Book excerpt: WHO and partners have been working towards devising an agenda, an action plan, tools and guidelines to increase access to appropriate medical devices. This document is part of a series of reference documents being developed for use at the country level. The series will include the following subject areas: * policy framework for health technology * medical device regulations * health technology assessment * health technology management * needs assessment of medical devices * medical device procurement * medical equipment donations * medical equipment inventory management * medical equipment maintenance * computerized maintenance management systems * medical device data * medical device nomenclature * medical devices by health-care setting * medical devices by clinical procedures * medical device innovation, research and development. These documents are intended for use by biomedical engineers, health managers, donors, nongovernmental organizations and academic institutions involved in health technology at the district, national, regional or global levels. Once established, the inventory serves as the foundation for moving forward within the HTM system and ensuring safe and effective medical equipment. The inventory may be used to develop budgets for capital purchases, maintenance and running costs; to build and support an effective clinical engineering department, by allowing for workshop planning, hiring and training of technical support staff, and establishing and maintaining service contracts; to support an effective medical equipment management program, such as planning preventive maintenance activities and tracking work orders; and to plan the stock of spare parts and consumables. The inventory may also be used to support equipment needs assessment within the health-care facility and to record the purchase, receipt, retirement and discarding of equipment. Facility risk analysis and mitigation, and emergency and disaster planning, are also supported by an inventory.