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Pass No Defects: A Commitment to Ultrasound Excellence

When hospitals and healthcare facilities invest in medical technology, they expect it to work right out of the box. When equipment doesn’t work, it reflects poorly on both manufacturer and vendor.

Clinicians and patients trust the reputation of brand name manufacturers, but ultrasound probes are delicate. Even fresh from the factory, probes can have defects that compromise their function, reliability, and longevity. Comprehensive testing of every probe represents a vendor’s commitment to diagnostic integrity and a higher standard of patient care.

The probe problem

It’s easy to assume high-end ultrasound equipment will work flawlessly out of the box. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case with delicate medical technology, which makes it essential to test probes before deployment. Probes are sensitive and require precise calibration to function correctly, so they might well arrive defective from the factory.

To guarantee proper performance, it’s essential to thoroughly test every ultrasound probe for defects and problems before they’re sent to customers. This includes functional testing and calibration to ensure the probe is working correctly and capable of producing high-quality diagnostic images. Be on the lookout for common defects that can include issues with the probes, cables, or connectors. Defective probes often have more than one issue present.

Commit to quality from the start

Acertara uses a variety of testing and inspection methods to:

1. Ensure all equipment functions properly from the beginning
2. Identify potential issues that could cause premature probe failure

This means conducting a variety of tests, including:

• Time-of-flight testing. These tests measure the time it takes for a signal to travel from a source to a target and back. It’s used to determine the distance between the source and the target.
• Visual inspections. Thorough inspections involve checking equipment for signs of damage or wear, such as cracks, corrosion, or loose connections that may originate from the factory.
• ATLAS element-by-element sensitivity testing. ATLAS proprietary testing involves running the equipment through its intended use to ensure it works properly.
• Destructive testing. Intentionally damaging equipment tests its strength and durability, and these units aren’t sold to customers.

Beyond initial testing, these assessments should be a routine part of life cycle maintenance for ultrasound equipment. It’s not enough to ensure the equipment works like new the first time. It must work as expected for the life of the equipment in the field. The Acertara approach catches even the smallest problems before they have a chance to cause major failures.

Defective probes do not pass

Thorough testing of ultrasound probes ensures the equipment is functional, reliable, and trustworthy. But not every vendor has the same level of technical engineering and testing device development skill.

When you choose the right vendor for sales and service of your ultrasound technology, you ensure a higher standard of care for your patients, with benefits for:

1. Equipment longevity. Ensure the longevity of equipment with defect detection and repair prior to its arrival at your healthcare facility. The equipment will enjoy a longer lifespan, lower overall costs, and a reduced need for frequent service.
2. Equipment efficacy. By identifying and repairing any defects, equipment will perform at optimal levels to provide accurate and reliable results. This is especially important in healthcare where accurate diagnosis is critical.
3. Diagnostic integrity. Detecting and addressing issues before they’re passed on to the customer verifies that the equipment provides accurate and reliable diagnostic results. It’s invaluable in linking high-confidence assessment to better patient outcomes.
4. Clinician confidence and the patient experience. Certifying equipment as functional and trustworthy reduces equipment failures that could impact or disrupt the patient experience. It also provides clinicians with confidence that their equipment will perform as expected when needed.

At Acertara, we use proprietary technology to perform comprehensive ultrasound equipment testing, find minute defects that can cause premature probe failure, and either repair or reject an astounding 40% of the probes we receive before they’re used in patient diagnostics.

Patient care starts at square one

In a perfect world, equipment works as expected right out of the box, but ultrasound probes are extremely delicate instruments and, more often than manufacturers would like to admit, they’re defective on arrival. To avoid the headaches and frustration of a defective probe, work with a vendor that takes the time to identify and resolve problems before they affect patient care.