By Assaf Melochna
Healthcare, and the technology and devices that power it, are evolving at breakneck speed, and the way we service that equipment needs to catch up. The 2025 Service Benchmark Report: Medical Device Edition highlights the pressing challenges and emerging strategies reshaping the industry. With increasing equipment complexity and a widening technician expertise gap, service organizations are under immense pressure to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and maximize equipment uptime.
The current landscape: Challenges in medical device servicing
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The report underscores several critical issues plaguing medical device service operations:
● Inefficient Troubleshooting: High rates of repeat parts replacement indicate a lack of effective diagnostic processes, leading to inflated service costs and unnecessary downtime.
● Preventative Maintenance Shortcomings: Alarmingly, nearly 25% of assets require a follow-up service within three months of a preventative maintenance (PM) visit, suggesting that current PM strategies are insufficient.
● Extended Downtime: Bottom-performing companies experience a fivefold increase in resolution time compared to top performers, resulting in prolonged equipment unavailability.
These challenges not only strain operational resources but also impact patient care quality and institutional credibility.
Embracing the 'Shift Left' strategy
To address these issues, leading organizations are adopting the "Shift Left" strategy. This approach emphasizes resolving issues earlier in the service journey by equipping technicians with the necessary tools, information, and support at the outset.
Key components of the Shift Left strategy include:
● Enhanced Self-Service and Remote Support: Empowering users to address minor issues independently reduces the burden on service teams and accelerates problem resolution.
● Proactive Technician Enablement: Providing technicians with comprehensive resources and training ensures they can diagnose and fix problems accurately on the first visit.
● Data-Driven Insights: Leveraging data analytics to predict potential failures allows for timely interventions, minimizing unplanned downtime.
By shifting problem-solving closer to the initial point of contact, organizations can enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve overall service quality.
The role of AI in transforming service operations
AI is a key tool in revolutionizing medical device servicing. AI-driven platforms can analyze vast amounts of data to provide actionable insights, streamline troubleshooting, and predict equipment failures before they occur.
Steven Ford
Improving Medical Device Reliability with AI
May 19, 2025 03:21
There's always room to improve complex processes. However, I'm not sure that I see a revolution ahead here. The issue is data collection from which to base the insight that AI can provide, which usually requires a person with his or her hands on the device.
CT, MRI, and other devices made currently already have very sophisticated tests prescribed by the manufacturer and very specific module replacement procedures, as well as human technical backup for those situations that don't fit into a common path. AI will not replace an engineer with a spare RF Amplifier who knows what to do.
I'm not sure that the observation that many devices need a follow-up repair within three months of a PM being completed is a cause for concern.
The weakest link in equipment reliability and patient safety is clinics and decision makers who don't have the proper maintenance performed. Close behind that are regulatory/supervisory agents of various types who don't do their jobs. We have human problems. I'd like to see an AI detection and enforcement algorithm for that!
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