Cleansing, Normalization, and Integration – Keys to Optimizing CMMS Value

Discover the challenges associated with legacy equipment asset information and why so many healthcare technology management groups are seeking ECRI’s help with standardization and normalization of CMMS data.

Over the years, healthcare technology management teams have leveraged Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) to enable more efficient work order management aimed at reducing asset downtime and improving maintenance workflows.  As workforce challenges have grown and technology has advanced, it is driving an even greater need for automation and operational efficiency.

Many hospitals have looked at upgrading and modernizing these systems and are struggling with how to consolidate, organize, and clean the data before migration.  Often, inconsistent equipment naming conventions and descriptions, and variable device classifications can impact predictive replacement planning, management of preventive maintenance procedures and work orders associated with cybersecurity threats, recalls, and field corrections that could impact the safety of patients and staff.  Maintaining a clean and organized CMMS can lead to greater operational efficiencies and improved patient outcomes, especially as health systems become more complex and continue to grow.

Having clean and normalized data is becoming the new strategic imperative; however, it can be an arduous and time-intensive process.  

• A well-organized CMMS system starts with consistent naming conventions for the appropriate vendor or OEM, which may change over time as companies merge or are acquired.
• A clean and consistent Model Name or Number across the various Assets can also be a challenge as product brands change and different users enter variations of descriptions or models used to describe the family or brand of device.  
• Underlying these are the basic classifications of devices, such as ECRI’s Universal Medical Device Nomenclature System (UMDNS), which drive downstream reporting and processes informed by the CMMS, such as work orders or PM procedures.

Inconsistencies across any of these parameters – vendor, device, or classification – can threaten the integrity of your life cycle analysis, preventive maintenance, equipment replacement planning, and critical field corrections and recalls.

As consistency is built into the CMMS data, there is the opportunity for improved business processes and efficiencies. As work orders are assigned, whether it be for preventive maintenance or corrective maintenance resulting from recalls or incident reports, the process will run smoother with normalized data in the system. In addition, if there are assets under Alternative Equipment Maintenance (AEM) or advanced analytics and reports being run, the documentation in the CMMS can more easily be organized and tracked with a clean data set. Consistent CMMS data contributes to better outcomes in your patient care, support operations, and regulatory compliance audits.  

ECRI has seen first-hand the benefits of standardized data and how it has helped so many hospitals to improve their HTM operations while mitigating risk and enhancing regulatory compliance.  This has been evident in the matching of recalls to inventory for departments that are using ECRI’s Alerts Workflow enterprise solution for recall management.  After implementation and integration of the CMMS standardization and normalization, clients reported significant time savings associated with prior efforts to match incoming recalls with medical asset inventory to flag impacted products.  Automatic matching, based on a standardized data set, facilitated more expedient attention and closure of work orders associated with impacted inventory.

Learn more about how ECRI can help you optimize the value of your CMMS investment.