Introduction
In a hospital, every detail matters. Behind the quality of care lies rigorous organization, especially in hospital maintenance management. It ensures the availability of medical equipment, the safety of facilities, and regulatory compliance. This article explains the challenges, tools, and best practices for effective hospital maintenance.
What is hospital maintenance?
Hospital maintenance includes all preventive, corrective, and curative actions to ensure the proper functioning of biomedical, technical, and hospital infrastructure equipment.
It is generally divided into three categories:
- Preventive maintenance: scheduled interventions to avoid breakdowns.
- Corrective maintenance: repairs after a failure is detected.
- Predictive maintenance: anticipated through data analysis, often supported by IoT and artificial intelligence.
Why is maintenance management strategic in hospitals?
- Patient and staff safety
Properly functioning equipment (defibrillators, ventilation systems, medical elevators) is essential for a safe and healthy hospital environment. - Continuous service availability
A failure in an autoclave or generator can disrupt an entire operating room. Well-managed maintenance ensures continuity of care. - Regulatory compliance
Hospitals must comply with strict standards such as:- HAS – Haute Autorité de Santé
- ISO 13485 for medical devices
- ERP regulations
- Cost control
Preventive maintenance costs on average 3 to 4 times less than corrective maintenance. A FHF study shows that anticipating failures optimizes the hospital budget.
Tools and solutions for effective hospital maintenance
1. CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System)
A hospital CMMS allows you to:
- Schedule interventions
- Manage technical histories
- Track performance indicators
- Automate maintenance alerts
2. IoT and connected sensors
Smart sensors allow you to:
- Monitor the temperature of medical refrigeration equipment
- Detect leaks or imminent failures
- Anticipate malfunctions
👉 Example of IoT sensors for hospitals
3. Outsourcing or in-house management?
Some organizations choose to outsource hospital maintenance, while others opt for an in-house technical team.
Key indicators to track
To manage maintenance performance, it is recommended to track:
- MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures)
- MTTR (Mean Time To Repair)
- Availability rate of critical equipment
- Number of preventive vs. corrective interventions
Best practices for a successful hospital maintenance strategy
- Establish a preventive maintenance plan
- Map critical equipment
- Train technical staff
- Maintain an up-to-date asset database
Conclusion
Hospital maintenance management is much more than a simple technical service. It is a true pillar of hospital quality, at the crossroads of safety, operational efficiency, and cost control. By adopting digital tools and a proactive approach, healthcare institutions can make their maintenance a strategic asset.