Hospitals can get the most out of their monitors by following seven tips provided by Doug Rabkin, president of Buckeye Medical, Robert Gaw Jr., vice president of sales/marketing at Physician’s Resource Network and Ronald Tarr, president of Medelco.

• Careful with the sensor. The SpO2 sensor is prone to damage and costs a couple hundred dollars to replace. Sometimes patients under anesthesia will inadvertently damage the sensor as they toss and turn. Secure the sensor with some tape to ensure it stays put.



• Keep it clean. Clean the paper rollers on a regular basis to avoid jams in the paper feed.



• Take it easy. Go easy on the knobs and buttons, as these are the parts most subject to abuse.



• Play matchmaker. Make sure the patient monitors you buy are compatible with your hospital’s EMR, billing and Meditech systems.



• Replace regularly. Replace heart EKG leads every six months to prevent false or erratic readings on the monitor.



• Out with the old. Avoid using old, expired batteries— they can ruin the monitor.



• Treat ‘em like tires. Inspect your blood pressure cuff and hoses periodically and replace them if they start to show wear.