Biomed Managed Services

Althea can fully fund any hospital’s equipment replacement programme providing the customer with a flat service charge over the term of the contract that eliminates peaks in capital investment. All biomed managed service customers are provided with an enhanced set of key performance indicators to offer assurance that the biomed managed service is being delivered safely and effectively.

Althea can help reduce costs and improve quality of biomedical equipment through total cost of ownership analysis, control and delivery. Our independent biomedical equipment specialists provide a professional service and impartial advice that is based on customers’ needs and optimising patient outcomes.

Our Biomed managed services

Inventory management

Althea will asset tag and record all biomedical equipment in the hospitals’ inventory management system or our own computerised maintenance management system, to build a complete asset history from acceptance to final asset retirement.

This activity includes the general archival of user manuals and hospital staff training records to support Care Quality Commission accreditation.

Acceptance testingy

This includes the technical, administrative and performance-related procedures required to comply with relevant local and national regulations, the measurement of initial values and parameters for electrical safety, and subsequent monitoring of the equipment.

Through the biomed managed service, Althea will continuously ensure that equipment safety requirements are maintained over time, particularly in relation to electrical safety and connectivity. This includes practical tests to check the quality of the service provided, with subsequent adjustments and calibration as required.

PPMs and corrective repairs

Althea employs in excess of 140 biomedical technology specialists and support staff in the UK and Ireland delivering planned preventative and reactive maintenance on over 130,000 devices; supported by a loan fleet of 1,000 biomedical devices.

Our field-based or on-site biomed managed service teams are available 24/7/365 in the event of biomedical equipment malfunction – rapidly restoring function of the device and helping you optimise clinical services. Althea’s relationships with the major biomedical equipment manufacturers let us deliver responsive, comprehensive services, including training and optimised provision of spare parts.

Planning and funding

Althea’s scale, international reach and in-depth knowledge of established and emerging biomedical technologies allow us to provide our customers with targeted advice for any equipment replacements and support for Health Technology Assessment processes.

Althea can help establish and/or fund a long-term biomed managed service that looks to standardise where appropriate whilst keeping you up-to-date, efficient and effective. Once the replacement programme is agreed, our biomedical team is committed to the ongoing review of biomed equipment needs and replacement priority. Our dedicated procurement team has the experience and expertise as well as manufacturer relationships that can help you get a cost-efficient and innovative deal. Our purchasing power provides you with optimum value for money.

Consultancy

Althea can provide a range of additional specialist support services including:

hospital biomedical engineer training
planning and implementation of technology transfers for single departments or whole hospitals
quality management system accreditation
clinical risk management
workflow definition
database enrolling

End-of-life and disposal

To ensure your medical technology is fit-for-purpose, and your clinical staff are only working with safe and cost-effective equipment, we apply standardised procedures to evaluate and adjust the expected life cycle of your medical device as appropriate, based on:

manufacturer’s recommendations,
current treatment standards
cost of continued ownership
the usage, maintenance and repair record
safety, quality and functionality of the device

All equipment is then disposed of in accordance with WEEE regulations.