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Does MITA's service standard sidestep the elephant in the room?

November 01, 2017
Business Affairs Parts And Service

The section on software-based service processes, as with many other sections, imposes obligations which likely cannot be met without cooperation. Section 3.8.6 provides that “when non-original manufacturer software or another device is added or connected to the system for servicing purposes, the service provider shall validate the computer software or other device for its intended use according to an established protocol.” While such a protocol seems readily adoptable, it is almost impossible to the extent that the manufacturer of the software withholds this information.

What is the actual goal?
IAMERS continues to receive reports that manufacturers decline to assist in providing A.I.A.T. and other information notwithstanding this longstanding elephant in the room. Little wonder that the Joint Commission early this year imposed an accreditation requirement that this type of information would need to be available to the hospital.



If a mutual goal is truly patient safety, why would there be a problem in providing this information to service providers of equipment owned by hospitals and group medical practices? Why would there be no reference in the MITA standard or any corollary document to providing passwords, service keys and manuals? It is worthy to note that many of the major manufacturers service under multi-vendor programs, so they are no doubt aware that they too need this information when servicing equipment they do not manufacture.

Robert J. Kerwin

Perhaps it is time to adopt a business model of cooperation and spend time in the development of standards that support this model? Perhaps equally worthy to ponder: why take all this time (ostensibly for patient safety concerns) to devise a standard that can’t always be met because of a lack of cooperation?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Robert J. Kerwin has served as general counsel to the International Association of Medical Equipment Remarketers and Servicers Inc. for over twenty years.

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Richard Geertson

The elephant

November 02, 2017 04:39

Robert,
Well written. It certainly seems that MITA is being purposely vague in an effort to tie the hands of ISOs, or at least make them vulnerable.
And WHO does this benefit? Certainly not the end-user or patients.

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William Dixon

MITA

November 03, 2017 04:01

Robert...Go get em! Clear and concise....but somehow THEY won't be able to understand this even with as matter of Fact ..pointed...supported...and defined as you have stated this quest. There are bigger issues, but as with all bait and switch issues, they want everyones attention over here on this nonexistent matter while we ignore the real "elephant"!

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Wayne Webster

Elephants never forget

November 06, 2017 05:15

There's an old idiom, "Don't bite the hand that feeds you." Every schoolboy knows the meaning. So, why don't the OEM's understand what they are proposing with this standard and the restrictions they place on the information required to meet the standard? What will they do when acquiring system wide asset management contracts? How will they service those devices not of their own? What will they do when they earn the wrath of buyers once buyers realize they can't repair or hire whom they wish to repair their device? MITA is a mouthpiece. Where's the intelligence behind it? Here's another idiom the OEM's might consider, "The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry."

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