Hospital's medical technology evaluation process

Summary form only given. The role of the medical technology evaluation program in the purchase of medical equipment is threefold: 1) assuring that biomedical equipment facilitates the delivery of quality patient care, 2) assuring that the equipment purchased meets the needs of all users, and 3) establishing hospital standards for biomedical equipment. Medical technology evaluation occurs in two phases. Phase 1 is in the submission of recommendations for the purchase of new equipment. Phase 2 is the technical and clinical evaluation. This allows the hospital to validate equipment specifications, to obtain superior equipment at a competitive price and, in turn, consistently improve the quality of patient care. The evaluation process addresses pertinent issues regarding the medical equipment safety, user friendliness, and equipment performance history. Based on satisfactory evaluation results and feedback from the technical and clinical staff, a recommendation is made to purchase a specific equipment item. Following these steps in product evaluation will facilitate the standardization of the equipment selection process and, therefore, the standardization of biomedical equipment. This will allow the hospital to obtain superior equipment at a competitive price and, in turn, provide consistent, high-quality patient care.