How Mercy Oncology Center Resolved a Rare Device Error in 45 Minutes

Overview

Mercy Oncology Center, a 500-bed cancer treatment facility, encountered a rare fault in their linear accelerator, which typically required senior engineer intervention and hours of downtime. Using Co-Pilot In-App Guidance, a junior technician resolved the issue in 45 minutes without escalations, saving $15K–$20K in potential revenue loss and ensuring uninterrupted patient care.

The Challenge

A rare error code (E-9274) disrupted the hospital’s radiation therapy unit, posing significant challenges:

• Unfamiliar Issue: The error was undocumented in standard manuals, stumping newer technicians.

• Dependence on Seniors: Junior staff typically needed to escalate to senior engineers, delaying resolution by 3–5 hours.

• Compliance Demands: Manual logging for FDA audits was time-consuming and error-prone.

• Financial Risk: Each hour of downtime risked $15K–$20K in lost revenue and delayed patient treatments.

The Solution

Co-Pilot In-App Guidance, a SaaS solution, provided real-time, device-specific troubleshooting within the support console, empowering junior technician Sarah to resolve the issue independently. Key features included:

• Instant Context Recognition: Co-Pilot identified the rare E-9274 error, pulling telemetry and cross-referencing with a global resolution database.

• Guided Troubleshooting: Sarah followed an interactive checklist for power module resets, firmware checks, and sensor recalibration.

• Automated Escalation Prep: If needed, Co-Pilot prepped a compliance-ready packet (logs, screenshots, history) for senior engineers.

• Compliance Logging: All actions were auto-recorded, generating FDA-audit-ready reports.

• Knowledge Base Update: Sarah logged the resolution with one click, enriching the system for future rare errors.

Screenshot: Co-Pilot’s interactive checklist for E-9274 error resolution.

Results

With Co-Pilot, Mercy Oncology Center achieved:

• 65% Faster MTTR: Resolved in 45 minutes vs. 4 hours.

• Zero Escalations: Sarah fixed the issue without senior help, a 50% reduction in escalations.

• 100% Audit Compliance: Automated logs ensured zero gaps.

• $15K–$20K Saved: Avoided revenue loss from canceled sessions.

• Empowered Staff: Junior technicians handled complex issues 2x faster.

Graph: MTTR for rare errors reduced from 4 hours to 45 minutes with Co-Pilot.

Customer Testimonial

“Co-Pilot’s automation lets our junior staff tackle complex issues, freeing seniors for strategic work.”
                — Dr. Patel, Technical Director