By Heidi Drafall

Medical devices are designed for safety and performance. However, consideration for the practical realities of field maintenance has traditionally not always been given significant attention. In hospitals, even brief spans of device downtime can cascade into delayed treatments, canceled procedures, and increased operational costs. Integrating serviceability from the beginning ensures devices remain reliable, maintainable, and therapeutically valuable throughout their lifecycle.

Maintaining medical devices can be challenging when repairs are time-consuming, resulting in downtime increases – every minute of which impacts clinical teams, patient care, and operating expenses. Serviceability is not just a backend issue but a critical component of providing efficient patient care.
Designing beyond the lab
Effective real-world design means anticipating predictable wear and tear while simplifying access for qualified technicians. Devices in clinical use face constant wear and heavy movement, straining their components over time. Whether a technician is performing preventive maintenance or addressing an issue of breakage, efficiency remains paramount.

Field-ready designs account for these conditions by ensuring maintenance points are accessible and repairs can be done without extensive disassembly. The speed at which equipment can be serviced and returned to operation is impacted by its component accessibility, service-oriented design, and ease of performance verification testing.

Devices with accessible panels or tool-free replacement parts, for instance, enable technicians to safely perform preventive maintenance in minutes rather than hours. In addition to improving turnaround time, the design elements also reduce the risk of damage during service and promote repeatable maintenance practices. These features also help hospitals manage resources efficiently and ease the total cost of ownership.

Coordination between design and service providers
Cross-functional collaboration closes the gap between engineering intent and field performance. Involving field service technicians early in the design process allows for valuable insights into what is needed to achieve improved efficiency during real-world maintenance.

Experienced service teams possess intimate knowledge of equipment performance and reliability after years of real-world use. They understand device complexities that result in challenging repairs and specific design choices that consistently impact the length of a repair. For example, a panel that requires six screws to be removed with a specialized tool takes significantly longer to access in comparison to one with a single latch.

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