PENSACOLA, Fla. - At Naval Air Station Pensacola (NASP), in a Naval Branch Health Clinic (NBHC) dental treatment room sized for a single patient, a vacant space on the wall lies exposed wires and an empty plastic mold that seems as if it were meant to hold an object. This space marks the spot where an X-ray unit will soon be installed. Cardboard boxes and plastic bags filled with various parts such as an extension arm, control panel and tube head lay on the ground waiting to be assembled.
A specialized team is in charge of bringing this equipment online. Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Khalil Williams, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Brentkyle Cabrero and Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Samuel Toe are Biomedical Equipment Technicians (BMETs) at Naval Hospital Pensacola, executing a work order to install the new dental X-ray unit.
Beyond maintenance and assembly, clinics depend on BMETs to ensure smooth daily operations by expertly installing and maintaining their essential medical equipment.
“Installing the dental X-ray unit allows the clinic to be fully medically ready ensuring providers and medical staff properly perform their job and carry out their duties” said Cabrero.
Within patient care, the use of medical equipment is imperative. Providers rely on medical equipment to be ready and up to date, allowing them to consistency provide critical and accurate diagnosis and treatment.
“BMETs keep this place functioning, and they are always helping us see more patients by maintaining our operational readiness allowing us to send Marines and Sailors to the fleet” said Lt. Marissa Singh, endodontist assigned to NBHC NASP.
The clinic’s leadership’s trust and confidence in BMETs proves that these technicians are an indispensable piece in the operations of the military healthcare system.
“BMETs are crucial within the hospital system,” said Cmdr. David Berlin, officer in charge of NBHC NASP. “There are countless systems that need repair and upkeep. The BMET team is absolutely critical because they are trained to maintain those systems and get us back up and running”.
According to Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Christopher Carson, to manage this inventory the team operates on a rigorous, proactive schedule. At the start of each month, the maintenance manager assigns preventative maintenance work orders, all of which must be completed by the 15th. This structured schedule is constantly balanced against daily, unscheduled service requests for broken or malfunctioning gear.
“BMET takes care of the maintenance and calibration of all medical equipment located throughout NMRTC Pensacola,” said Carson. “All equipment undergoes electrical and physical inspections. We ensure the safety and usability of every piece of equipment that is going to be touched and used on a patient.”
This equipment includes everything from blood pressure units to X-ray machines throughout NMRTC Pensacola and its 10 branch clinics; roughly 3,500 pieces of equipment, said Carson.
The scope of their responsibility means NHP BMETs frequently travel on temporary additional duty (TAD) to NBHC Meridian, NBHC Gulfport, NBHC Belle Chasse, NBHC Mid-South and more.
Whether at NHP or on the road, BMETs utilize service manuals and literature provided by the manufacturer that allows them to inspect equipment at various intervals while calibrating them to industry standards. Furthermore, they can specialize their education and practice by attending service schools to work on specific pieces of equipment.
In life-or-death situations accurate data may be the pivotal factor for providers to make lifesaving decisions, while even minor discrepancies can compromise patient diagnosis and treatment plans.
“When your family gets hooked up to the machine, you want to know that the doctor is getting the right reading,” said Chief Hospital Corpsman Rashad Mckenzie, leading chief petty officer of NHP’s BMET. “Things as simple as the vital signs machine and getting a diagnosis is crucial, if BMET isn’t meticulous in doing what they’re supposed to do, the machine won’t be reading correctly”. The team’s efforts of maintaining medical equipment significantly support the command’s mission of providing quality health care.
The often-unseen daily efforts and dedication of NHP's BMET’s are integral to delivering quality healthcare and maintaining operational readiness across the command’s various clinics.
“Being a BMET allows us to impact the fleet and the mission because of the equipment we maintain, repair and install,” said Cabrero. “It allows the hospitals, clinics and staff to reach more patients and help them stay healthy and get through their day”
Although their contributions may not be recognized by patients, BMETs take great pride and value in their work, committing themselves wholeheartedly.
“We're a behind the scenes type of a job,” said Mckenzie. “It is one of those thankless jobs because no one sees you until something is broken but I think it is one of the best NECs that Corpsmen can do”.