OPEN INVITATION TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES TO PARTICIPATE

PERFORMANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY INDICATORS FOR CLINICAL ENGINEERING SERVICES

As part of the focus on improved performance of health systems (WHO World Health Report, 2000) we wish to establish indicators for the performance and sustainability of clinical engineering services 1 as an integral part of cost-effective service delivery. These indicators will form one component of a tool for assessment and comparison of clinical engineering services in different settings, with the overall aim of improving the performance and quality of healthcare delivery. This study follows and complements earlier work by Frize (1990) and Glouhova et al (1999).

The main data gathering instrument is a set of four questionnaires, directed at four key target groups:

  • Institutional / health facility management (including nursing management);
  • Personnel (both managerial and technical) of clinical engineering services;
  • Clinical engineering service clients, i.e. clinical departments providing healthcare services, and
  • Representatives of national/provincial ministries of health and international HTM experts (including representatives of multilateral organisations and bilateral agencies, as well as technical consultants).

To download a description of the background and the questionnaires please follow the links at the end of this story.

This is an open invitation to all interested parties to participate in this study. We look forward to receiving your valued input and insights.

Mladen Poluta and Rutendo Ngara
Healthcare Technology Management Programme
University of Cape Town & MRC/WHO Collaborating Centre for Essential Technologies in Health
Tel: +27 21 406-6549 or 406 6545
Fax: +27 21 448 7226;
Email: rutendo@cormack.uct.ac.za
Dept. of Human Biology, UCT Faculty of Health Sciences, Anzio Road, Observatory 7925, South Africa
Questionnaire: PERFORMANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY OF CLINICAL ENGINEERING SERVICES
4.DOT INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE QUESTIONNAIRES
4A.DOT BACKGROUND
4B.DOT TARGET GROUP: INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT
4C.DOT TARGET GROUP: CLINICAL ENGINEERING SERVICE MANAGERS/PERSONNEL
4D.DOT TARGET GROUP: CLINICAL ENGINEERING SERVICE CLIENTS
4E.DOT TARGET GROUP: MINISTRIES OF HEALTH / HTM EXPERTS

1 Units responsible for providing medical equipment management and maintenance services are known variously as Clinical Engineering Departments, Health Care Technical Services, Medical Physics Departments, Biomedical Technology/Engineering Services, Medical Equipment Workshops, etc., and may be located within a health facility or outside as a shared / regional resource centre.