New Year, New Strategy: Build a Maintenance Program That Works in 2025

The start of a new year is synonymous with fresh beginnings and renewed goals. For hospitals and healthcare facilities, 2025 presents a golden opportunity to revamp processes and set the stage for long-term success. One area often overlooked but crucial to operational efficiency, compliance, and patient care is hospital bed maintenance. It’s time to make bed maintenance a priority by implementing a strategic and efficient program that works—not just for now, but for years to come.

So, what does “building a maintenance program that works” really mean? It means moving away from reactive, patchwork solutions and embracing a proactive, strategic approach. It’s about cutting costs, improving patient care, and keeping your biomed and facilities teams focused on what they do best: ensuring that critical equipment stays operational.

Let’s dive into why a proactive hospital bed maintenance program should be at the top of your New Year’s resolutions and how you can make it happen.

The Case for Proactive Bed Maintenance in 2025

Why Hospital Beds Deserve the Spotlight Hospital beds are often overlooked, yet they’re among the most critical assets in any healthcare facility. They directly impact patient care and comfort while playing a crucial role in maintaining operational flow. A malfunctioning bed isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a disruption to patient care, a potential safety hazard, and a liability.

This year, it’s time to recognize the vital role hospital beds play and give them the attention they deserve. With a well-planned maintenance program, you’ll not only extend their lifespan but also reduce downtime, minimize costs, and ensure compliance with safety regulations.

Step 1: Start with a New Year’s Inventory

Know What You Have to Fix What’s Broken Before you can strategize, you need to assess your current situation. Conduct a thorough inventory of all your hospital beds. Capture essential details such as make, model, age, and maintenance history. This information will serve as the foundation for creating a program tailored to your facility’s specific needs.

Pro tip: Identify the beds that are repeat offenders in terms of breakdowns. These troublemakers may need extra attention or even replacement. By starting the year with a comprehensive inventory, you’ll avoid surprises down the road.

Step 2: Set SMART Goals for Bed Maintenance

Strategic Planning Meets Accountability As with any successful program, goal-setting is key. Adopt SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) to guide your maintenance strategy. For example:

• Specific: Reduce bed downtime by 20% within six months.
• Measurable: Track repairs and preventive maintenance activities to ensure goals are met.
• Achievable: Ensure your biomed and facilities teams are equipped with the tools and resources needed to execute the plan.
• Relevant: Align maintenance goals with broader hospital objectives, such as improving patient satisfaction and operational efficiency.
• Time-Bound: Establish clear deadlines to ensure accountability.

Step 3: Embrace Preventive Maintenance

Don’t Wait for Problems to Arise Preventive maintenance is the cornerstone of any effective bed maintenance program. This proactive approach involves regular inspections, cleaning, and adjustments to prevent small issues from escalating into costly repairs or replacements.

For example, routine checks on bed motors, brakes, and side rails can catch wear and tear before they lead to failure. Scheduling preventive maintenance during non-peak hours ensures minimal disruption to hospital operations.

Preventive maintenance doesn’t just save money—it saves time, minimizes downtime, and ensures beds are always ready when patients need them.

Step 4: Adopt Predictive Maintenance Technology

Data-Driven Insights for the Win Predictive maintenance takes efficiency to the next level by using technology to anticipate issues before they occur. IoT-enabled hospital beds, for instance, can monitor components like motor strain, battery life, and mechanical wear in real-time. This data allows your team to intervene before a bed fails, reducing disruptions and costly emergency repairs.

In 2025, predictive maintenance isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a game-changer. By investing in smart technology, you’ll save money, streamline operations, and stay ahead of the curve.

Step 5: Simplify the Process with Outsourcing

Why Go It Alone When You Don’t Have To? Let’s face it: your biomed, facilities, and engineering teams have a lot on their plates. From life-support equipment to imaging systems, their focus should be on critical assets—not fixing bedrails. Outsourcing bed maintenance to a specialized provider like Emeritus lets your in-house teams concentrate on high-priority tasks while ensuring beds are expertly maintained.

Outsourcing also eliminates the administrative headaches of managing multiple vendors and purchase orders. With a single point of contact and a streamlined contract, you’ll reduce complexity, improve efficiency, and free up valuable resources.

Step 6: Keep Compliance in Check

Stay Ahead of Regulations Regulatory compliance is non-negotiable in healthcare. Hospital beds must meet strict safety and performance standards to pass audits and inspections. A robust maintenance program ensures all documentation is in order, inspections are up-to-date, and beds are always audit-ready.

By making compliance a priority, you’ll avoid penalties, protect your facility’s reputation, and provide safer environments for patients and staff alike.

Step 7: Train Your Team for Success

Knowledge Is Power Your maintenance program is only as strong as the team behind it. Invest in training for your biomed and facilities staff to ensure they’re equipped to handle bed maintenance effectively. This includes understanding specific bed models, troubleshooting techniques, and compliance requirements.

Don’t forget to involve clinical staff as well. Teaching them proper usage and basic troubleshooting can prevent avoidable damage and reduce service calls.

Step 8: Measure, Monitor, and Optimize

What Gets Measured Gets Improved To ensure your maintenance program delivers results, track key performance indicators (KPIs) like downtime reduction, cost savings, and compliance rates. Regularly review these metrics to identify areas for improvement and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Think of this as your program’s annual health check. By continuously monitoring performance, you’ll keep your program on track and ensure it evolves with your facility’s needs.

Step 9: Celebrate Your Wins

Acknowledge the Small Victories Implementing a strategic maintenance program is no small feat. Celebrate milestones along the way—whether it’s reducing repair costs, passing an audit with flying colors, or receiving positive feedback from staff. Recognizing these achievements keeps your team motivated and reinforces the value of your efforts.

A New Year, A New Opportunity

2025 is your chance to turn hospital bed maintenance from a recurring headache into a streamlined, strategic process. By taking a proactive approach, you’ll save money, improve patient care, and free your team to focus on what truly matters.

Remember, bed maintenance isn’t just about keeping equipment functional—it’s about creating a safer, more efficient healthcare environment for everyone. Make this the year you resolve to get it right.

Let’s start 2025 on the right foot—or should we say, on the right bed.