Maximizing Uptime: A Proactive CT Scanner Maintenance Contract Strategy

The CT scanners failed at a reputable hospital in Sri Lanka, leaving patients disappointed and the hospital staff helpless. This failure made the local news, leading to reputational damage and financial burdens. But that is just one story out of many. Poor CT scanner maintenance and unannounced failures can quickly lead to increased downtime and loss of revenue.

CT systems are among the healthcare machines that operate continuously. Problems like damaged tubes, electrical failure, and communication interruptions can render your equipment unresponsive. In fact, tube failure contributes to the most significant risk for a hospital.

So, how do you prevent such problems from happening? The key is to sign up for proactive maintenance contracts. They avoid potential malfunctions and ensure patient safety, keeping your machines running for the longest time.

The Role of the Maintenance Contract in CT Uptime

Maintaining an expensive CT scanner keeps it in optimal condition and ensures the safety of your patients and technicians. In its absence, you may experience sudden, prolonged downtime that hampers patient diagnosis and hospital revenue. Here is why experts recommend that healthcare staff renew their maintenance contract on time:

• Guaranteed Response Times

Malfunctioning CT scanners can produce inaccurate diagnoses, risking patients’ health. Once they break down, you have to deal with costly repairs and replacements in extreme situations. But with timely service, the scanner delays are minimised, and you can expect correct results every time.

• Tube Coverage Options

The CT scanner tube is the most critical and riskiest component, and quite expensive to replace. This tube is changed every two to three years, and monitoring its condition is important to schedule a replacement before there’s any significant damage. That’s why it is important to choose a maintenance contract that provides coverage for it.

• Software Updates and Patches

The components of a CT scanner need to communicate effectively for seamless operation. But due to untimely software updates or patches, bugs and errors can creep into the machine. Regular maintenance helps ensure that the new features are added and that quick fixes to the existing software are done. It is critical for security and smooth performance.

Essential PPM Elements for CT Scanners

Planned preventive maintenance helps identify signs of wear or tear and potential performance issues. It helps resolve the minor issues quickly before they become critical. Here are the PPM elements that require upkeep during servicing:

• X-Ray Tube Inspection (Monitoring wear and tear). 

The X-ray tube is the most critical and integral component of a CT scanner. Regular inspection helps monitor the tube performance and identify degradation, if any. It allows you to plan timely replacement and avoid sudden breakdowns, especially during peak hours. 

• Gantry Alignment and Bearing Lubrication

The gantry is responsible for smoothly rotating the CT machine. Any misalignment of the fault bearing can lead to vibrations, noises, and distorted images. Regular alignment and lubrication are necessary to keep it running and extend its operational life.

• System Calibration and Dosimetry Checks

Calibration is required to keep the system up and running at all times. It is combined with regular dosimetry checks to ensure patient safety and regulatory compliance. Timely maintenance also improves diagnostic accuracy and reduces patient risk.

Preparing for Corrective Maintenance (CM)

There is no doubt that even after timely services and an efficient PPM strategy, a machine can fail. That’s when Corrective Maintenance (CM) comes into play. It acts as a proactive strategy that reduces downtime, repair expenses, and disruptions.

• Pre-approval for Parts (Streamlining the repair process)

Critical components like X-ray tubes, power supplies, and detectors require prior approval for replacement and timely repair. Any delay can significantly increase the machine’s downtime. That’s why it is always helpful to apply for approval on time so the service experts can quickly act and resolve the issue.

• Loaner CT options during prolonged CM

When CT scanner repairs take longer than expected, they can affect hospital revenue and patient flow. Avail a maintenance contract that loans you a temporary CT scanner in case that happens. It will help prevent patient inconvenience or delayed diagnosis.

• Tracking mean time between failures (MTBF) to anticipate issues

Monitoring the mean time between failures helps figure out whether the CT equipment is reliable over time or not. It helps analyse failure patterns and frequency so the service experts can anticipate breakdowns. They, in turn, plan corrective steps in advance to replace the damaged parts or upgrade the entire machine.

Conclusion

The best idea is to avail a tailored CT maintenance contract. It acts as the best defense against catastrophic tube failure and other components. But getting just any contract may not offer you comprehensive protection. It is imperative that scanner maintenance provides coverage for tubes, communication, and software. Your service contract should also cover quick pre-approvals and loaner CT options to maximize upkeep. That’s why you need to find the best maintenance and service partner.

Ultravision Medical is a trusted CT scanner repair company for global brands. We cover Philips, Siemens, GE, and Canon machines. Our advanced approach guarantees that your equipment will stay reliable and comply with the safety standards. Connect with our service experts to know more.