Are Preventative Maintenance Visits Required?

The manufacturer tells you your CT scanner needs four preventative maintenance (PM) visits each year. Is it really worth it? Here are three reasons to follow your maintenance schedule.

1. Preventing downtime

Preventative maintenance visits really do lead to prevention. They allow engineers to find small problems before they become big problems, which prevents downtime.

Most of the time, an engineer can work around your patient schedule — avoiding the much larger disruption an equipment failure would cause. PMs also allow pre-emptive purchasing of parts, which, in the case of hard-to-find components, prevents long waits.

2. Saving costs

With the prevention of downtime comes the saving of costs. Referrals aren't lost, engineers aren't spending hours diagnosing and repairing, and fewer parts need to be ordered.

3. Serving patients better

Systems that are serviced regularly provide the best experience for patients. Imaging equipment is an extremely valuable tool for diagnosis and treatment planning, and regular PMs help maximise a system's utility for both.

During a PM visit your engineer checks X-ray doses, performs calibrations as needed, and ensures the equipment is producing the best images possible.

Peak safety, high image quality and a lower likelihood of repeat scans are all benefits your patients enjoy when you implement and follow a regular PM schedule per OEM recommendations.