cover all the tasks required by the MESM, due to a lack of knowledge, too much work, or other reasons. This suggests the importance of an operation manager for ME to work under the MESM.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Medical Science, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Medical Science, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan Department of Medical Safety Engineering, School of Allied Health Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirose
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Safety Engineering, School of Allied Health Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Kousaku
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Medical Science, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan Department of Medical Informatics, School of Allied Health Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Harukazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsuruta
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Medical Science, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan Department of Medical Informatics, School of Allied Health Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Noriaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ikeda
mesh_terms: D001698:Biomedical Engineering / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004869:Equipment Safety / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006742:Hospital Bed Capacity; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: clinical engineering Technologist; maintenance; management; medical equipment; survey