Most practices only read a calibration certificate when an inspector asks for it — and that is the worst moment to discover it doesn’t say what it needs to. A certificate is evidence. If it can’t show what was tested, against what, and what the result was, it isn’t proving very much. Here is what to look for, device by device, before the audit rather than during it.
1. It identifies the exact device
Make, model and serial number, plus your own asset number if you use one. "BP machine — consulting room 2" is not enough: if you have three of the same model, the certificate has to prove which one was tested.
2. It shows readings, not just "pass"
A good certificate records the actual measurements taken against the reference — and where the device was adjusted, the readings before and after. A tick in a "pass" box tells an auditor nothing about how far out the device was or whether it was corrected.
3. It names the reference equipment
Calibration means comparing your device with something more accurate. The certificate should name the reference instrument used and show that it is itself calibrated and traceable. That chain of traceability is what turns "our technician checked it" into evidence.
4. It states the limits it was tested to
"Within tolerance" only means something if the tolerance is written down. Look for the acceptable limits the readings were compared against, so anyone reading the certificate can see the result for themselves.
5. It says who did it, and that they are entitled to
The technician’s name and signature, the date, and the provider’s details. For medical devices in South Africa, use a provider that is a SAHPRA-registered medical device establishment with a certified quality system (for example ISO 13485). Ask for their licence number — a reputable provider will simply give it to you.
6. It has a next-due date
A certificate with no next-due date leaves you tracking intervals yourself. Most practices calibrate annually and sooner after a repair, a drop or a reading that looks wrong — the certificate should make the next date obvious.
7. It is honest about failures
If a device could not be brought back within tolerance, the certificate (or a separate report) should say so plainly. A provider that certificates everything, every time, is not doing you a favour: it is moving the risk to your patients and to you.
A quick self-check
- Every device on your asset list has a current certificate
- Each certificate carries the device’s serial number
- Readings are recorded, with before-and-after where adjusted
- The reference equipment is named and traceable
- The provider’s SAHPRA registration is on record
- Next-due dates are in your diary (or your provider’s)
Every certificate Surgi-Clin issues is built around this list. We are SAHPRA-registered (licences 00001974MD and 00002058MD) with ISO 13485:2016 and ISO 9001:2015 certified quality systems, and we record before-and-after readings for every device. See how our calibration service works, or book BP machine calibration — the device most practices need first.