A new model for the replacement priority value of medical equipment

A simple model has been defined aimed at computing the so-called Replacement Priority Value (RPV) of medical equipment. With respect to the well-known model by Fennigkoh (1992), RPV is computed in two steps, of which the second one concerns only the instruments selected as critical during the first one. Also the attributes considered by the model and their weighting factors have been modified with respect to Fennigkoh's model, in order to adapt model behaviour to the specific context where it is to be applied. When tested on a sample of 31 medical devices, the model was easy to use and its recommendations showed "good sense". Such a kind of quantitative tools may greatly help the hospital top management in planning equipment replacement policy