Migrating Ultrasound Service In-House: How Clinical

Engineering Needs to Prepare Technically

Several years ago, we developed and began delivering a program on the advantages, mechanics, and pitfalls of migrating ultrasound service from the OEM to in-house engineering. There are many benefits which include but not limited to dramatic cost savings, decreased downtime, better record keeping and higher customer satisfaction. It is the “mechanics” components which I will address this month.

So you have decided to migrate your ultrasound service in-house and have received approval from the C-suite and clinical departments; what’s next? Start by creating an accurate inventory of makes, models, probes, locations and warranty / contract status and expiration dates. The expiration dates should be used to schedule and perform pre-expiration inspections of the systems and probes to ensure any items needing attention are addressed while coverage is in effect. This schedule will also help you determine which systems you will begin to phase into the program first.

You now need to evaluate the skills of your in-house team to assess training needs. MXR Imaging is the industry leader in ultrasound training and offers classes on ultrasound basics, multi-vendor preventative maintenance, multi-vendor DICOM, clinical applications for service engineers and system specific training. These classes are available at our state-of-the-art facility in Northern California or can be delivered at a location of your choice.

All in-house programs need an industry partner to comprehensively assist them with these programs. In addition to training, MXR has the largest ultrasound inventory in the country of certified parts as well as complimentary technical support for our customers. We also offer field service nationwide to assist you and your team as your program matures.

As you take on more systems, continued training of existing staff as well as backup personnel is highly recommended.

Migrating ultrasound service to in-house Clinical Engineering is very popular right now due to the many benefits but must be planned properly and the program’s success is highly dependent on the support organization chosen to assist you.