Glossary Term
Preventive Maintenance
Definition
Preventive maintenance refers to regular, scheduled maintenance activities conducted on equipment, machinery, or devices to prevent unexpected failures, minimize downtime, and extend the lifespan of the equipment. This proactive approach includes inspections, lubrication, adjustments, part replacements, and system checks to ensure that everything is functioning properly. In industries like healthcare, preventive maintenance is essential to keep medical devices, such as imaging equipment, infusion pumps, and sterilizers, in optimal working condition to avoid unplanned breakdowns that could disrupt operations or compromise patient safety.
Relevance to the MedTech Industry
The aim of preventive maintenance is to ensure the reliability and efficiency of equipment by performing routine checks and maintenance tasks. By addressing minor issues before they evolve into major problems, preventive maintenance helps avoid costly repairs, reduce equipment downtime, improve safety, and ensure the longevity of equipment and devices. In healthcare settings, it directly supports the continuity of care and patient safety.
Additional Information & Related Terms
Related Terms
Corrective Maintenance: Maintenance activities carried out to repair or fix equipment after it has failed, as opposed to preventive maintenance, which aims to avoid failure.
Predictive Maintenance: A maintenance approach that uses data and analytics (e.g., sensors or monitoring) to predict when a device or equipment will require maintenance, reducing unplanned downtime.
Total Product Life Cycle (TPLC): The entire lifespan of a medical device, from design and development through to disposal, including preventive maintenance as part of post-market activities.
Regulatory Compliance: Adherence to regulatory standards, such as FDA or ISO, which often require documented maintenance practices to ensure the safety and effectiveness of medical devices.