Equipment Audience

Purchasing equipment is quite an investment. In some clinics, it is a task that is taken on by the Executive Director, in other clinics it is turned over to the Medical Director, and in others it is given to the nurse manager to decide. I’d like to take a minute to outline who we have seen to be the best equipment decision makers—to list for you the ideal equipment decision-making team. We want to use our experience to guide you in establishing the best in-house audience for the task.

When I was part of a 15 person team in a hospital setting, each of us used a decision guide when reviewing equipment. We were the in-house audience when it came to reviewing equipment and determining which served our clinical setting best.  For your clinical setting, one that specializes in OB imaging, combined with working independently from the doctor or radiologist, there is increased importance in having multiple people involved.  Let’s get to the list quickly and list what the role of each one has in the decision-making. Your in-house audience is important to make a decision all can live with.

 

Ideal in-house audience includes the following individuals:

• Board member
  • Has ultimate responsibility of stewardship for donors
• Executive Director
  • Has responsibility to medical imaging staff and volunteers being happy with machine selected based on ease of use, image optimization, and patient satisfaction
• Nurse Manager or Clinic Manager
  • Has responsibility to provide a work setting that positions staff and volunteers to be successful at their clinic roles, thus increasing longevity.
• RDMS (if a regular volunteer)
  • Has the responsibility of bringing professional insights related to OB imaging (if registered in this specialty) to the process.
• Medical Director
  • Has the responsibility of interpreting images presented or having others in place to do so, so image quality is of high importance. Should consider best unit for the limited supervised setting of the clinic. Has valuable insight and opportunity based on PMC needs versus his or her usual clinical setting which is typically different from the PMC.

 

This list is a good starting place. Sparrow Solutions Group invites the teams we work with to create this audience, and we conduct a team call related to equipment selection. While it may not always happen, it is ideal. Our team knows your clinical setting. Some of us have lived it with you for 15+ years.

In contrast, some of your team members may be new, so they are at a disadvantage when it comes to being experienced in the area of what type of equipment would be best for your setting. Your medical director may be accustomed to having many professionals around and the imaging being performed by an RDMS, so his or her considerations may not even be mindful of what an RN in a limited setting equates to. Not because they can’t understand, but because their experience hasn’t been in such a clinical setting. Your Executive Director may not have ever purchased an ultrasound machine and has done an internet search of “ultrasound equipment.” We can all imagine what that looks like.

I recently had an RN who was working as the “temporary Nurse Manager,” and she shared with me, “I’ve been given the task of finding a machine, and I have no idea what to do.”  Whether you are getting a replacement system or considering a first time purchase, we recommend that you get some professional input. We are here to help, it part of what God has called us to do for others.

In closing, most of the grants you apply for or are hoping to receive are open to you choosing your own system. We look forward to having the grantor on a call with you and us also. It is good for them to get educated about ultrasound systems, as they typically would not be attending conferences that provide such education. We have had calls with many of those providing funds. Let them share in feeling good about the machine that is chosen.

It’s all about informed decision-making and informing the appropriate audience.

 

Connie Ambrecht
Sparrow Solutions Group
Founder & CEO