Review of Medical Equipment Deployment: Challenges and Opportunities.

Abstract

The management of medical technology involves a series of processes ranging from the planning and evaluation of equipment to decision-making related to their retirement and disposal, aiming to adhere to the established life cycle for these devices. The final disposition of these equipment is an essential aspect of environmental sustainability, particularly due to the numerous components they contain, which, upon reaching the end of their useful life, become waste, some of which can be highly contaminating. The study adopts a descriptive perceptual level, conducting a comprehensive analysis based on the inspection, evaluation, and characterization of the current process of discarding and final disposal of medical equipment, as well as the management of waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in two public health institutions, both under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health of Honduras. Based on the gathered information, the importance is emphasized in developing a guide aimed at guiding healthcare institutions in the proper final disposal of medical equipment. This guide should serve as a crucial starting point for standardization and compliance with best practices in this field. By comparing the identified deficiencies in hospitals regarding the final disposal process of medical equipment with the benefits offered by the guide, the urgent need for such a document becomes evident.