Replacing a hospital device when work may still be on it

A reception tablet needs replacing. Before anyone clears it for reuse, ask whether it holds work that has not reached the practice. A new device opening the application does not prove that everything on the old one is available there.

Keep the old device under authorised custody while the responsible person follows the supported replacement procedure. If it is lost, damaged or suspected of compromise, use the hospital's incident process and supplier guidance; do not experiment with patient records to see what can be recovered.

Account for the work before the hardware

Ask each relevant user to identify saved work awaiting attention through the supported interface. Check acceptance or review status rather than relying on a recent connection icon. In RizCare, work saved on a device remains distinct from work accepted by the practice.

Assign any pending item to an authorised person. Preserve the original device and evidence according to the agreed process. Clearing browser data, reinstalling the application or wiping the device can affect locally held work, so none should be a casual first step in replacement.

Ask what the replacement procedure actually supports

Confirm how the new device is enrolled, which individual accounts may use it and how the hospital establishes that the required working records are available. Use the supplier's current instructions for the relevant device and browser.

An export needs its own question. A readable copy of records is not automatically a backup that the application can restore. RizCare does not restore a practice from an exported copy. Use the data export assessment to check what a supplied export contains and how it can be used.

AHRQ's workflow toolkit provides background for mapping the responsibilities in this handover. The device procedure must come from the product's supported instructions.

Close the equipment handover

Record the old and new asset references, the responsible administrator and any open work in the device custody log. Keep passwords and recovery material elsewhere in the authorised process.

Have the hospital lead confirm the record and access checks before releasing the old device for its approved next use. If an item remains unresolved, retain its owner and reference instead of signing the replacement off as complete.