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Maintenance Decisions for Medical Equipment in UAE Medical Facilities
Elashi, Reham Adil Yousif Mohamed
Elashi, Reham Adil Yousif Mohamed
Date
2023-11
Type
Thesis
Degree
Description
A Master of Science thesis in Engineering Systems Management by Reham Adil Yousif Mohamed Elashi entitled, “Maintenance Decisions for Medical Equipment in UAE Medical Facilities”, submitted in November 2023. Thesis advisor is Dr. Abdulrahim Shamayleh and thesis co-advisor is Dr. Mahmoud Awad. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).
Abstract
Medical devices are crucial in the process of preventing, monitoring, diagnosing and treatment of diseases. Healthcare services greatly rely on medical equipment to properly deliver their desired services. Hence, the proper functioning and availability of those medical devices is crucial to healthcare services providers. Proper planned maintenance decisions lead to more cost efficient, reliable and non-disrupted service, particularly with the increased reliance on medical equipment in health care facilities to realize their services. Despite their importance and widespread usage in UAE, there is minimal information on maintenance practices. As such, it is crucial to understand the influential factors and key indicators that would lead to successful equipment maintenance decisions. The objective of this research study is to explore the current medical equipment maintenance practices implemented in the UAE within the medical facilities and explore the pivotal factors in maintenance decisions that would contribute to enhanced equipment performance. A qualitative study employing Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) is carried out to investigate the relationship between various factors and equipment performance indicators. The main research tool used is a survey developed based on reviewed literature and feedback from five subject matter experts. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) is applied for data analysis and the subsequent development of the final model. The results suggest that the main influential factors are strategic decisions and infrastructure. Additionally, the results suggest that there is an indirect influence of management on equipment performance. This influence is mediated through management's heightened awareness of maintenance decisions, and their participation in the strategic decisions related to maintenance. Maintenance practices in the UAE show discernible variations, especially with shifts in device functionality. The recommendation is to maintain existing decisions for critical devices while improving maintenance decisions for less critical ones. This involves careful planning of maintenance contracts, inclusive procurement procedures covering the equipment's entire life cycle, and the crucial use of IT tools for monitoring and analyzing performance data to inform corrective actions.