EMS equipment often requires routine checks and maintenance to ensure it continues working at its optimal level. Each product has its own set of specifications, and in an ambulance packed with lifesaving medical equipment, keeping everything in order can be a time-consuming task. The functionality of equipment can mean life or death,so routine maintenance is of the utmost importance. At Coast Biomedical Equipment, we are happy to assist you with any technical information for the products we provide.

Because we are unable to inspect every EMS vehicle we supply, it is imperative to highlight the importance of disciplined and routine checking of equipment. It may seem trivial, but the necessity of checklists in this industry cannot be overstated.

Every EMS vehicle should have an equipment checklist that all staff adhere to rigorously. It goes without saying that functional equipment isvital. It may seem like a complete waste of time for trained professionals, but in the medical industry, checklists have proven to be incredibly useful tools in preventing medical errors.

In the Checklist Manifesto, author Atul Gawande details how professions that deal with multiple moving parts, chiefly medicine, have been able to drastically cut down on errors and increase efficiency by developing simple checklists.

The medical profession, including EMS, is often characterized as an art as much as it is a science. Time and time again,Gwande gives examples illustrating how the implementation of a simple checklist produced positive data at an aggregate level that is hard to argue against. For example, a five-point checklist implemented in 2001 almost eradicated central line infections at John Hopkins intensive care unit. When this same checklist was implemented at I.C.U.s in Michigan, it decreased the rate of infection by 66 percent. In Michigan alone, it is estimated that this checklist saved thousands of lives within a year and a half.

Throughout his book,Gawande maintains that it is not only getting the routine checklist right where checklists excel, but also in fostering positive communication when dealing with the unexpected. Checklists facilitate the application of knowledge consistently and correctly.

For professionals, it is often hard to put aside pride and adhere to what seems like a tedious and unnecessary chore. When Gawande and his research team interviewed doctors at eight different hospitals, they found that many doctors were opposed to the idea of using basic checklists.The researchers than asked those same doctors if they would prefer checklists be used in the instance that they were the ones being treated; 93 percent said yes.

For all these reasons and many others, it is vital to implement a thoughtful checklist in all EMS vehicles for equipment maintenance. Our team is more than happy to help. It is our mission to provide you with the best equipment possible, and we believe that a continuation of that service includes ensuring you have the information you need to effectively utilize your equipment.We’re committed to helping you provide the most effective service.