A computational tool prototyped for clinical engineering activities in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil

The Biomedical Engineering Research Group (GPEB) has been managing medical technology (MMT) in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, through a structure that involves Local Clinical Engineering Centers (Celec), where technicians and engineers work linked to each hospitals's routine; Regional Reference Centers (CRR) which coordinate the activities of the Celec in its respective region; and the State Reference Center (CRE), which coordinates the structure at state level. At this moment, GPEB has implemented part of this structure through one CRR and six Celec. The MMT developed by GPEB, is organized from a systemic approach, structuring a group of activities with the priority of forming flows of information based on clinical engineering procedures. The great flow of information generated at each Celec, and the high bureaucratic workload, demanded the development of a computerized tool (CT) for the treatment and access to information, automating part of the flows created. A CT can be defined as a computerized information sub-system, inserted within an information system, optimizing the treatment and access to information. At present, the CT allows to register equipment, indexing them by the adopted coding, to include company records and open work orders, for example. These information's, together with the history of activities developed for each equipment, form the basis of the tool. This way, the CT has the capability of organizing, systemizing and optimizing information within the information system, resulting in an improvement in the quality of MMT in the structure.