...To Ensure Clinical Systems are go for Move-in to New Fort St. John Hospital and Residential Care Facilities
The commissioning process for all existing and new medical equipment has been part of the new Fort St. John Hospital and Residential Care Project ever since the design and planning phase of the new facility.
Commissioning of all medical technology in the new facility is underway ensuring that all systems and components are properly designed and planned for, tendered, evaluated and procured. The equipment must be installed correctly to code and regulations, undergo connectivity and data testing from Information Technology Services, operational testing to device specifications, and certified by regulatory bodies. User education and training must be provided to all by staff for proper and safe operation, with the systems and components properly maintained according to manufacturer specifications.
“In order to be successful the commissioning and certification process involves the participation of many specialists working in the Northern Health organization,” said Francis Keong, Northern Health’s (NH) Regional Manager, Biomedical Engineering. “The Biomedical Engineering department assists the project management team in ensuring adherence to equipment requirements and offers guidance to all processes, regulations and certifications when it comes to medical technology.”
The new facilities in Fort St. John have an NH equipment budget of $24 million including new ‘state of the art’ radiology equipment to renal dialysis equipment.
The larger clinical and some non-clinical systems are in the process of being purchased through the public tendering process managed by the procurement department at Northern Health and Health Shared Services BC. Additional clinical equipment will include the purchase of drug dispensing systems, bone densitometers, patient monitoring equipment and mammography equipment (funded by the Fort St. John Hospital Foundation) prior to March 31, 2012.
Smaller items such as stretchers and wheelchairs will also be procured early in 2012.
“The Biomedical Engineering department will begin installations and certification of new equipment early in the new year and it will probably take us right up to opening date,” said Keong, adding that completion ahead of schedule would be ideal.
“We also need to accommodate time for the user training before move-in. The schedule for the installations and testing are based on the construction and procurement schedules and the biomed resources required. A resource plan is in place to manage Northern Health and vendor resources.”
The testing process incorporates the vendor post-installation testing, Biomedical Engineering safety and operational testing, as well as any regulatory certification tests and validation. Once the testing has been completed the device or system will be validated for clinical use.
The commissioning plan will also include the transfer of existing equipment from the existing facility and installation into the new facility during and after move-in. This commissioning process will be slightly different as this will involve Health Care Relocations, Northern Health’s move management company; end-user consultations; infection control; and other departments and organizations including ISL Health based on the hospital and residential care move-in schedule which is being finalized by our executive team.
“The NH Biomedical Engineering department is comprised of 17 technologists, one manager and one secretary servicing over 37 sites across the Northern Health region. We are a very busy team and looking forward to the challenge!” said Keong.
