While we love helping clients make sure they always have the items they need close to hand to help operate an efficient, safe and effective health, veterinarian or scientific facility, sometimes we have to help resolve an immediate and highly disruptive equipment crisis caused by a simple factor: obsolete lamps.
The impact of finding that a lamp is no longer made for an essential piece of equipment, simply because over time demand has reached the stage where it is no longer practical for anyone to manufacture the lamp, can happen very suddenly and can be devastating for patient flow or output of work.
How to avoid this happening in your workplace? There are four simple steps…
- Record all equipment:
A register of every piece of equipment using consumable items should not just be kept but checked and updated regularly. Input from the person(s) responsible for maintenance and operation of your equipment will make sure nothing is overlooked. - Control inventory levels:
The right volume of inventory in the right locations can, of course, mean access without delay for those who need the items most. But also thinking ahead to increase quantities when items are becoming more scarce means extending the life of the piece of equipment requiring a lamp. Don’t forget that the parts and electrical spares associated with a near-obsolete lamp will also become hard to source. - Monitor equipment age vs upgrade availability:
The balance between new equipment cost, budget needed to maintain consumable inventory as they become in short supply and the operational impact of equipment failure caused by no replacement lamp existing can be a complex judgement. However, help is available to support the best possible decision. - Don’t plan alone:
ValleyMed is much more than just a website or a supplier. We’ve been trusted to advise on and deliver medical and scientific lighting, medical gas delivery systems, vision products and much more across Canada for almost 30 years. That’s why spend much of our time helping clients make the right decisions for their needs.
In short: we believe in ‘professionals helping professionals’. For no obligation advice, with deep subject knowledge, to help plan the disruption caused by lamp obsolescence out of your organization simply ask for an equipment and consumables review.
As always, tell us how we can help.
