When to escalate from maintenance to diagnosis: a practical rule set

Maintenance should preserve stability. When recurrence persists, continuing the same routine can increase total cost and decision fatigue.

Primary question

How do I know it is time to move from maintenance routines to formal diagnosis?

Escalation rules that are easy to apply

Use recurrence and response quality as the main criteria, not calendar timing alone.

  • Same issue returns within short windows after service
  • Temporary relief without stable operating recovery
  • Recommendations keep changing without stronger evidence

What diagnosis should deliver

Diagnosis should classify uncertainty, rule out alternatives, and propose one bounded next step.

How this protects spend quality

Escalating at the right time reduces repeated low-confidence work and improves decision defensibility.

Need help with your own unit?

Tell us what is happening. We will assess first, advise one clear next step, and you decide.

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