Biomedical Engineering

At Barwon Health - Clinical Engineering our focus is on the life cycle management of medical technology. A key role for the department is the application of strategic thinking for technology acquisition and development. This is provided in line with the requirements as specified by Australian Standards AS/NZS 3551:2012.

Clinical engineering deals with the design, implementation, maintenance & support of Medical to optimise healthcare delivery. Our engineers and technical officers are trained in the maintenance and support of each of these devices. Each year we carry out safety checks on each device & audit the assets.

Asset Management

Clinical Engineering is responsible for the management of over 11,000 assets valued at over $65,000,000 throughout the devices whole life cycle.

The management of these assets involve:

• Evaluation - During the evaluation stages, Clinical Engineering oversee and organize device trailing and evaluation eventually outlining device needs and requirements.
• Purchase (Tender) - Clinical Engineering oversee the tender processes and initiate the purchasing and procurement of the medical device.
• Acceptance and Installation - Whenever a piece of medical equipment is purchased it is the responsibility of Clinical Engineering to accept and asset the device. This involves adding the device into our asset management system (AssetPlus), recording device details like Manufacturer, Model, Vendor, recording financial and warranty details, Safety and Performance testing the new equipment, ensuring that all parts are included, present and also working, and also providing and receiving both technical and user training. During the equipment assessing process, Clinical Engineering also schedule in yearly Electrical Safety Testing and also Preventative Maintenance as required.
• Corrective Repair and Upgrades - Making up the majority of the work Clinical Engineering complete, with over 9000 work orders per year. Corrective repairs can range from minor faults and repairs, to major faults and repairs, with some repairs requiring parts or even external vendor repairs. Some faults may be caused by accidental damage, improper use, or also user damage. Clinical Engineering have the tools, equipment, parts, expertise and training to repair all kinds of medical equipment with all kinds of faults.
• Recall & Modification - When a vendor finds or is alerted to something that is wrong with there equipment or device it is Clinical Engineering that is notified, and it is then Clinical Engineering's responsibility to rectify the fault or issue that is being recalled. There are approximately 50 device recalls per year that Clinical Engineering deal with.
• Electrical Safety Testing - Clinical Engineering complete over 3000 Electrical Safety Tests per year ensuring that medical equipment complies with both international and Australian standards and is safe to use. During an electrical safety testing, Earth Resistance, Earth Leakage and also Patient Leakage Current are all tested.
• Patient Treatment Area Testing - With over 200 Patient Treatment Areas throughout Barwon Health, Clinical Engineering test these areas to ensure that the rooms RCD's are working correctly and that they are safe for patients to be treated in the area.
• Preventative Maintenance - Every year, Clinical Engineering complete over 700 Preventative Maintenance work orders per year. Preventative maintenance is maintenance that is regularly performed on a piece of equipment to lessen the likelihood of it failing, so that it does not break down unexpectedly, and also to ensure that everything is with in calibration and working as expected.
• Disposal - When a piece of medical equipment reaches its end of life, Clinical Engineering safely remove the device from service and if possible, donate or recycle the equipment to another organisation, department or site.

Specialist Services

• Renal Services - With over 7 dialysis sites, 44 in-center dialysis machines, and 52 home and nocturnal patients with water treatment and hemodialysis machines installed at their home or at the home training center, Clinical Engineering repair and maintain all areas of the renal treatment medical equipment including pre and post water treatment, RO plant management, corrective repair and preventative maintenance of Dialysis machines and Portable RO systems.
• Dental Services - Responsible for the repair and ongoing maintenance of 5 dental sites, 25 dental chairs and 2 mobile dental vans, Clinical Engineering have multiple highly trained technicians that repair and maintain the dental hand pieces, chairs and sterilisation units within the dental clinics.
• Theatre Support - Clinical Engineering repair and maintain all of the surgical scopes, tools and instruments used throughout the operating theatres as well as Day Stay and other clinics throughout multiple sites.
• Cardiology - With 3 Cardiology Sites and 3 Catheterisation Cath Labs, Clinical Engineering manage the ultrasound machines, imaging equipment, pace making equipment, patient monitoring and many other cardiac devices.
• Maternity - Clinical Engineering are responsible for the fetal heart monitoring, cot and incubators, and also ultrasounds and doplers throughout Birth Suite, Maternity Day Assesment, and Special Care Nursery.
• ICU Support - The Intensive Care Unit at University Hospital Geelong is a 24 bed unit that provides care to critically ill patients, Clinical Engineering deal with patient ventilators, ceiling pendants, and advanced patient beds.

Please contact Barwon Health - Clinical Engineering to discuss what Biomedical Engineering services we can offer you.