Asset Management in Radiology

An asset management plan in imaging should be viewed like the strategic plan that establishes the healthcare organization’s direction, vision, and mission. It can also be viewed in line with the marketing plan which operationalizes a portion of the strategic plan in order to maintain, or obtain, greater market share.The imaging asset management plan assists in the prioritization, implementation, and operationalization of an imaging facility’s strategic plan through the acquisition, maintenance, upgrade, and fielding of capital assets needed to fulfill the organization’s mission and various strategic initiatives.This chapter defines the necessary elements of an asset management plan and explains how to develop the plan within the practice of imaging.

The decision to purchase a piece of capital equipment is a major one, best made with the knowledge and expertise of many individuals within an imaging department or facility. When assembling a capital needs assessment committee for this purpose, the imaging administrator is wise to include representatives from every possible stakeholder group. By definition, all of these individuals have a stake in the outcome.Therefore, the challenge for the imaging administrator becomes one of balancing all of the stakeholders’ views to achieve the best purchasing decision for the organization and its patients.

The foundation for effectively evaluating capital equipment for potential purchase is reliable and comprehensive sources of information. These may be both internal from the facility’s data on existing equipment, and external, ranging from the professional literature to the vendors themselves. The facility’s historical data enables the imaging administrator and assessment team to establish a baseline for performance evaluations. Independent research forecasts equipment supply and demand and effectively compares the options of purchasing a used or refurbished piece of equipment.Vendor literature describes equipment capabilities and useful life expectancy.

The needs of an imaging provider tend to be thought of in terms of required capabilities, staff, and equipment.These immediate components of patient care, however, all require physical accommodations in which to facilitate diagnosis and treatment.The most elemental commodity is that of area. Successful equipment siting and operations all depend on an effective definition of spatial needs and the careful crafting of the available resources to support best-practice operations.

The practice of delivering healthcare has become intertwined with the technological tools used.Nowhere is this truer than in the realm of medical imaging, where million-dollar investments in equipment and the facilities needed to support them have become expected. Achieving success with new construction (as well as renovated space) requires careful identification of goals, and the assistance of vendors, contractors, and design professionals with the expertise to help make them happen.This investment of time and resources will help to ensure that the facility will be positioned to make the most of the inevitable and accelerating changes in the medical imaging marketplace.

Healthcare providers occupy buildings varied in size, shape, and appearance. For the imaging provider, the organs of imaging—eg, CT, MRI, or ultrasound—make specific demands on the buildings in which they’re sited.When it comes time to replace, upgrade, or expand imaging capability, the event almost always requires changes to the building itself.As the cost and complexity of imaging equipment increase, so too does the importance of effective planning, design, and construction. And renovations in existing buildings, particularly areas with functioning patient care, can seem exponentially more complicated.

Capital asset project management involves organizing and managing resources so that the work required to complete a project is carried out within the constraints defined for scope, time, and cost.This chapter explores the components of good project management, project team formation , and plan implementation.

A request for information initiates a formal process designed to identify the best vendor for a capital asset purchase or construction project.Once potential vendors have been identified, the imaging administrator or project manager issues a request for proposal that will guide the final selection phases.Careful review of the proposals, interviews with the submitting vendors and their references, consultation with colleagues and other sources, and site visits are all designed to collect the most accurate and useful data to guide final selection. Negotiations for a sales contract and a service contract with the chosen vendor are the final phase in the selection process.

When new technology and/or machines are acquired by an imaging department or center, staff and physicians must be trained to use the equipment in order to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of the new acquisition. This chapter discusses adult learning, applications training for staff and radiologists, and coordinating training for referring physicians who use new technology in an imaging facility.

Efficient and effective maintenance and repair are integral components to the purchase of any capital equipment, from a printer to an MRI scanner. Imaging administrators, often in consultation with attorneys, radiologists, biomedical technicians, and other staff professionals, must carefully review the terms of all service contracts.Administrators at facilities with access to biomedical engineers also must evaluate what role, if any, these professionals can play. The goal is to ensure minimal downtime and maximum productivity, while optimizing operating expenses.

Ensuring that every unit achieves acceptable standards of service and quality at all times underlies every process of an imaging center or department.Myriad oversight agencies have devised appropriate standards,which are readily available to imaging administrators and others responsible for carrying out quality assurance procedures.This chapter summarizes the key elements of a quality assurance program.

Inventory management impacts patient care operations and financial outcomes of healthcare organizations.This chapter explains the importance of inventory management, one of the essential five “mega processes” that create the supply chain. In addition, this chapter provides insight into the current state of information technologies available to healthcare organizations by comparing other industries’ approaches to inventory management.This chapter also offers solutions to imaging administrators that may not have the infrastructure within their healthcare organizations to ensure efficient and effective management of supplies.