Effective management of machinery in government-operated hospitals

The methodology and the processes that are followed in the maintenance of government-operated district hospitals in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa are outlined while the strategies that are employed to roll-out the maintenance plan have been investigated. The challenges in managing hospital maintenance are identified so that it can be improved and advice be given on the strategies currently being used. The objectives of the research were to determine the effectiveness of machinery maintenance in government-operated district hospitals. The study has been carried out by investigating 50 district hospitals within the Eastern Cape Province, with the aim of obtaining knowledge of practices in relation to the strategic plans and best practices in the maintenance industry. The following factors identified by the maintenance staff were found to be most important in maintenance management practices; realistic budgets, adherence to occupational health and safety regulations, engagement of qualified and skilled maintenance staff, good record management in relation to the equipment under maintenance, availability of tools and materials and keeping abreast with the latest technologies and trends of machinery advancement. The study also revealed that the majority of the hospitals use a combination of in-house and outsourced personnel during maintenance, the outsourced part being under contract from the National Department of Public Works Repair and Maintenance Plan (RAMP) projects. Service kits and recommended replacement parts for machinery are rarely stocked on the hospital premises while only minor spare parts that include replacement bulbs, electrical fittings, plumbing fittings and paint are readily available. In addition, the maintenance staff members have little or no input in maintenance budgeting, this aspect is controlled by hospital management. For maintenance to be effective, strategic planning that takes into account carefully thought-out maintenance management systems is the first step in the direction of setting out definite tangible objectives and goals. The real challenge lies in the implementation and sustainability of the maintenance management system and the monitoring thereo