Storage Period of Medical Equipment in Military Medicine

The amount of medical equipment amounts to several tens of thousands of items and represents one of the key elements of military medicine and its emergency reserves. Suffice it to mention that every modern post tent or surgical complex, including helicopters and airplanes, contains thousands of items of medical equipment that may be required when carrying out medical evacuation of a large number of victims. The procedure for maintaining emergency reserves is regulated by the “Instructions for organizing the storage (in reserve) of property supplied to the mobilization reserve of medical military units and institutions of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation” and “Instructional and methodological guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation of the wounded and sick (military medicine).” Medical equipment included in emergency stocks must be stored in a separate warehouse (section) in packaged form without opening the packaging

Medical supplies intended to meet current and urgent wartime needs for medical equipment are part of the mobilization reserves of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and are inviolable. Mobilization reserves are state property and are intended to ensure the mobilization readiness of the economy of the Russian Federation, as well as protect it from military threats.

One of the main principles of medical training for military personnel is the continuity of its organization, which implies the uninterrupted provision of participants with performing special training tasks in a combat situation. This continuity is especially important at the stages of preparation, training and use of mobilization resources of medical institutions, including in the event of emergency situations of a peaceful or military nature.

The shelf life of medical equipment is the period of time established by regulatory documents (period of existence) during which medical equipment can be stored without replacement or replaced. Established by the Government of the Russian Federation and orders of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation (depending on affiliation with certain organizations and institutions of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation).

The storage period for medical equipment is determined on the basis of the Rules for the Organization of the Armed Forces (2008), requirements for the health status of special forces soldiers of the Russian Federation. In addition, when determining the shelf life of medical supplies, the category of the employee is studied - military or civilian

The storage periods for military property depend on the classification, namely: Duration of use; Specified storage period. In the Ministry of Defense, items of limited circulation are stored from the moment of their release or entry into service until they are transferred to parts or decommissioned. It should be noted that some categories of property are the responsibility of customers and are transferred to them for subsequent use. This means that from the date of their transfer to the customer (the duration of the contract), the useful life period begins to count. Upon completion, the disposal date is determined. It is valid from the beginning of the month following the expiration of the contract until the end of wartime or another established date of withdrawal with subsequent disposal. It should be clarified that the decommissioning of defense products is carried out in several stages throughout their use, after

A military hospital, like any structure that works with medicines, drugs and medical equipment, takes care of the safety of its property. This article will discuss the topic of the storage period for medical equipment established for military medicine.

The shelf life of medical equipment is one of the most important aspects of the functioning of a military hospital. It establishes a period of time after which supplies of medical supplies, instruments and equipment must be replaced or renewed. This is done in order to ensure the availability of necessary care for wounded soldiers on the battlefield, as well as to prevent the use of outdated medicines and instruments that may pose a danger to the health and life of military personnel.

Order No. 550 of September 23, 2017 of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation defines a period of 5 years for the storage of medical equipment in the warehouses of the mobilization reserve of a military hospital, which corresponds to the standards established by law and federal legislation. In this case, the period can be extended depending on the specifics of the medical equipment and its use in the work of a military hospital (for example, the shelf life of vital drugs can be extended to 1 year).

An important aspect when determining the shelf life of medical equipment is its compliance with current safety standards and regulations. Therefore, before using old or obsolete medical equipment, specialists must check it for compliance with safety requirements and health regulations. If equipment does not meet standards, it may be sent for repair or disposal.

It should be noted that the management of a military hospital must regularly monitor the process of preserving medical property. This is because the shelf life of medications, instruments and other supplies may be reduced as part of planned purchases and medical equipment needs. To do this, it is necessary to conduct periodic checks of the status of supplies, promptly replace outdated medicines, tools and equipment with new ones, and improve the quality of medical care for wounded and injured soldiers.