The ASP AER (Automated Endoscope Reprocessor) system is an extremely critical and valuable piece of equipment to the healthcare industry. Facilities that use endoscopes would typically know this first hand. An AER cleans and disinfects endoscopes post use increasing safety levels for patients and making your medical facility operate more efficiently. For an AER to continue to run properly, extend its life expectancy and to keep it cost effective preventative maintenance is the key. Therefore, we thought an article that outlined some of the reasons that preventative maintenance makes sense including some of the key components of preventative maintenance would be helpful.

Why is Preventative Maintenance Important?

 There's a number of key components that make up preventative maintenance. And while this is not meant to be an exhaustive list, the first is "Regular Equipment Inspections".

DAILY INSPECTION | Daily inspections on critical equipment like an AER is part of a successful maintenance or operative schedule. It makes sense to assign an employee to do a daily inspection for any type of wear, tear or leaks. Typically, the manufacturer's web site or the manual for your specific AER will outline some of the items that should be inspected. But inspections like these don't typically take long and can save you a ton of headaches by simply putting eyes on the equipment and checking the items off the schedule that have been reviewed. The employee responsible for the daily inspection would be looking for any type of abnormalities, including but not limited to connections, hoses, tubes etc. The employee might also have the duty of making sure the unit is properly cleaned each day.

When cleaning AERs it's definitely necessary to review and follow the manufacturer's preventative maintenance guidelines for your specific AER. Daily cleanings usually include cleaning the exterior surfaces for all AERs including ASP PM services. You may also need to perform recommended flushing procedures to remove any residue as well. But as stated, check for these details with your manufacturer.

WEEKLY INSEPCTION | Weekly inspections are a little different than the daily inspection. A weekly inspection would go over all the things the daily inspection covers, but in more detail. Additionally checking items like filters, seals, water quality sensors etc. makes sense. The person performing this weekly inspection would be looking for any types of corrosion or mineral buildup as well.

From time-to-time you'll also want to do a deep cleaning. Again, your manufacturer guidelines may outline what this would entail. During this process there may be some dismantling of certain components to clean hard-to-reach areas.

COMPONENT REPLACEMENT | Filters are the most common replacement item but check the AER's manufacturer's guidelines for a recommended schedule of replacement components. While a device may run with old filters, clogs or dirty filters might affect the system's overall performance and lead to unnecessary repairs or down-time.
Seals and gaskets are another typical component that needs to be replaced. By replacing these you may be able to prevent leaks ensuring the system operates at its highest efficiency.
Water quality sensors are another item that may need to be replaced. Accurate readings depend upon these sensors as do maintaining effective disinfection cycles.

CALIBRATION | The calibration of sensors and other critical components is something that you may or may not be able to handle in-house. But fortunately finding qualified technicians is not that difficult. These calibrations must be precise and within the manufacturers recommended tolerances for the safety of your patients and the overall effectiveness of your ASP AER. Call MedService Repair today and we'll be happy to discuss your specific needs in this regard. 

SOFTWARE UPDATES | From time-to-time it may be necessary to update the system software. Manufacturers like ASP release updates that include bug fixes, performance enhancements, security updates and sometimes include new features. The beauty of software updates is that your AER may end up functioning faster, and or better than it did the day you purchased it.

DOCUMENTATION | Another critical practice is documentation. All AER maintenance activities should be documented in detail. This is vital for many reasons including safety, machine history, scheduling future maintenance and ensuring complete compliance with regulatory standards. Be sure to take the time to put a documentation process in place at your office and outline who is in charge of this and who will oversee whoever is in charge.

Regardless of how well you maintain your ASP AER maintenance issues may arise. The problems encountered will typically already be documented online or on the manufacturer's website because so many medical offices use these incredible machines. But some of the most common issues are:

• Error Messages: The system's manual may be helpful in interpreting any error codes displayed. But sometimes the messages themselves may give clues or tell you exactly what's wrong so that the issue can resolved quickly and efficiently.
• Water Quality Issues: There are water supply standards for AER systems. Always make sure that you meet the necessary requirements in this regard. You may need to test, and or treat your water if necessary.
• Leaks: If a leak shows up, inspect all the seals and connections. You may be able to tighten a connection or replace a leaking seal. But always refer to the manufacturer's recommendations when any issue arises for safety of your patients.

Clearly, a comprehensive preventative maintenance plan is critical for AERs sold by ASP and all other manufacturers. Adherence to the manufacturer's specific guidelines is equally as critical ensuring the safety and reliability of your endoscope reprocessing.