POWER ADAPTER FOR SECA SCALES USING ACCESSORY 452

Description of Event or Problem

OUR FACILITY HAS STANDARDIZED TO SECA SCALES SINCE 2019 (MODELS 703, 727, 284, AND 676). WE ALSO HAVE THEIR EMR (ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORD) INTEGRATION SOLUTION IN ~150 SCALES (ACCESSORY 452). THIS INTEGRATION SOLUTION REQUIRES A RETROFIT WITH AN INTEGRATION WIFI BOX. THE RETROFIT REQUIRES A SPECIFIC SECA POWER ADAPTER (FRIWO/FW7662M/A683210270009). ALSO, THE RETROFIT ELIMINATES INTERNAL BATTERIES, AND THUS THE SCALES CAN ONLY BE OPERATED WITH THE POWER ADAPTER. THIS ADAPTER IS FAILING AT EXTREMELY HIGH RATES. WE ARE REPLACING ON AVERAGE FIVE (5) POWER ADAPTERS A WEEK IN OUR ICUS, MEDSURGES, UCCS (URGENT CARE CENTER), AND ED (EMERGENCY DEPT). WE ALREADY SUBMITTED AN ADVERSE EVENT REPORT IN 2020. WE HAVE COMMUNICATED OUR CONCERNS TO THE VENDOR. WE HAVE SHIPPED DAMAGED SAMPLE POWER ADAPTERS WITH SEVERAL FORMS OF FAILURES. AFTER THEIR ASSESSMENT, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE DAMAGE WAS NOT RELATED TO THE DESIGN. BUT DUE TO USER DAMAGE. POWER ADAPTER ISSUES: THE CORD HAS THIN AND WEAK INSULATION. THE COPPER WIRE IS EASILY EXPOSED FROM NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THE CORD ALSO IS EASILY PERMANENTLY SMASHED. THE CORD KNOTS EASILY, AND THE CORD PERMANENTLY TWISTS AND DEFORMS. THE POWER ADAPTER LEVERAGES INTERNATIONAL SWAPPABLE PLUGS. BECAUSE OF THIS DESIGN, THE PLUG IS LOST DURING EVERYDAY USE, AND THEIR PINS ARE ALSO EASILY SNAPPED OFF. THE POWER ADAPTER IS SENT WITH A WARNING LABEL, ITS ADHESIVE SMEARS ACROSS THE CORD. THE SMEARED ADHESIVE COLLECTS GRIME EASILY. WHEN THE CORD KNOTS, IT ALSO CATCHES THE WARNING LABEL, FURTHER EXPOSING THE ADHESIVE. THE MOST RECENT POWER ADAPTERS WERE ALSO SHIPPED WITH A LARGE METAL STAPLE ON THE WARNING LABEL. DUE TO THE KNOTTING, THIS STAPLE MAYBE A PUNCTURE HAZARD FOR THE STAFF OR THE POWER CORD ITSELF. THESE POWER ADAPTERS COST AROUND (B)(6), AND FOR THE PAST ~6 MONTHS, WHEN WE PLACE REPLACEMENT ORDERS, WE ARE TOLD THEY ARE BACKORDERED. WE HAVE TO ESCALATE FOR THE VENDOR TO INTERNATIONALLY AIRSHIP FROM EUROPE. MANUFACTURER RESPONSE FOR POWER ADAPTER FOR SECA SCALES USING ACCESSORY 452, SECA (PER SITE REPORTER). WE HAVE COMMUNICATED OUR CONCERNS TO THE VENDOR. WE HAVE SHIPPED DAMAGED SAMPLE POWER ADAPTERS WITH SEVERAL FORMS OF FAILURES. AFTER THEIR ASSESSMENT, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE DAMAGE WAS NOT RELATED TO THE DESIGN. BUT DUE TO USER DAMAGE. WE DISAGREE. WE BELIEVE THIS POWER ADAPTER NEEDS TO BE REDESIGNED.