A recent UK survey highlighted the long queues of patients waiting for MRI / Ultra-sound scans and the longer delays (averaging six months) to obtain the results of the scan. The reasons for this bottleneck were interesting:

• 80% of scanners were out of use
• 41% of scanners were out of date
• £500M needed to introduce new equipment
• Shortage of radiologists (7 years training)

While there are no short-term fixes to the situation in the UK, these results emphasise the need to increase utilisation of current investments in medical equipment, from high-cost, high-tech scanners to low cost, low tech, hygiene and housekeeping equipment, used in hospitals and clinics.

The medical sector has begun to focus very heavily on the value of cross-business optimisation. Delivering preventative and reactive service into the medical sector demands reliable synchronisation between the scheduling of engineering skills; access and availability of the equipment to be serviced; and the parts logistics cycle. Integrated support systems and mobile communications technologies are key components of the service support infrastructure that will enable an on-time, first-time fix of the equipment. This is easier said than done, and recognising the need to achieve on-time, first-time fixes many service operations are revisiting their role and the way in which they make money.