These are intended to reduce the time it takes for service engineers to carry out the various testing procedures. The devices are hand held and battery operated to enable engineers to quickly check the safety of the scanners to ensure compliance with the recurrent and post repair test requirements of the new IEC 62353 standard for medical devices.

The previous testing devices could not offer this facility without a significant upgrade, the company reports. There are approximately 500 scanners in use within the UK healthcare sector at present, each of which needs to be tested at least twice a year.

The 288 features the latest Bluetooth technology for wireless connection of bar code scanners, label printers and other accessories. Engineers are therefore able to carry out cable-free data transfer and safety labelling, without the cumbersome plugging and unplugging of leads and cords.

As well as storing the results of electrical tests, the instrument also has the ability to record user defined inspections and measurements from specialist electro medical equipment such as SpO2, NIBP, ECG and other patient devices.

It also incorporates easy-to-follow, menu driven instructions for simple operation and test control of all IEC62353 required electrical safety tests in manual, semi automatic or fully automatic test modes.

Wellingborough-based Hitachi Medical Systems is part of the Hitachi Group that designs, manufactures and supplies advanced medical equipment and solutions to healthcare markets worldwide.

Its ultra sound platforms range from state-of-the-art devices used in doctors’ surgeries to the ultimate high-end machines, designed for hospitals.