Basic Medical Devices Needs for Long-term Care Units

Abstract

Healthcare facilities planning guides published by Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS) do not provide information on the minimum number of medical equipment required on the care units to support the mission of clinical and medical services. MSSS Technology Planning System (Actif+ Réseau) provides a standard nomenclature of medical devices and an associated management framework: service life, and replacement value. The creation in April 2015 of Integrated Centers of Care and Social Services resulted in the rapid development of the regions in terms of upgrading the technological platforms. This results in a multitude of development projects that require functional and technical programs (FTPs). The list of medical equipment for an FTP is most often required in a very short term, or even a few days. Knowing that political decisions can lead to the realization of FTPs in even shorter timeframes, there is a risk of providing very partial information or an unsuitable technology; which is a risk factor for the budgeting of the project and, consequently, for the service to patients and the population. We propose here a first sketch of the distribution of equipment on a long-term care unit for patients with loss of autonomy. We hope that such an approach will lead to the creation by the MSSS of a Technology Planning Guide for health care units in Quebec healthcare facilities to standardize the level of equipment expected to ensure normal clinical and medical operations. The level of current equipment compared to the standardized target could be the basis for a technological performance indicator of health and social services institutions.