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Olga Deshchenko, DOTmed News Reporter | August 06, 2010
Wischmeyer's division primarily serves facilities in the Midwest and offers options that range from daily equipment maintenance to dispatching specialists whenever they are called in to fix a particular issue. As a part of its asset management system, TriMedx can also alert hospitals when medical equipment is nearing its final days. The secret is the company's proprietary database called RSQ.
"Through that database, we can track all the calls that we've done on that piece of equipment and then, looking historically, we can see across the nation how many other pieces of the same type are out there, how many times they go down and what's the longevity or the life-cycle of that piece of equipment," says Wischmeyer. "And then typically, we can show a trend."
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Such trends can be helpful in budgeting for capital equipment expenses. If a facility knows that a pricey piece of equipment is on the verge of retirement, it can strategically appropriate the necessary funds in its budget.
JD Hoopengamer, an engineer
for TriMedx, repairs
a Lifepak 12 defibrilator.
One of the hospitals Wischmeyer currently works with just bought a new CT scanner. While the manufacturer's warranty is in effect, TriMedx isn't playing a direct role in servicing the equipment. However, the company continues to keep track of the work done on the equipment, noting the details of the servicing: how much is the hospital charged for the labor and parts? How often is the system being repaired? The database keeps track of the system's life while it's in the hands of several maintainers.
"A lot of times, our techs will make sure to observe the vendors, make sure the documentation is entered in the RSQ from the vendors and that all of that information is in a centralized location," says Wischmeyer.
TriMedx's Indiana-based division spends more than $50,000 per year to train technicians on servicing new equipment. It is currently working with 91 sites in the state.
While companies like TriMedx take care of a hospital's equipment, others help facilities overcome the obstacles of financing major projects. John Sandstrom is the senior vice president and general manager of Siemens Financial Services Inc.'s health care business. He is currently working with a hospital looking to make its real estate project a reality.
