36C25619Q0171-005.pdf

MICHAEL E. DEBAKEY VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER

Houston, Texas

MEDICAL CENTER POLICY December 12, 2016

MEMORANDUM NO. 138ENG-002

WORK ORDERS

I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to establish Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (MEDVAMC) procedures for submitting Work Orders/Requests. A work order is required for all work performed by Facilities Management Engineering to ensure the work is scheduled correctly, accomplished, material and labor controlled, accurate cost accounting records kept and service performance standards met. Engineering shall establish a repair, maintenance, and work-tracking program around the Automated Engineering Management System/Medical Equipment Reporting System (AEMS/MERS) application program in VistA. The program will track repair costs, equipment history, work completion and other statistics for workload analysis for each of the respective programs.

II. DEFINITIONS

A. Emergency. Any situation that will cause bodily injury, detriment to animal welfare, costly damage to MEDVAMC facilities, research projects or prohibits continued functioning of essential equipment and other work determined by executive management to be accomplished immediately.

B. Maintenance and Repair. Work performed to maintain the plant and equipment (buildings, structures, utility systems, ground facilities or any real property) in good physical operating condition.

C. Improvements. Construction, alterations or conversions of existing buildings, structures, equipment or facilities beyond that required for maintenance and repair. Improvements should normally include provisions for related equipment and/or proper appropriation of space or other resources through the respective committees. A memorandum or Microsoft Exchange e-mail forwarded to the Engineering Section Manager, indicating total work requested and providing necessary justification and appropriate resource/space documentation shall accompany this type of request.

D. Fabrication. Manufacture and/or construction of items, such as cabinets, shelves, tool cases, dunnage racks, exhibits, etc. A memorandum describing the work requested and providing justification shall accompany this type of request. Request for fabrication will be coordinated with Acquisition & Materiel Management Section (A&MMS) to ensure items requested could not be purchased. Fabrication will be avoided to the fullest practical extent.

MEDICAL CENTER POLICY December 12, 2016

MEMORANDUM NO. 138ENG-002

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E. High Priority. Work that should be accomplished within three working days from when the work request is received.

F. Routine. All other work requests. These will be accomplished in the order in which they are received unless other circumstances prevent this, such as waiting for parts.

III. PROCEDURES

A. Work order requests will be sent as e-mails, telephone requests, personal contacts and other means. All work requests, unless true emergencies, should be submitted by electronic work order or called in to the Customer Service Center (CSC) at 5884 during normal business hours. It is highly encouraged to call the Customer Service Center during normal work hours. A work order can be input, copied and attached to an OUTLOOK e-mail message, and sent to CSC staff. This documents the time and date as well as other vital information and provides a written record of the request. It will also not be lost as it is in electronic format. There are four pieces of information that are required as a minimum to accomplish the work.

1. Name of requester.

2. Telephone number at which the requestor or someone in their absence can be reached.

3. Location. Either a room number or descriptive notation such as

“Main kitchen” or “near Room 1A-100.”

4. Description of the problem or work to be accomplished. Any information less than the minimum required can result in disapproved or more likely unacknowledged work requests.

B. Electronic Submission. Work requests submitted electronically by the Electronic Work Requests menu option in VistA can be done by employees with access to the Electronic Work Order menu option. A sufficient number of staff from each service/care line, service or section should have this option. Information and training for the work order menu option is available through the Engineering Section, at extension 5884 or 5887.

1. After calling up the option on VistA, choose Engineering.

2. Answer all questions to the best of your ability. Of critical importance are the four minimum pieces of information as described above.

3. VistA keeps a log of work requests.

C. Emergencies. Emergency requests for engineering work may be telephoned to CSC at 5884 or Plant Operations at extension 5884 during non-regular business hours. For EMS emergencies, call extension 7488.

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D. Biomedical equipment emergency repairs can be requested by calling the CSC at 5884 or directly to the shop at 7271. During non regular business hours Biomed requests may be made by calling Plant Operations Unit, extension 5884.

IV. RESPONSIBILITIES

A. It is the responsibility of service/care line executives, service chiefs and designees to ensure that work requests are clearly and completely stated. Requests for improvements or fabrications shall be approved and signed by the service or care line executive. Engineering Section will prepare the necessary plans and cost estimates on all improvements and renovations and take any other action, including clearance with the Associate Medical Center Director, leading to the final disposition of the project. All functional changes in the utilization of space and transfer of space between services or resource requests must be approved through the appropriate Board or Committee. In the event the request is disapproved, the request and its attachments will be returned to the requesting official with a statement of the action taken, including the reason for disapproval. Involved services are responsible for clearing space issues through the appropriate Board or Committee.

B. Requests for repair or service of MEDVAMC equipment shall be submitted on a work order by the service or care line executive, service chief or designee and forwarded to Engineering Section or called in to the CSC. Requests for equipment repair or service must include the equipment entry number found on the bar code label affixed to the equipment. Requests, which are disapproved due to equipment being beyond economical repair, shall be returned to the requesting service with a recommendation to replace the equipment; a copy will be provided to A&MMS.

C. Do not deliver medical equipment requiring repair to the Biomedical Engineering Shop. Section personnel will pick up, repair and return equipment to its original location. The work request must specify its location of the equipment.

V. REFERENCES

DM&S Supplement to MP-3, Chapter 2, Section 2.03, March 15, 1978.

Engineering User Manual, Version 7.0, Chapter 4, August 1993.

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VI. RESCISSION

Medical Center Policy Memorandum No. 138ENG-002, Work Orders, dated October 17, 2013.

Francisco Vazquez Medical Center Director