Medical devices are critical to the general public's overall health. They assist with the diagnosis, prevention and rehabilitation of many diseases and illnesses. And while the WHO (World Health Organization) may not be a typical resource you might seek out for guidance when upgrading your medical equipment, it does make sense to read about their role and impact with medical devices and some of the resources they offer. You may find their step by step guides helpful with the process. This is especially important when making sweeping changes or considering what is actually needed with regards to high value equipment purchases like AERs (automatic endoscope reprocessors) or any other endoscopic equipment such as gastroscopes, colonoscopies or bronchoscopes.

One of the WHO's objectives is to "ensure improved access, quality and use of medical devices". This is an ongoing objective and they continue to implement resolutions to meet this goal.

For instance, in May of 2007 the WHO adopted resolution WHA60.29. It focused on the need to establish priorities primarily with the selection and management of medical devices. This along with the objective mentioned above was the basis for forming the GIHT (Global Initiative on Health Technologies).

The WHO is challenging countries, businesses and the scientific communities around the world to create a basic framework for the development of essential health technology programs and identify and adapt innovative technologies that will impact public health positively.

The WHO has since created documents and references that outline guidance for a methodological approach to assess your offices current situation and needs when it comes to health technologies / medical devices. Its generic in nature as there are so many variables between resources and characteristics in different countries around the world but it might be something that could assist you with finding the best solution for your medical office's needs today while taking into consideration your future needs as well.

Click here to see the "Needs assessment for medical devices" published by the WHO.

On page 14 is a chart with specific details explaining the General Needs Assessment.

The WHO's next step outlined is called the "Specific Approach.

They outline seven specific data collection and consideration steps in the process that we'll attempt to summarize here for you.

• Steps 1-3 have to do with baseline information collection of health service requirements, availability and technology.
• Steps 4 and 5 have to do with your medical office's staffing resources, finances and other potential constraints you may be facing with regards to administration, facility, region or state.
• Step 6 includes suggestions for analyzing and interpreting results from steps 1-5.
• Step 7 has to do with the prioritization and options available for your office to consider.

The WHO does not provide complete details on Step 1 as they indicate they are the responsibility of the GIHT.

The WHO outlines the importance of properly assessing your office's current situation identifying the gap between what currently exists and what doesn't. They outline some questions that can easily be asked to ascertain the relevant information.

• Where is your medical practice located?
• Which health services do you offer at your practice?
• What types of patients does your practice focus on with regards to age, gender and location?
• Which specific needs does the practice (and its services) meet?
• How does the practice receive referrals, and where do they come from?
• How many patients does the facility see each week, month, quarter and year?
• What's the average amount of time that the patients stay at the facility and what are their reasons for leaving?
• How many patients are seen each week, month etc., or are referred on to other agencies?
• What is the caseload for staff?
• How many full-time staff does the service employ and how much time does each staff member have available each week for client appointments?
• Is there information collected regarding the staff satisfaction or client satisfaction at appointments?
• How do existing client access the practice? (e.g., on foot, public transportation, etc.)
• How accessible is your services by public transportation?

This is the main technology related step in the process. The focus should be to identify what is actually available at your practice with regards to medical devices and the supporting infrastructure and the condition of those devices and infrastructure.

The critical information to be collected and taken into account:

• Type, size, and position of premise and building(s), including the number and type of building(s);
• Availability and condition of: › water supply, connections and installation (e.g., where does the water come from?, what is the quality?, etc); › power supply, electrical connections and installations (e.g., is an emergency generator available?); › waste disposal system (e.g., how is waste handled, segregated, and disposed of?).

The following is the minimum that should be considered in this step of the assessment:

• Jobs and descriptions
• Jobs to be hired for
• Availability and status of:
  • Basic, higher or vocational education
  • Continuous training
  • On-the-job training
  • Human resources planning

The following is the minimum that should be considered in this step of the assessment:

• Prior Budget and expenses
• Current Budget
• Budget monitoring/Control System
• Human resources planning