CME Insider's Blog Posts

Patient positioning equipment may not be the flashiest category on an equipment list, but it has a way of becoming very important the moment it is missing, incompatible, or stored somewhere no one can find it.

With the HHS and DOJ enforcement active, healthcare organizations need accessible medical diagnostic equipment.

This summer marked two significant milestones in healthcare accessibility. On July 8, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) enforcement deadline passed requiring healthcare facilities that receive federal financial assistance, such as Medicare, Medicaid, or other funding from the HHS, to acquire at least one compliant exam chair and one compliant wheelchair scale per facility.¹

Imaging equipment has a way of making even a healthy capital budget feel a little nervous.

Hospitals, health systems, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, and physician practices need dependable imaging technology, but acquiring that technology can involve a sizable investment. When budgets are tight, project timelines are short, or a facility needs to replace an aging system sooner than expected, refurbished imaging equipment often enters the conversation.

Medical dispensers may not be the largest items on an equipment list, but they can have an outsized effect on daily clinical operations.

A well-placed glove dispenser can save repeated trips to a supply cabinet.

A properly selected sanitizer dispenser can make hand hygiene easier at the point of care.

Communication, collaboration, and meticulous planning are at the core of every successful healthcare equipment procurement and delivery project. In the Spring of 2022, our ability to adapt and innovate in adverse conditions was showcased when we were tasked with procuring and delivering equipment to 43 U.S. Army Wellness Centers (AWCs) across 10 bases in the United States.

Do you know where your medical equipment assets are located?

In a fast-paced healthcare environment, medical equipment is constantly moving—whether it’s infusion pumps being transferred between departments, patient monitors being relocated for urgent care, or surgical instruments being prepped for procedures. Having the ability to track and manage this equipment becomes more critical for healthcare providers as time goes on, specially during peak seasons when ER visits surge and patient influx is high. Yet, many healthcare facilities struggle with outdated asset lists, missing equipment, and inefficient tracking systems. And without accurate equipment data, these facilities risk delays in patient care, unnecessary equipment purchases, and even compliance issues.

Launching, expanding, or renovating a healthcare facility is a complex endeavor, with very little room for error. A single day of delay can cost a medical facility anywhere from $400,000 to $500,000 in lost revenue. The potential for delay was even greater for PeaceHealth’s Ketchikan Medical Center when they embarked on a $62 million, 70,000-square-foot expansion project. Located on a remote island in southern Alaska with no direct highway access, the facility’s location posed unique logistical challenges that could adversely impact the timeline for opening and by extension cost millions in lost revenue. But through careful planning, close collaboration with all parties involved, and our specialized delivery and installation services, CME teams helped ensure the medical center’s expansion was completed on time, within budget, and without any lost revenue.

Missing an accessible medical diagnostic equipment compliance date can feel like a big problem, especially when equipment purchases, facility planning, staff training, and regulatory requirements are all involved.

The good news is that missing the date does not mean the facility is out of options.