Clinical Engineering Approach to the Reliability of the Performance of Technologies Used in Home Care
摘要
The recent pandemic has undeniably changed the population's habits. In Brazil, a significant number of health-conscious individuals are purchasing equipment to monitor blood pressure, temperature, and oxygen saturation levels from the comfort of their homes. While these devices are relatively simple to operate, the reliability of the measurements depends on the end user's knowledge and experience, as well as the accuracy of the equipment. It is crucial to understand that these factors can impact the quality of measurements. With this in mind, IEB-UFSC has developed a methodology for clinical engineering to disseminate re-liable information on best practices for using, maintaining, and evaluating the metrological performance of home care technologies. To this end, we have pre-pared and made available through virtual resources simplified user guides, folders, and videos using images and easy-to-understand language, tailored to the end user. The best practice materials were disseminated through a video streaming platform and on social networks, and the content has already received more than 55,000 views. For the performance evaluation stage, we developed evaluation protocols to address the potential for equipment to show results above the error limits described in the standards during use. This methodology emphasizes the critical importance of disseminating accessible information on the operation, safety, and care of the technology to end users. This scenario represents a new challenge for Clinical Engineering.