Reliability Analysis of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Equipment Based on Non-homogeneous Poisson Process / 中国医疗器械杂志

In order to evaluate the quality of different brands of magnetic resonance imaging system, optimize the quality of equipment repair and maintenance, and ensure the quality and safety of the equipment in clinical use. Meanwhile build the reliability evaluation model of magnetic resonance imaging equipment based on the large failure data collected by magnetic resonance repair system. In this paper, using the fault data of a certain brand of magnetic resonance in the past two years, applying the statistical judgment criterion, selecting the appropriate statistical distribution model, and finally fitting the equipment reliability evaluation model based on the non-homogeneous Poisson process, and then obtaining the magnetic resonance imaging equipment. Reliability evaluation indicators such as cumulative fault strength function, magnetic resonance imaging equipment fault density function, and mean time between failures. According to the calculated reliability index, on the one hand, it can evaluate the system reliability quality of a certain brand of magnetic resonance imaging equipment, and then evaluate the quality of different brands of magnetic resonance imaging equipment, on the other hand, it can help hospital equipment managers to carry out operational optimization, maintenance strategy development and safety management of magnetic resonance imaging equipment.

Construction of Quality Control System for Medical Equipment under the Model of County Medical Service Community / 中国医疗器械杂志

The construction of county and district medical community is an important measure for high-quality medical resources to "double sink and improve". In this study, we have initially constructed a medical equipment quality control system for members of the regional medical community. The current situation of lack of professional medical equipment management personnel and quality control equipment in primary medical institutions has been alleviated, the quality control level of medical equipment in primary medical institutions has been improved, and a new management model for quality control of primary medical equipment has been explored.

Parte I. Requerimientos básicos de infectología para hospitales que atienden pacientes hemato-oncológicos: ambiente hospitalario, protocolos diagnósticos y arsenal terapéutico. Fundamentación / Basic requirements of facilities for hospitals that treat hemato-oncological patients: hospital environment, diagnostic protocols and therapeutic arsenal

Resumen La atención de pacientes con cáncer, incluyendo los receptores de trasplantes de precursores hematopoyéticos, plantea numerosos desafíos para los hospitales que deben proveer ambientes seguros, en que se logre aminorar al máximo posible la exposición a patógenos que generan morbilidad y mortalidad. Al mismo tiempo deben contar con protocolos establecidos que permitan realizar un estudio racional de las posibles etiologías infecciosas que pueden presentar estos pacientes. A su vez, deben asegurar la existencia de un arsenal terapéutico adecuado, junto a algoritmos de tratamiento oportuno, actualizado según guías consensuadas y efectivo según la infección sospechada o confirmada. En este artículo se introducen algunos de los argumentos que sustentan estos requerimientos que luego se desarrollan en tres artículos sucesivos dedicados al ambiente hospitalario, protocolos diagnósticos y arsenal terapéutico.

The care of cancer patients, including recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, has numerous challenges for hospitals that must provide safe environments in which exposure to pathogens that generate morbidity and mortality is reduced at maximum. At the same time, they must have established protocols that allow a rational study of the possible infectious etiologies and the existence of an adequate therapeutic arsenal together with timely treatment algorithms, updated according to consensus guidelines and effective according to the suspected or confirmed infection. This article introduces some of the arguments that support these requirements, then that are developed in three successive articles dedicated to the hospital environment, diagnostic protocols and therapeutic arsenal.

Patents on hospital medical and dental equipment (EMHO). Question and answer tool

Abstract Purpose: To create a question and answer tool on patents on EMHO. Methods: Was used the Thinking Design methodology divided into four phases: Discovery, Definition, Development and Delivery. Discovery Phase: Desk research was carried out in: SciELO, Pubmed, LILACS, Google and Google Scholar. Once the target audience was selected, the interviews were conducted. Definition Phase: the interviewees' difficulties were mapped, on an Excel spreadsheet. Development Phase: a brainstorming was conducted with the public interviewed. Delivery Phase: the prototype, validation and final elaboration of the tool were made. Results: Discovery Phase: 10 inventors were identified and the interviews were carried out. Definition Phase: 80% of the interviewees determined lack of information as one of the problems. The main content was defined as: the patent process, from the beginning of the idea to the deposit (70%), search for precedence (40%) and informing partners (30%). Development Phase: with the brainstorming, the tool type was defined as an interactive site. Delivery Phase: a prototype with content framework and an interactive video was presented for validation. After approval, the interactive website was developed, which was made available to the public. Conclusion: A question and answer tool on patents in EMHO was developed.

Especificações mínimas aceitáveis de um analisador de desfibriladores e cardioversores / Minimum acceptable specifications for a defibrillator and cardioverter analyzer

Esta pesquisa objetiva recomendar especificações que os analisadores de desfibriladores e cardioversores devam apresentar, tais como: erro máximo de medição, resolução, condições de operação e recursos desejáveis. As recomendações apresentadas baseiam-se nos quesitos demandados para a realização dos ensaios previstos pelas normas NBR IEC  60601-2-4:2005 e ANSI/AAMI  DF80:2003. Uma avaliação das especificações fornecidas de quatro analisadores importados (Fluke  QED6, Fluke Impulse  7000, MTK-Biomed  Delta 3000  MKII e NETECH Delta  3000) e dois analisadores nacionais (Transmai  JM-01 e Ourox  JAU-100) também foi realizada, tendo encontrado diversas falhas de especificações em todos os analisadores. Estas falhas vão desde o não fornecimento de dados a condições aquém das desejáveis para um analisador de desfibriladores e cardioversores. Os problemas mais graves encontrados estão relacionados à não apresentação de especificações tais como precisão, exatidão de medição, erro máximo de medição ou outra informação que por sua vez auxiliaria na determinação do intervalo de abrangência para a medida, como a de energia pelo analisador Transmai  JM-01, algo inaceitável para um instrumento de medição, incertezas elevadas e condições de operação aquém das necessárias para a realização dos ensaios determinados pelas normas NBR IEC  60601-2-4:2005 e ANSI/AAMI  DF80:2003.

This study aims to recommend specifications for defibrillator and cardioverter analyzers, such as maximum permissible measurement error, resolution, operating conditions and desirable features. The recommendations are based on the test requirements from the ABNT  NBR IEC  60601-2-4:2005 and ANSI/AAMI  DF80:2003 standards. An evaluation of the specifications provided by four imported analyzers (Fluke QED 6, Fluke Impulse  7000, MTK-Biomed  Delta 3000  MKII and NETECH Delta  3000) and two Brazilian analyzers (Transmai  JM-01 and Ourox  JAU-110) has also been performed, and several problems were found with specifications of those analyzers. These problems range from unsupplied data to less than desirable conditions for a defibrillator and cardioverter analyzer. The most serious problems encountered are related to the lack of specifications such as precision, accuracy, maximum permissible measurement error or other specifications that would help determine the coverage interval of the measure, an unacceptable  mistake for a measurement instrument. Other problems were related to measurement error and operating conditions not complying with the requirements of the ABNT  NBR IEC  60601-2-4:2005 and the ANSI/AAMI  DF80:2003 standards.

Short-term complications of hemorrhoidectomy in outpatient and inpatient operations in Shiraz, Southern Iran

Today, hospitals and patients are both willing to benefit from outpatient services. Considering limits of supply, it seems that there is a need to run productive management in offering health services to prevent wasting of supplies and facilities. This study compares the complications caused by hemorrhoidectomy in outpatient and inpatient operations. In a cross-sectional study during 1.5 years, 208 patients without any background disease were enrolled. They were randomly allocated into two groups [inpatient and outpatient] and interviewed within two weeks after surgical operations. The data were collected through a questionnaire and physical examination. The complications in the two groups of operating theater of hospital and clinic were then compared regarding sex, occupation, education and etc. One week after the surgical operation, the patients in the hospital operating theater showed significantly a better healing recovery of their wound. Other complications such as pain, hemorrhage, infection, inflammation, involuntary emission of feces and gas indicated no significant difference between the two groups. After 2 weeks, more pain was noticed in patients in the operating theaters of the hospital and in clinics, there was more infection visible. The hemorrhage, inflammation, wound healing, involuntary emission of feces and gas did not indicate a significant difference between the operating theater of hospital and the clinic. There was no significant difference regarding the patients' satisfaction in the two groups. We recommend that for optimized use of supplies and equipments in operating theaters and to lower the cost and shorten queue of patients, grade 2 hemorrhoids are performed in the operating theater of clinics considering sterilization and safety procedures

Avaliação da qualidade de imagens de equipamentos de ultrassom modo B / Image quality evaluation of B-mode ultrasound equipment

Este trabalho teve por objetivo o desenvolvimento e avaliação da eficácia de um protocolo de controle de qualidade de imagens geradas por equipamentos de ultrassom operando no modo B, que fosse de fácil implementação e que utilizasse um único objeto de testes. O protocolo proposto foi avaliado em 25 equipamentos de ultrassom utilizados em medicina obstétrica, ginecologia e clínica médica, selecionados em várias clínicas e hospitais de Curitiba, Brasil. Somente modelos de equipamentos que suportavam os três tipos padrões de transdutores (convexo, linear e endocavitário) foram incluídos nos testes. No entanto, em alguns dos equipamentos, nem todos os transdutores estavam disponíveis, totalizando 72 transdutores avaliados durante os testes. Um objeto de testes de uso geral foi utilizado para avaliar os seguintes parâmetros: resoluções laterais e axiais, profundidade de visualização e exatidão das distâncias medidas, entre outras. O protocolo foi implementado em duas partes: uma envolvendo a inspeção física do equipamento/monitor e outra para avaliação dos transdutores. Entre os resultados obtidos, pode-se destacar a efetividade e simplicidade do protocolo proposto, o qual é completamente baseado em um único objeto de testes. Considerando as normas e relatórios técnicos utilizados, para aproximadamente 86% dos transdutores avaliados, falhas foram detectadas em um ou mais indicadores de qualidade de imagem. Os resultados obtidos estão de acordo com outros estudos realizados no Brasil, mostrando que um grande número de equipamentos utilizados diariamente em clínicas e hospitais apresenta um ou mais parâmetros fora dos limites estabelecidos em normas técnicas, tornando difícil o diagnóstico médico e, consequentemente, submetendo o paciente a riscos.

This study aims the development of a quality control protocol of images generated by B-mode ultrasound equipment, being of simple implementation and making use of a single phantom, as well as the evaluation of the proposed protocol effectiveness. The proposed protocol was evaluated on 25 ultrasound equipment used in obstetric medicine, gynaecology and medical clinic, selected from several clinics and hospitals of Curitiba, Brazil. Only systems with three standard transducers (convex, linear and endocavitary types) should be selected, however for some units not all of them were available, thus a total of 72 transducers were tested. A general purpose phantom was used to evaluate the following parameters: lateral and axial resolution, deepness of visualization and accuracy between distances, among others. The protocol was implemented in two parts: one involving the physical inspection of the equipment/monitor and another for the transducers evaluation. Among the results obtained, one is highlighted by the effectiveness and simplicity of the proposed protocol, which is completely based on a single phantom. Considering the utilized standards and technical reports, for approximately 86% of the evaluated transducers, some kind of failure or problem was detected in one or more image quality indicators. The results, inaccordance to those obtained by other authors in Brazil, showed that agreat number of equipment used daily in clinics and hospitals present one or more parameters out of the standards, making the medical diagnosis difficult and consequently submitting the patient to risks.

¿Podemos confiar en una glicemia realizada en un glucómetro al lado de la cama del enfermo? / Are blood glucose measurements made with portable glucometers reliable?

Examinations performed beside the bed of patients ("Point-ofcare testing, POCT") provide immediate results and are simple to perform. The most common of these tests is the self control of blood glucose levels in diabetic patients. The use of these devices at the hospital level, introduces a new set of requirements to health institutions, which should monitor all aspects of the process, including training of final users, proper quality control, development of written procedures for use and even participation in surveys of external quality control, avoiding the generation of errors and guaranting patient safety (Rev Méd Chile 2009; 137:1261-4).

Los exámenes realizados al lado de la cama del enfermo ("Point of care testing, POCT") tienen como mayor ventaja la rapidez en la entrega de resultados y la simplicidad de uso, siendo su principal aplicación el autocontrol de la glicemia en pacientes diabéticos. El uso de estos equipos a nivel hospitalario introduce exigencias a las instituciones de salud, las cuales deben monitorizar todos ¡os aspectos del proceso, incluyendo la capacitación de los usuarios, el adecuado control de calidad, el desarrollo de procedimientos escritos para su uso e inclusive la participación en encuestas de control de calidad externo, evitando la generación de errores y colaborando así con la seguridad del paciente.

Avaliação das propriedades físicas e funcionais dos dispositivos de insuflação de cateteres de angioplastia submetidos a processo para reutilização / Evaluation of the physical and functional properties of angioplasty insufflation devices undergoing reuse processing

Introdução: A prática de reprocessamento, de reesterilização e de reutilização de artigos odonto-médico-hospitalares é ampla no País e no mundo, e tem como objetivo fundamental reduzir os custos dos procedimentos. Os dispositivos de insuflação de cateteres de angioplastia não fogem a essa regra de reutilização. A avaliação das características físicas e funcionais desses dispositivos após processamento para sua reutilização permanece pouco explorada na literatura. Objetivos: Avaliar se as características físicas e funcionais dos dispositivos de insuflação de cateteres de angioplastia, após os processos para a reutilização, são mantidas, bem como determinar a vida útil de tais dispositivos. Método: Estudo longitudinal contemporâneo. Incluíram-se dispositivos de insuflação de cateteres de angioplastia novos, utilizados no período de novembro de 2007 a março de 2008. Estudo realizado em hospital universitário, localizado em Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. As avaliações foram realizadas em dois momentos: grupo A, dispositivos avaliados imediatamente após o primeiro uso; e grupo B, dispositivos avaliados após usos subsequentes...

Background: Reuse of dental and medical devices is a worldwide common practice, and our country is not an exception; its aim is to reduce procedural costs. PTCA insufflation devices (or manometers) are frequently resterilized for clinical reuse purposes. Evaluations of their physical and mechanical properties are not described in current literature. Objective: Determine if the physical and functional characteristics of insufflation devices are maintained after reuse processing, as well as establish their life span. Methods: This was a prospective longitudinal study, carried out at university hospital in Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. From November 2007 to March 2008, all new insufflation devices were included and separated in two different groups: Group A devices were evaluated immediately after their first use and Group B devices were evaluated after subsequent uses...

Etno-avaliação da humanização hospitalar pelo usuário do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) e seus mediadores / Ethnic evaluation of hospital humanization by the users of the brazilian unified health system and their mediators / Etno-evaluación de la humanización hospitalaria por el usuario del sistema único de salud brasileño y sus mediadores

A pesquisa teve por objetivo etno-avaliar a humanização da assistência hospitalar na percepção de usuários hospitalizados. Os dados foram coletados de janeiro a julho de 2005, em hospital público de Fortaleza-CE, por meio do percurso do paciente. Participaram 13 usuários hospitalizados. A análise foi realizada pela técnica de análise categorial, originando as categorias: etno-avaliação da estrutura e dinâmica hospitalar, da imagem hospitalar e da competência profissional humana e técnica. Os usuários utilizavam múltiplas facetas para suavizar suas opiniões, sendo desvelados fatores incluídos nessas facetas, denominados mediadores da etno-avaliação, e os categorizaram em: condições da entrevista, condição socioeconômica, personalidade e religiosidade do usuário, discurso irônico, diagnóstico sombrio e necessidades atendidas e experiência anterior de hospitalização. Elementos revelados pelos pacientes são significativos para mobilizar profissionais e gestores com vistas a mudanças que promovam a humanização e incluam o usuário como etno-avaliador crítico social.

This study was aimed at evaluating the humanization of hospital care ethnically, as perceived by the hospitalized patients. Data were collected from 13 inpatients from January to July/2005 in a public hospital in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, according to the patient's circuit. This analysis yielded the following categories: ethnic evaluation of the hospital structure and dynamics, hospital and professional image, human and technical competence. The subjects used multiple aspects to soften their opinions, unveiling factors named mediators of the ethnical evaluation. Such aspects were categorized into: conditions of the interview, socio-economic status, user's personality and religiousness, ironic speech, somber diagnosis and necessities met, and prior hospitalization experiences. The elements revealed by the patients are significant in order to encourage professionals and mediators to mobilize towards humanizing changes, including the user as a social and critical ethnic evaluator.

La investigación tuvo por objetivo etno-evaluar la humanización de la asistencia hospitalaria según la percepción de los usuarios hospitalizados. Los datos fueron recolectados de enero a julio del 2005, en un hospital público de Fortaleza-CE, a través de la opinión del paciente. Participaron 13 usuarios hospitalizados. El análisis fue realizado por análisis de categorías: etno-evaluación de la estructura y dinámica hospitalaria, la imagen hospitalaria y la competencia profesional humana y técnica. Los usuarios utilizaron varias formas para suavizar sus opiniones, siendo mostrados factores denominados de mediadores de la etno-evaluación catalogados como: condiciones de la entrevistas, condición socioeconómica, personalidad y religiosidad del usuario, narración irónica, diagnóstico sombrío y necesidades atendidas y experiencia anterior a la hospitalización. Aspectos mencionados por los pacientes son significativos para movilizar profesionales y gestores para cambios que promuevan la humanización e incluyan al usuario como etno-evaluador crítico social.

Avaliação do ambiente eletromagnético em estabelecimentos assistenciais de saúde / Electromagnetic environment assessment in health care facilities

A crescente inserção de tecnologia eletroeletrônica em estabelecimentos assistenciais de saúde (EAS), seja como equipamentos terapêuticos, de diagnóstico ou até mesmo suporte vital, tem sido vista pela comunidade científica como a grande responsável pelo aumento dos níveis de energia eletromagnética emitidos ao ambiente hospitalar. Dessa forma, quando a energia eletromagnética presente no ambiente atinge um determinado nível crítico, fica estabelecida uma situação que é propícia ao aparecimento de dois fenômenos indesejados: a interferência eletromagnética (EMI) em equipamentos médicos, e os riscos biológicos (RBL) em seres vivos. Um importante recurso para gerenciar a compatibilidade eletromagnética e evitar o aparecimento destes fenômenos é o conhecimento das características eletromagnéticas presentes nestes ambientes. O objetivo deste trabalho é diagnosticar o comportamento eletromagnético estabelecido em ambientes de grande concentração de fontes emissoras como, por exemplo, o encontrado em centros cirúrgicos, através de uma série de medições in situ das grandezas eletromagnéticas envolvidas nestes meios (campos elétricos, campos magnéticos, ruídos conduzidos). Com base nestas medidas é realizada uma avaliação crítica de modo a comparar a situação estabelecida nos EAS e os limites de segurança preconizados por organismos competentes, tanto para EMI quanto para RBL. Como resultado desta análise, começa a existir maior discernimento quanto à real situação do ambiente eletromagnético encontrado em EAS nacionais, subsidiando informações para a definição de diretrizes mais eficientes para implementação de programas de gestão tecnológica que são direcionados às necessidades específicas destes hospitais.

Advances in technology and the increased use of electro-medical equipment (EME) to support medical procedures such as monitoring, diagnosis, therapeutic or even life support are considered as greatly responsible for the increase of electromagnetic energy within health care facilities (HCF) environments. In such circumstances, when electromagnetic energy reaches a certain critical level, a dangerous situation is established and two undesirable phenomena can take place, both electromagnetic interference (EMI) in medical equipment, and biological risks (BLR) in living beings. The knowledge of electromagneticcharacteristics shown by these environments can represent an important tool in order to promote electromagnetic compatibility and avoid the appearance of undesirable phenomena. Therefore, this work aims to diagnose the electromagnetic profile established in critical areas, such as operating rooms, through a number of “in situ” measurements concerning electromagnetic quantities present in this environment (electric field, magnetic field, conducted noise). Moreover, a critical evaluation follows in order to compare the establishedsituation within HCF and the safety levels prescribed by regulatory organizations regarding EMI and BLR. As a result of this assessment, a better understanding on the actual situation concerning the electromagnetic environment in HCF can be achieved, allowing clinical engineers to define better directives in order to implement an adequate management programs in these hospitals.

Problemas de segurança e desempenho em equipamentos eletromédicos relacionados aos diferentes padrões de alimentação elétrica / Medical electrical equipment safety and performance problems related to different standards or mains supply

Alguns problemas encontrados na certificação de equipamentos eletromédicos relacionados aos diferentes padrões de alimentação elétrica existentes no Brasil e em outros países são apresentados. Para analisá-los foi executado um conjunto de ensaios (medeições da potência de entrada, corrente de fuga para o terra, temperaturas excessivas e parâmetros de saída) em um grupo de equipamentos eletromédicos operando em diferentes padões de alimentação elétrica. Adicionalmente, foi proposto e executado um ensaio complementar de conexão à tensão errada para verificar a segurança de equipamentos com comutação manual de tensão de alimentação. Resultados com diferenças bastante significativas entre as cinco condições de alimentação utilizadas foram obtidos, demonstrando as deficiências que podem ocorrer na utilização de Memorandos de Entendimento (MoU) realizados para aproveitar certificações pré-existentes, assim como a necessidade de regulamentação complementar para o processo. Conclui-se que há necessidade de uma adaptação normativa para corrigir algumas imperfeições das normas nacionais e internacionais. Essa adaptações deveriam incluir, pelo menos: prescrições claras relativas às condições de alimentação elétrica nas quais os equipamentos devem ser ensaiados e certificados no Brasil; um ensaio adicional, como o proposto nesta pesquisa, para avaliar a segurança de equipamentos com comutação de tensão de alimentação através de chave manual; e prescrições sobre quais plugues de rede são aceitáveis para o uso no Brasil.

Development of quality indicators for sterilization practices of the central sterile supply department.

OBJECTIVE: To develop quality indicators for assessing the performance of central sterile supply department. (CSSD). MATERIAL AND METHOD: Quality indicators for sterilization in CSSD were searched by literature review and by current situation analysis by 79 infection control nurses (ICNs) and 83 heads of CSSD. Quality indicators were drafted and subsequently validated by 5 experts. The feasibility and applicability of the quality indicators were tested in 37 ICNs and 34 heads of CSSD. The quality indicators were finally refined by a forum of 5 experts and 5 representatives from CSSD. RESULTS: A total of 30 quality indicators were developed. These include 9 indicators for structure, 12 for process and 9 for output of CSSD. The quality indicators were deemed appropriate for the assessment of the quality of CSSD in Thailand. CONCLUSION: Thirty indicators were developed for assessing the quality of CSSD.

Equipos de infusäo endovenosa: critérios de seleçäo utilizados por enfermeiros em um hospital de ensino de Belo Horizonte / The infusion set of intravenous infusion

O equipo de infusäo endovenosa é um material médico-hospitalar, considerado crítico do ponto de vista da assistência, pelo seu potencial de risco para os pacientes e que é encontrado, no mercado, em grande diversidade no que que se refere à qualidade, preço e indicaçäo de uso. Se mal utilizados pelos profissionais, opaciente pode sofrer danos irreversíveis decorrentes de hipervolemia, alteraçöes na concentraçäo plasmática dos fármacos administrados e combinaçäo destes com a matéria prima utilizada na fabricaçäo. O enfermeiro, como grande usuário de equipos, deve estar atento quanto a sua indicaçäo de uso em infusöes endovenosas...

Manual de operación, mantenimiento y ahorro de energía en calderos y redes de vapor / Operation manual, maintenance and energy saving in boilers and vapour networks

El presente trabajo surgió del Programa de Fortalecimiento de Servicios de Salud, con el fin de mejorar el mantenimiento de las plantas de generación y distribución de vapor de los hospitales, mediante la actualización del personal en técnicas de operación, mantenimiento preventivo, inspección y ahorro de energía, necesarios para el funcionamiento eficiente y vida útil de los equipos. Las técnicas planteadas permitirán optimizar la calidad de atención de los establecimientos de salud, mediante el buen funcionamiento de calderos, calentadores de agua, tanques de condensado, sistema de ablandamiento de agua

The state of India's neonatal units in the mid-nineties.

BACKGROUND: A previous study in 1987 showed that neonatal care facilities in major hospitals in the country were of a very poor standard. The present study was done to reassess their status. DESIGN: A survey. METHODS: A pretested structured questionnaire was sent to 48 centers in 1994-95. The responses were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 37 centers returned the questionnaire duly filled. Of them, 22 belonged to the government sector, the rest 15 to the private sector. A nursery bed: nurse ratio of less than 1.0 was reported by only 4 centers. Majority of the centers cited inadequate nursing strength and frequent transferring out of nurses as a major problem. Twenty nine (78%) centers had ventilation facilities. Most of them had 1 or 2 ventilators. Blood gas facility was available with 29 centers and parenteral nutrition was undertaken at 20 (54%) centers. Resuscitation bag(s) were available at all the centers and incubators at all except one. In quantitative terms, the following equipment was available in satisfactory numbers: resuscitation bags, resuscitation bassinet, incubators/open care systems, vital sign monitors, infusion pumps and pulse oximeters in 78.3%, 43.2%, 72.9%, 56.7%, 64.8% and 43.5% centers, respectively. Indigenous products of the following categories were reasonably well accepted: resuscitation bags, resuscitation bassinets, incubators, open care systems and dextrometers. CONCLUSION: The newborn care facilities, particularly the ventilation facilities, have improved in recent years. Almost 10 units were operating at or near level III standard of newborn care. Indigenous equipment of selected categories is replacing the imported equipment. However, most units continue to face problems of shortage of nursing personnel.