How to optimize equipment performance to meet today’s needs and tomorrow’s demands

By Nancy Wright, MBA, LSSBB

Managing a team of people doesn’t just require looking at their output. You need to see how they’re feeling, where they’re going, and how they can improve both personally and professionally. In healthcare, the same goes for managing your equipment. It may be running smoothly today, but is it in the right place? Are you using it to the best of its ability? How can you make the most of it? This proactive, thoughtful approach is called asset management, and it’s critical to your operation. 

Quite simply, asset management must be prioritized if you want to make your clinical team’s life easier and best serve the needs of your patient population. When Einstein said, “If I had an hour to solve a problem, I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions,” he emphasized that to solve a problem, you must first truly understand it. With asset management, this means fully understanding the role equipment plays and the impact of neglecting it.

Fortunately, long-term or advanced asset management is not an insurmountable task. It begins with assessing your current position, determining your goals, and planning how to achieve them. If you’re overlooking equipment management or not giving it the attention it deserves, the following steps can help you establish an asset management plan.

Start with an Equipment Inventory

The first step in any strategic exercise is to assess the current situation. When it comes to assets, this means first taking inventory of your equipment. Key considerations include the device’s age, whether it is mobile or fixed, and who is using it and how.

Don’t be surprised if you discover some equipment is not being fully utilized. According to a study in the National Library of Medicine, two out of every five pieces of equipment are underutilized.

If taking an initial asset inventory feels daunting, consider starting with a real-time location system (RTLS) to track your mobile assets. GE HealthCare’s Encompass™ solution is cost-effective and cloud-deployed. It helps track and manage medical equipment, minimizing theft and reducing the time spent searching for equipment when needed. While deploying the solution requires some initial effort, once implemented, it will simplify asset inventory and management moving forward.

Once you’ve accounted for all your assets, you’re ready for the next step. Your equipment inventory will form the foundation for identifying what you’ll need moving forward to best serve your patients.

Understand Your Patient Population

To determine which assets will best serve your patients, you need a clear picture of the people who will be using your facility. For example, if your patient population is older, you may need more cardiology or radiology equipment. If your population is younger, you may require more ultrasound equipment or devices that supports labor and delivery.

The best way to refine your focus is to analyze per capita patient population data and identify key takeaways. Age, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status are all important factors that can influence the type of care you’ll need to provide.

Another important consideration is how to be adaptable and versatile with your care.  According to a 2024 investigation by the Journal of the American Medical Association, “By most measures, hospital inpatients have become more complex over time, including increased cases of multimorbidity and increased risk of unplanned readmission.” This suggests that more patients admitted to your hospital will likely require treatments for multiple conditions.

Another factor to assess regarding the patient population is where they are going and how they are evolving. To address this, analyze data that reveals who is moving into and out of the area. This can provide insights into the care you need to deliver today and what you may need to provide in the future.

Smart-Fit Your Facility

Armed with your equipment inventory and patient data, you’re ready to determine what you need to create the ideal workflow. For example, which equipment is most essential for specific procedures? 

Another important workflow consideration is logistics. Ask yourself whether mobile or fixed equipment best meets your needs. Note: 75% of hospital equipment is mobile, enabling easy relocation and improved utility.

The most important question to address is: what changes or upgrades will make the biggest difference? Over time, asset inventories can grow to include devices that are rarely used or no longer suitable for current applications. Holding on to these devices is often not in your best interest, as they occupy space and tie up funds that could be better allocated.

At GE HealthCare, we call this intersection of medical device planning, community care needs, and upskilling your care teams “smart fitting.” The goal is to right-size—or smart-fit—your asset inventory to meet patient demand, empower clinicians, and minimize equipment downtime. 

A Difference Between Pleasant and Stressful

If you’re unsure about the importance of proactive equipment management, consider this: failing to address equipment needs or account for life cycles is a recipe for random fire drills during your workday. 

Imagine your MR scanner failing on a day packed with appointments. This could create unnecessary stress for staff and a poor experience for patients. And the impact doesn’t end there—think of the financial component. Ignoring asset management and risking unplanned downtime can significantly affect your bottom line. 

Above all, consider how planning today can positively impact your future. Proactively planning for equipment upgrades will help you serve your patients more effectively and efficiently for years to come.

GE HealthCare’s Medical Technology Advanced Services is here to help.

You don’t need to be a tech expert or a service engineer to take on advanced asset management. Healthcare partners like GE HealthCare will guide you through each step of the process. Whether you need a few insights or extensive guidance, your asset management journey is unique and can be tailored to fit your healthcare system and level of expertise. 

Determining Next Steps

If you have the resources to begin advanced asset management, now is the time to start. With your current equipment inventory, insights into your patient population, and a vision for your ideal workflow, you’ll be equipped to make asset decisions that support both short- and long-term goals.

If you need assistance getting started, contact your healthcare equipment partner. They can help you develop an advanced asset management program that right-sizes your equipment for today and the future. 

Nancy Wright, MBA, LSSBB, is senior director of Medical Technology Advanced Services at GE HealthCare. Questions and comments can be directed to [email protected].