Medical Device Guidebook: A browser information resource for medical device users.
A web based information resource - the 'Medical Device Guidebook' - for the enabling of safe use of medical devices is described. Medical devices are described within a 'catalogue' of specific models and information on a specific model is provided within a consistent set of information 'keys'. These include 'user manuals', 'points of caution', 'clinical use framework', 'training/assessment material', 'frequently asked questions', 'authorised user comments' and 'consumables'. The system allows identification of known risk/hazards associated with specific devices, triggered, for example, by national alerts or locally raised safety observations. This provides a mechanism for more effective briefing of equipment users on the associated hazards of equipment. A feature of the system is the inclusion of a specific 'Operational Procedure' for each device, where the lack of this focus is shown in the literature to often be a key factor in equipment misuse and associated patient injury. The 'Guidebook' provides a mechanism for the development of an information resource developed within local clinical networks and encourages a consistent approach to medical device use.
Department of Clinical Physics and Bioengineering FM Building, University Hospital, Coventry CV2 2DX, United Kingdom . Electronic address: douglas.clarkson@uhcw.nhs.uk.
Douglas M
DM
Clarkson
D003142:Communication; D004869:Equipment Safety; D004864:Equipment and Supplies; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D020407:Internet; D014584:User-Computer Interface
Error; Medical device; Risk; Training