Improving the Allocation of Resources to Different Strategies of Medical Equipment Maintenance and Repair with System Dynamics Approach Case study: Razavi Hospital of Mashhad

Appropriate maintenance strategies reduce the overall operating cost of medical equipment and its depreciation, leading to increased equipment availability. This study is looking for an optimal strategy to increase access to medical equipment and reduce maintenance costs. It generally aims to increase the net value of the equipment maintenance system. The present study has designed a simulation model of dynamic systems in order to investigate the contribution of preventive and corrective maintenance measures and strategies to improve the overall performance of medical equipment. In this regard, first, the key variables in the maintenance and repair system of medical equipment have been identified, and their relationships have been compiled in the form of causal loops; then, the primary model has been completed in the form of stock and flow charts which have been simulated in Vansim software. The results show that increasing preventive maintenance by reducing the need for corrective measures leads to increased access to equipment and reduced maintenance costs. The ratio of change of resources and the amount of its allocation to each of the corrective and preventive maintenance measures have been obtained through simulation and according to the amount of primary and secondary variables in the case of the study (Razavi Hospital). The simulated model can be implemented for other hospitals considering their internal conditions.