CMS Vendor Equipment Performance Analytics

Over 2.5 Million Infusion Pumps Recalled with Risk of Air Embolism

The 2.5 million pumps were recalled due to air-related issues including faulty air-in-line sensors, failure to detect air in lines while using specific medications, false air-in-line alarms, wrong air sensor calibrations, failure to meet air-in-line specifications, defects in tubing, and failure to maintain pump accuracy for detecting air bolus. All of these could potentially lead to dangerous levels of air being delivered to patients. – ClearLine MD (https://www.clearlyput.com/single-post/pumprecall)

The CMS BioMedical Asset Management system (CMS BAM) manages the periodic maintenance, recalls and repairs of biomedical equipment in hospitals. The system collects detailed performance records on all equipment managed by the system, serial numbers and vendor details.

One element of the ongoing improvement of patient care is the ability to share this information with vendors to help them improve their systems, pre-empt potential failures in future through early insights into performance information from the field.

The CMS Vendor Equipment Performance Analytics solution is a portal that enables vendors to access the data collected to their products by CMS BAM to:
• Identify performance trends and issue information on potential product recalls or updates
• Detect emerging issues using standardized coding
• Get direct feedback at operational level with records of all historical communications with manufacturers
• Review monthly report of emerging trends

The CMS Vendor Equipment Performance Analytics portal has a secure interface to ensure only authorized access to equipment information and ‘blind hospital and IDN’ information sufficient for voluntary and mandatory FDA reporting.

The equipment data records never contain patient data.