Is buying spare parts a safe option?

When you buy spare parts for medical equipment, you want to make sure it is a safe option. But is buying spare parts always safe? We explain.

The safety of spare parts for medical devices varies from one provider to another. At MSP Medical, we do everything we can to ensure that it is safe to purchase our products. We take the following measures to ensure the safety of our products:

•  Every product we make and sell, we test through and through.

• We make sure the products are fully compatible with the existing installation. So we not only check whether it fits into the medical device, but also whether it works well with other components in the device and associated peripherals. For example, in the case of a battery pack, it should also work with the original battery charger and vice versa. We have the devices at our premises where we test in a live environment.

• We also test with the maximum user weights, for example with our castors, to ensure the products work as expected. 

• Our products are fully compliant with MDR guidelines. MDR stands for Medical Device Regulation. This requires products to meet at least similar technical specifications. For example, a replacement battery must have the same voltage as the original, the same capacity and it must be fully usable in the existing situation without the need for adjustments to the device. If adaptations are needed, then the inspection of the device as a whole is void. MSP makes sure that we comply with the inspection with every item we sell, thus ensuring safety. 

• We design the products in such a way that when they need to be replaced through a service procedure, the same tools can be used as with an original part. This has the advantage that there is no new procedure for the mechanic, which contributes to safety.

Additional safety measures

Wherever possible, we build extra safety into the products compared to the original parts. For one product this may be possible, but for another it is not necessary. An example of a product where MSP Medical have built in extra safety are the wall-mounted battery chargers. These are designed so that if the battery is not clipped in properly or if the battery comes loose, the battery will not fall to the ground but will be caught by the wall holder. This prevents the battery from falling to the ground, which can cause damage to the battery and, in the worst case, a fire. It also prevents it from falling onto the carer's foot, possibly resulting in physical injury.

For our medical devices, in every product in the development process, we try to take into account to make additional improvements in terms of safety. We also try to make improvements in terms of durability, ergonomics and technical aspects. The MDR prescribes that products must meet at least the same technical aspects, but that does not stop us from looking at how we can make the product better. We also look at fastening materials, such as nuts and bolts, to offer higher quality than the original. This way, we extend the life of the tool and bring down the 'total cost of ownership' (TCO).

Dealing responsibly with security risks

In the past, MSP Medical has faced several safety challenges. A good example of this is shared by Mike, co-founder of MSP Medical: "When we were a supplier to one of the largest OEMs, we faced a safety challenge. We were asked to develop and supply a new charger. For this, we had made a nice proposal. We got into a discussion with the OEM's chief buyer: he thought the charger was too expensive and came up with an alternative himself. When we looked through the proposal of the alternative, we found that it was not a battery charger but a power source. And there is a substantial difference in that: a battery charger stops automatically when the battery is fully charged, but a power source continues to put energy into the battery non-stop, even when it is full. We indicated that this is a completely flawed product, but they did not listen to that. Due to cost considerations, they chose to use the power source anyway, without listening to our advice. We therefore told them to stop the project and not to develop the product, as it had safety risks. After rolling out the faulty product, within a few weeks the OEM received the first complaints from users about the batteries swelling and in some cases even starting fires. There had to be a recall of 5,000 products with this faulty power source. This is a great case from the past that shows how highly we value the safety of our products.

Safety instructions for the end user

For products where it is of relevance, a user manual is included for both our complete devices and our spare parts. Some products do not require a manual, but for most products we provide an instruction. For example, all our battery packs come with an instruction before use, which states, among other things, that it is important to always fully charge the battery once to prolong its life.

Service around safety

Customers can always contact us directly if something is wrong. We will then take the necessary steps to ensure safety. Either we bring the product to us or we can solve the problem remotely. 

Wherever possible, we make our products as safe as possible, compliant with MDR guidelines and provide fast service when safety issues arise. Want to know more about the safety measures we take? Then please contact us.