Equipment management covers a wide range of topics including evaluation, purchase, maintenance, accident investigation, condemning of equipment and the implementation of safety bulletins and hazard notices. Equipment management can only be as good as the records maintained; a good paper-filing system can be better than a computerized inventory system. This is particularly so in small hospitals where the bulk of such records does not present a problem. The DHSS evaluation programme has helped to answer many questions regarding which type of equipment to purchase. Sheffield has for the last 12 years been fortunate in having its own evaluation service. This service is available to all who require advice regarding new items of equipment. An equipment test report is produced after the evaluation (including manufacturer's comments). A list of evaluations is published annually in order to make other interested parties aware of their availability. The electromedical maintenance section (which now incorporates equipment evaluation) was established about 12 years ago. At that time the staff consisted of three technicians and one part-time secretary. There are now 10 technicians equally divided between two hospital bases, the secretary alternates between the two bases. A principal physicist now acts as the section head.

Biomedical Engineering↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Current developments in oxygen concentrator technology.

Oxygen concentrators are electrically powered devices which are designed to provide oxygen for patients who require long-term domiciliary oxygen. The machines have been available for the last 10 to 15 years, but it is only recently that improvements in design have led to them being generally accepted as a reliable and economical means of supplying long-term oxygen therapy. There are two basic types of concentrator currently available: the molecular sieve (MS) concentrator, and the membrane oxygen enricher. In this article the characteristics and principles of operation of these machines are reviewed, together with the development and present state of MS concentrator technology. A summary of a comparative evaluation of seven MS concentrators is presented and the results discussed. Relevant safety standards and current trends in concentrator design are then reviewed.

Biomedical Engineering↗