Most Valuable Biomed Department (June) - Salem Health

By Carissa Gurney & Aline Ekizian

Salem Health located in Salem, Oregon is the premier health care provider for Oregon’s Willamette Valley. The health system is made up of Salem Hospital, West Valley Hospital in Dallas, and other clinics and services. Providing pioneering medicine since 1896, Salem Health is one of the largest of Oregon's 62 acute care hospitals and operates the busiest emergency department in Oregon.

Salem Health's clinical engineering team is made up of fourteen dedicated biomeds that manage and service assets for this 494 acute-care bed, not-for-profit, hospital.

Rey Perez, Jeremy Michaelson, Alicia Liljefelt, Barb Barker, Eric Vivier, Jesse Brook, Jim Bouse, Mark Wanek, Rick Estinson, Scott Stockton, Sergii Kostin, Jared Jones, David Padilla, and Mark Halvorson.

Q: What specific roles does your biomed department have in the hospital?

We have BMET 1, 2, 3, Radiographic Service Tech, Clinical Engineering Analyst, Supervisor, and Manager.

Q: What are some efficient strategies your department uses to maintain the equipment, while also dealing with hospital upgrades, projects, etc.?

Each biomed has an AOR (area of responsibility) that they round with the management within their AOR. They talk about barriers, successes, equipment needs, new technologies and end of life management. The manager and supervisor meet with the director and executives within the hospital to talk about pain points, processes, and share ideas on technologies that can help patient care.

Q: Are there any fun projects you are currently working on in the hospital?

Currently we are upgrading nurse call campus wide and adding in technologies for alerting our patient care teams when patients need assistance along with action request buttons within those rooms.

Q: How does using third party repair companies, like Avante Patient Monitoring, assist your biomed department?

We utilized Avante for our recent upgrade of cardiac patient monitoring campus wide. They were helpful in acquiring the MP series monitors needed in order to make the project successful. The biggest value I see in utilizing a 3rd party, is after equipment is in the middle of the life-cycle, companies like Avante really help in servicing or procuring the equipment in a cost-effective way. Avante provides a warranty on the equipment after it’s been serviced, so if there is an issue, we can send it back with no hassle.

Q: Feedback on your positive experiences with using Avante Patient Monitoring, formally Pacific Medical.

Working with Aline has been a pleasure. She has brought an energy to a field that has been known to be not as exciting. She follows up on requests in a timely manner and works hard to ensure we are satisfied. She is one of the team that helps us deliver services and products to Salem Health.

Want to be featured as our July MVB department? Contact your sales representative to be entered as a nominee.