Assessment and Capital Planning of a Regional Clinical Engineering Department Test Equipment Inventory

The Clinical Engineering Department at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) in Eastern Ontario, Canada has 9 distinct regional locations. CHEO’s regional program faces a challenge managing a fleet of 345 pieces of test equipment, mainly due to a lack of standardization. Distant regional sites share equipment, making coordination essential. This article presents three unique themes: (1) the introduction of technologist standard kits (e.g., multimeters, electrical safety analyzers, etc.) and site-based kits (e.g., ventilator, electrosurgical unit testers, etc.); (2) the optimization of kit allocation; and (3) a novel test equipment replacement strategy using Reliability, Frequency of Use, Life Expectancy, and Usage Classification criteria. This needs assessment for new equipment, and the replacement of aged equipment will ensure standardized and up-to-date test equipment that will, in turn, minimize equipment-related disruptions and improve technologist productivity.