Today, home medical devices are important in our health management because they can monitor the condition of patients or even treat them right in their homes. Whether it is a blood pressure monitoring machine, thermometer, nebuliser, or even a sugar check machine, these devices are important for maintaining the health of a patient. However, these tools are made for health improvement, but improper handling can lead to some serious causes of discomfort or injury.
Here we discuss some common home medical device problems and strategies to avoid them and maintain your home medical equipment.
1. Avoiding Guidelines of Manufacturer
Medical equipment has a set of specific guidelines that are given by the manufacturer. Sometimes while using a medical device, we are ignoring or incorrectly understanding these instructions, which can lead to improper usage and may affect the device’s function and your health.
To avoid these mistakes we should:
● Properly read the manual. However, it is a boring or difficult task to read the user manual. But it contains important information on how to properly use, maintain, and troubleshoot the device.
● Many devices are designed for specific tasks. For example, a blood pressure machine is only used to measure blood pressure, not as a thermometer. Incorrect understanding of the manual results in misuse of the equipment.
● Some devices are not made for long-term use without expert supervision. Using these devices for long periods may cause complicated conditions. For example, an insulin pump is commonly used by diabetic patients for a continuous supply of insulin throughout the day, helping to maintain stable blood glucose levels. But using this device for a long time without maintenance or consulting with a professional can lead to serious health issues.
2. Ignorance of Calibration
Medical equipment should be regularly calibrated to make sure of accuracy and longevity. Some devices, like thermometers, blood glucose meters, and nebulisers, require regular calibration and cleaning. While some devices need maintenance once a month. If maintenance or calibration is ignored, then equipment will not work properly and result in incorrect readings.
Therefore, always follow the maintenance schedule. There is a recommended maintenance schedule for many devices. Keep these devices clean, calibrate them, and replace parts regularly. For example, a nebuliser should be cleaned after each use to prevent contamination.
● Medical devices contain disposable parts like batteries, filters, or electrodes. These parts should be replaced when needed. Otherwise, it can lead to inaccurate readings or decreased functionality.
● To ensure accuracy, medical equipment needs routine calibration. It is necessary that medical devices should be calibrated by a professional if the readings are incorrect.
3. Lack of knowledge
One of the most common mistakes is failing to properly understand how the medical equipment works. Many patients or their family members could not properly understand the guidelines of medical devices and used them improperly. This results in complications and sometimes leads to death. Therefore, it is important to properly understand the instructions or discuss with professionals when using the medical devices, especially when handling the dangerous equipment like oxygen concentrators, ventilators, insulin pumps, or even home dialysis machines. So that these mistakes can be avoided by
● Taking proper Training. Make sure you get the proper training from a healthcare professional before using any medical equipment at home. Many devices have instructions in videos, printed manuals, and user-friendly guides. Getting knowledge from a medical professional who can guide you through the procedure confirms that you understand the important points, features, and safety measures.
● Asking Questions. If you have any questions about the usage of equipment, ask a healthcare expert for clarification.
● Taking Courses. It is important to take the courses or training online or physically to get knowledge about the proper handling of medical devices, especially if you’re using the device for long-term care.
4. Incorrect designs
Many medical devices have programmable and customisable settings that allow users to change them according to their health needs. But if these settings are changed incorrectly, it reduces the device’s efficiency and effect on the patient’s health.
How to avoid errors?
● Make sure that the settings are suitable for your needs before using the medical devices. For example, if you’re using a blood pressure monitor, make sure the cuff size is correct, as an incorrectly sized cuff can result in inaccurate readings.
● Make sure that you maintain the settings of the regularly used medical devices, such as insulin pumps. Your health may be affected by changing it too frequently or forgetting to do so.
Consult with a healthcare expert to help you set the devices correctly if you are not sure about the settings. This will help you avoid the risk of using incorrect or unsafe settings.
5. Ignoring Warning Signs and Malfunctions
Every medical device has specific warning signs that show when the device is not working properly.
The ways to minimise the mistakes:
● Know how to identify the warning signs that a device isn’t working properly. For example, your oxygen concentrator may require proper maintenance if it is making a strange noise.
● Turn off the device and contact your healthcare expert or the manufacturer’s customer support if you observe any problem. Quick action can prevent further damage to the device and reduce health risks.
● Regularly check your devices to make sure that they are working smoothly. This is important for devices like home blood pressure monitors and insulin pumps, which require regular calibration.
6. Avoiding Medical Checkups
While medical equipment at home can help manage health conditions, it is important to have regular checkups with a healthcare professional while using medical equipment at home to make sure that your treatment is still effective. Some devices, such as insulin pumps or pacemakers, require professional monitoring to ensure proper function.
Reduce these mistakes by
● Scheduling Regular Appointments: Never depend on at-home devices for managing your health. Regular visits to your healthcare provider are important for making sure that the treatment plan is effective.
● Monitoring Health Signs: Be careful about monitoring your health indicators, such as blood sugar levels, heart rate, and blood pressure, and consult with a doctor if you see any significant changes.
If you use medical equipment at home correctly, it can significantly increase health and quality of life. Knowledge about proper usage, regular maintenance, and following safety guidelines can help in avoiding common mistakes and improve the health results. You can make sure that your medical devices work efficiently and safely by taking proper training and courses online or physically, by following the guidelines, and getting professional guidance. It helps you to stay healthy and minimise complications.
