The 5 Phases of Device Lifecycle Management
In industries like healthcare, adept device lifecycle management helps improve customer experience.
As the use of remote patient monitoring (RPM) rises — experts anticipate that the RPM market will be worth $2.14 billion in 2027 (almost three times its 2019 value) — the need for robust device lifecycle management has become glaringly apparent.
According to one study, approximately 88% of companies cite device lifecycle management as a major concern as it can impact customer experience and subsequently adoption rates. As such, many healthcare organizations are turning to new methods of device lifecycle management to ensure devices are implemented as efficiently and effectively as possible. The goal? Improve device lifecycle management to improve the customer experience, lower support costs, and reduce pressure on staff.
Breaking Down the Phases of Device Lifecycle Management
Device lifecycle management is generally divided into five distinct phases. While each phase is unique, they all play an equally important role in improving the consumer experience.
1. Device Procurement
A device’s lifecycle begins with planning and development. During this phase, service providers work with customers to determine the device’s purpose as well as the functions and specifications needed to achieve that purpose. In most cases, the primary purpose of a new device is to solve a problem more efficiently and/or cost-effectively.
Once a device’s purpose and specifications have been established, the device is secured from appropriate vendors or designed and tested by engineers who incorporate user feedback along the way. Device staging, integration, and kitting are also important parts of the procurement process, ensuring only high-functioning devices are placed directly into the hands of end users.
2. Implementation
After procurement, devices are integrated into an organization’s existing technology platforms and applications, connected to the necessary networks, and configured according to the desired specifications. These activities comprise the implementation phase.
The implementation phase also includes robust end-user training and device monitoring. Any issues that emerge are closely assessed to facilitate rapid solution identification and deployment.
3. Maintenance
Devices that malfunction lead to spikes in helpdesk requests and repair costs that directly impair employee productivity, making maintenance one of the most important phases of device lifecycle management.
The maintenance phase focuses on ongoing device operability. Ticketing systems that feature a built-in inventory management tool that integrates with an organization’s existing CRM can help significantly improve the device repair, return, and replacement process.
4. Reporting
During the reporting phase, a device’s success is tracked and analyzed along with any relevant data collected by other devices that are already in use. Monitoring the effectiveness and health of multiple devices can quickly become a cumbersome task, especially when more than one system or platform is involved.
Developing a consistent schedule for generating and reviewing performance reports helps streamline this process and ensure the information gathered, processed, or transmitted by devices continues to align with the desired objectives.
5. Decommissioning
While device design and procurement often receive the lion’s share of the attention, proper device disposal is an essential part of device lifecycle management as well. All devices must be retired in compliance with strict healthcare regulations to ensure sensitive data isn’t accessed by unauthorized parties.
Retiring devices also helps boost vendors’ sustainability efforts and keeps them in good standing with their customers.
The Benefits of Device Lifecycle Management
Effective device lifecycle management has the power to reduce operational costs and improve customer experience — if it’s conducted correctly.
At Epiphany, we offer end-to-end device logistics services, working closely with organizations to ensure devices are rolled out — and drive results — without leading to a landslide of support requests. Paired with our remote and onsite end-user training, we empower end users to use new technologies effectively and boost the value of home healthcare. Contact us today to learn more about our full suite of HIPAA-compliant services.
