Since developing the world's first practical gastroscope in 1950, Olympus has continued to contribute to the advancement of medicine and improvement in patients' quality of life as a leading endoscope manufacturer. The task of Olympus service engineers is to ensure the early detection and treatment of problems that could cause endoscopes to malfunction.
Delicate, Precision-Engineered Devices
Endoscopes manufactured by Olympus are used in countless medical institutions. These precision-engineered devices are designed for direct insertion into patients' bodies, and some of their components are extremely delicate and require careful maintenance and repairs.
"Medical professionals are our customers, and our mission is to ensure that they can use our equipment safely and with confidence," says Fumio Watanabe, an endoscope service engineer working for the Field Service Planning Group of Olympus Medical Systems Corp. "Any reduction in repairs is better for them, and better for us.
"Malfunctions in crucial components, such as the CCDs that form the "eyes" of endoscopes, can result in expensive repairs that may put a strain on the budgets of medical institutions. Patients are also inconvenienced because of the need to suspend endoscopic procedures until equipment can be repaired.
Yet most endoscope malfunctions are preventable. Olympus field service engineers (FSEs) and sales personnel are working closely with the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Technicians Society to establish preventive care systems based on the early detection and "treatment" of endoscope malfunctions.
New Approval System for Instructors
Endoscope operation requires a high standard of technical skill and knowledge of safety requirements. The Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Technicians Society administers an approval system for endoscopy technicians.
At the request of the Society, which is a national organization for endoscopy technicians, Olympus supports training for technicians by holding about 40 courses and seminars throughout Japan each year. Olympus FSEs and sales personnel act as instructors for these programs. To ensure a consistent standard of training at all programs nationwide, Olympus introduced an instructor approval system three years ago with the cooperation of the Society.
The textbooks used have also been standardized. "Olympus and the Society agreed on the need for this approach," recalls Kenji Koyata, head of a technical team in the Endoscope Marketing Group of Olympus Medical Systems Corp. "The process of obtaining approval from the Society raises our standards and provides additional motivation. We have also expanded our distribution of detailed information through pamphlets, journals and other media."
Reciprocal Win-Win Relationships
Olympus emphasizes the importance of malfunction prevention. This requires four steps: 1) the analysis of malfunctions, 2) cause estimation and the development of preventive measures, 3) education about malfunction prevention, and 4) maintenance and follow-up activities.
The first three of these steps require cooperative efforts by Olympus and the Society. Olympus FSEs visit medical institutions to provide product information and offer appropriate advice about how equipment should be handled and stored and other aspects.
Olympus established a proactive program of user visits in 2007. As a result of this initiative, some medical institutions are already reporting improvements in equipment handling and maintenance costs.
Preventive maintenance is now the main focus of the repair reports given to users when replacement parts are delivered. These reports provide detailed information about the repair and the replacement parts used. They also include information about the probable causes of problems and suggestions for the prevention of recurrences.
These efforts to prevent malfunctions also lead to the discovery of user needs that can be reflected in product development. The result is a win-win relationship with benefits for both Olympus and users.
Step-up chart for malfunction prevention initiatives
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