ICE Magazine - June 2019

ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

JUNE 2019 VOL.3 NO.6 THEICECOMMUNITY.COM

HORIZON GOALS FINDING IMAGING TECHNICIANS IN A DWINDLING FIELD OF ENGINEERS

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contents

ICE FEATURES

June 2019

“ Thirty to 40 percent of imaging engineers plan to retire in the next five to 10 years.”

—Kimberly Rowland

HORIZON GOALS FINDING IMAGING TECHNICIANS IN A DWINDLING FIELD OF ENGINEERS

36

Horizon Goals: Finding Imaging Technicians in a Dwindling Field of Engineers

rofessional P 22 Spotlight

Where will the next generation of imaging service professionals come from?

Garr Jones was born in Liberia, but moved

Health care organizations compete for talented individuals with training from

to the U.S. in his early teens. He currently

a variety of sources including OEMs, the Armed Forces and third-party service

works for Philips Healthcare where he

providers.

uses soft skills to build relationships with customers.

AHRA Heads to Mile High City:

Medical Imaging Management professionals plan to rock the Rockies at AHRA Meeting and Exposition this summer. The four-day events features keynote speakers, vendor symposiums, educational sessions and more. Page 42

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ICEMAGAZINE

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contents

ICE DEPARTMENTS

June 2019

15

25

27

news

people

products

insight

11 Imaging News

22 Professional Spotlight

46 Careers Center

18 Webinar Wednesday

24 Department Spotlight

27 Digital Radiography Spotlight 28 Digital Radiography Gallery

52 Daniel Bobinski

32 Solutions Guide

55 Photo Contest

20 People on the Move

52

49 Imaging Matters 54 Index

35 Tools of the Trade

MD Publishing 18 Eastbrook Bend Peachtree City, GA 30269 Phone: 800-906-3373 Fax: 770-632-9090

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Contributors

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K. Richard Douglas Matthew N. Skoufalos Cindy Stephens John Garrett Daniel Bobinski Jenifer Brown

Lisa Cover Melissa Brand

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Webinar

Linda Hasluem

ICE Magazine (Vol. 3, Issue #6) June 2019 is published by MD Publishing, 18 Eastbrook Bend, Peachtree City, GA 30269-1530. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ICE Magazine at 18 Eastbrook Bend, Peachtree City, GA 30269-1530.

For subscription information visit www.theicecommunity.com. The information and opinions expressed in the articles and advertisements herein are those of the writer and/or advertiser, and not necessarily those of the publisher. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Š 2019

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ICEMAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

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news

IMAGING NEWS A LOOK AT WHAT’S CHANGING IN THE IMAGING INDUSTRY

MR Solutions Wins Queen’s Award MR Solutions has achieved a third Queen’s Award. This follows a win in 2016 with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise (Innovation), while in 2017 the company was recognized for its excellent performance in International Trade. MR Solutions provides preclinical imaging solutions involving MRI, PET, SPECT and CT. This year’s award was for their groundbreaking PET technology. The advanced PET scanner can be used as standalone unit, clipped on the front of any MR Solutions MRI or CT scanner for sequential imaging or inserted inside the bore of the magnet on an MRI scanner for simultaneous imaging. Using the latest SiPM (silicon photomultipliers) technology the MR Solutions PET scanner is also more robust, requires only low operating voltage and is compact.

The combination of MRI which provides soft tissue imaging WWW.THEICECOMMUNITY.COM

with PET which reveals metabolic changes in an organ or tissue at the cellular level provides researchers with a much more detailed image for quantification and translational studies. The improvements in imaging, combined with reductions in cost and physical footprint, has made the company’s multi modular range of scanners a leader in pre-clinical imaging.

MR Solutions remains the only company in the world to have an installed base of cryogen free superconducting magnet scanners which reduces the weight and size of the scanner from tons to a few hundred pounds and from a room to the size of a desk.

MR Solutions has over 30 years of experience and more than 2,000 installations across the world, including its stateof-the-art MRI spectrometers. To support this large customer base MR has offices in the U.S. and a highly trained network of global distributors. • ICEMAGAZINE

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news Dynamic Digital Radiography Receives FDA Clearance Konica Minolta Healthcare Americas Inc. announced that the technology introduced at RSNA 2018, Dynamic Digital Radiography (DDR), has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. DDR represents the next evolution in X-ray imaging with the ability to capture movement in a single exam and is a fundamental change in the way clinicians can utilize radiography.

DDR produces medical images that depict movement and can be fully annotated, including diagrams, to help radiologists provide a more detailed clinical finding. DDR, an enhanced X-ray technology, enables clinicians to observe the dynamic interaction of anatomical structures, such as tissue and bone, with physiological changes over time. By bringing advanced cineradiography capabilities to X-ray, a primary diagnostic tool that is widely available worldwide, DDR can help address global health care issues such as access, cost and quality of care. By providing quantifiable clinical information, DDR may increase the quality and specificity of diagnosis, helping clinicians rapidly answer clinical questions resulting in higher individualized care and reduced need for additional tests.

Two clinical areas where DDR can have an impact are in musculoskeletal (MSK) and thoracic imaging. DDR supports the diagnosis of MSK conditions by providing views of full patterns of articulatory mobility. Today, orthopedists rely on external motion and static X-ray to assess joint stability and spinal movement.

With DDR, orthopedists and MSK specialists can acquire a full view of the MSK system in the supine and prone positions to view changes in the bone and articulations throughout the full range of motion. This information can be used to assess and monitor the spine and joints, such as the shoulder, knees, wrists and

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ankles, and enable the orthopedist or MSK specialist to provide a more detailed diagnosis quicker, reduce the need for additional imaging tests and enhance the quality of care.

In thoracic and pulmonary imaging, DDR provides a full view of chest, lung and organ movement during the respiratory cycle.

DDR also helps quantify movement, enabling the radiologist and pulmonologist to provide an enhanced assessment of pulmonary function tWo help determine the cause for dyspnea (shortness of breath). The potential causes for dyspnea are extensive and there are numerous tests used in diagnosis. In one imaging exam, DDR helps clinicians assess lung function, track lung movement to detect asymmetry (latent, paradoxical, limited or no movement), and differentiate asthma, obstruction, restriction or mixed conditions.

DDR may overcome the limitations of pulmonary function tests, spirometers and static X-ray images that cannot identify differences between the left and right lung. With DDR’s advanced image processing and enhancement, physicians may track lesions that move throughout the respiratory cycle and identify blood vessel patterns and parenchymal abnormalities or pulmonary embolisms in many cases without a contrast agent. A bone suppression algorithm may help physicians differentiate calcifications from bone structures. Additional measurement tools can help identify and quantify differences in lung movement, which can be used to estimate lung volume; an edge tracking tool provides a graphical representation of lung movement throughout the respiratory cycle.

Konica Minolta is completing studies with clinical partners and will commercially release the technology later this year. •

ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

news Philips Launches IntelliSpace Radiation Oncology Royal Philips has launched IntelliSpace Radiation Oncology, an intelligent patient management solution to manage complexity, improve efficiency and enable operational excellence in radiotherapy departments. IntelliSpace Radiation Oncology provides a harmonized way of working, integrating applications and automating workflow to help reduce the amount of time it takes from receiving a patient referral to the start of their treatment.

The solution was unveiled at the European Society for Radiation Oncology’s (ESTRO) 38th Annual Meeting in Milan, Italy.

Radiotherapy is an important and cost-effective part of cancer treatment and control. However, radiotherapy is often perceived as a complex treatment option due to the number of clinical specialists and advanced technologies required to deliver effective care. IntelliSpace Radiation Oncology is designed to manage this complexity by providing an integrated platform that connects all the steps from the patient’s referral to the start of their treatment.

“By integrating all of the steps in the radiotherapy department’s workflow into one platform, IntelliSpace Radiation Oncology is designed to improve communication and harmonize ways of working across clinical teams, improving the consistency of care they provide,” said Ardie Ermers, general man-

ager radiation oncology, Philips. “Each step of the patient’s journey is captured, providing a strong basis for automating workflows, enhancing efficiency and operational excellence.”

IntelliSpace Radiation Oncology is flexible and can be customized to the specific needs of a department and each clinician. It is an open, vendor-agnostic platform designed to provide comprehensive interoperability across the hospital IT environment.

To support health care providers in capitalizing on the insights and workflow improvement opportunities presented by the platform, Philips is also launching Radiation Oncology Practice Management. This consultancy service will support radiotherapy departments in identifying and acting on data-driven insights to achieve operational excellence.

IntelliSpace Radiation Oncology is the latest addition to Philips’ renewed suite of radiation oncology systems and software. On show for the first time at ESTRO, the new portfolio includes Pinnacle Evolution treatment planning software, Big Bore RT, a dedicated oncology CT simulator, and the Ingenia Elition 3.0T MR-RT and Ambition 1.5T MR-RT systems.

IntelliSpace Radiation Oncology and Radiation Oncology Practice Management are considered works in progress and not available for sale. •

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news

Samsung Demonstrates Viability of Lower Dose Digital Radiography Algorithm for Pediatric Patients

TTG Healthcare LLC Acquires Absolute Imaging Solutions Samsung announced that its new image post-processing engine (IPE), S-Vue 3.02, recently received FDA clearance. The technology employs an advanced noise-reduction algorithm that allows devices to produce the same high-quality image using a fraction of the radiation in pediatric patients. Image evaluations on devices using S-Vue showed they reduced X-ray dose up to 45% for pediatric abdomen exams, 15.5% for pediatric chest exams, and up to 27% for pediatric skull exams as compared with the previous IPE on the same X-ray systems. This data underscores Samsung’s commitment to minimizing dose exposure, especially in pediatric patients requiring repeated exposure.

The claim concerning Samsung DR is based on limited phantom and clinical study results. Only routine PA chest radiography and abdominal radiography for average adults and pediatric abdominal, chest, skull radiography were studied, excluding pediatric patients under 1 month old.

Samsung’s digital radiography (DR) machines – including GC85A and GM85 – incorporate Samsung’s S-Vue 3.02, which provides spatially adaptive multi-scale processing and advanced de-noising technology, delivering quality images with a fraction of the dose.

“Findings of our clinical trial showed that use of Samsung’s S-Vue for pediatric chest images resulted in an overall image quality that was uncompromised even at a significantly reduced radiation exposure,” said Susan John, MD, professor and chair, diagnostic and interventional imaging at McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UT Health). “The reduction in radiation dose potentially enables repeat radiographs for better follow-up in patients from infancy into adulthood, while assisting us in confident diagnosis.”

“Constantly working to lower dose exposure is a top priority for radiologists and health care professionals, and Samsung’s ability to offer dose reduction across its suite of DR machines represents another breakthrough in medical imaging technology. This new low-dose protocol is proof that we’re continuing to reduce radiation dose in our products. We are delighted that we are now able to offer this to the patients who are most vulnerable,” said David Legg, vice president, head of ultrasound and digital radiography business, at NeuroLogica, the health care subsidiary of Samsung Electronics.

Samsung is aiming to lower dose exposure in X-ray systems to push ALARA efforts to the next level for health care professionals. • For more information, visit www.samsunghealthcare.com/en/lowdose.

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TTG Healthcare LLC (TTG), recently acquired Absolute Imaging Solutions (AIS), an established ISO-certified medical imaging equipment services provider based out of Greensboro, North Carolina, and merged its TTG Equipment Services into AIS. AIS provides sales and service to hospitals, physician practices and imaging providers in 32 states.

In addition, TTG Healthcare consolidated its Cardiologic, Omni Diagnostics and TTG Diagnostic Solutions imaging subsidiaries into its cardiac imaging solutions unit. These actions reaffirm TTG’s strategy to offer comprehensive and customized imaging services, equipment maintenance, new and refurbished camera sales, radiopharmaceuticals, and clinical staffing – all backed by an exceptional reputation for exceeding client expectations for nearly two decades.

TTG is committed to delivering cost-effective services and establishing the standard for meeting the diagnostic needs of the health care community including hospitals, health systems and physician practices, according to a press release.

“We have additional letters of intent in place and plan to continue growing the company with acquisitions that are built on quality and superior client service,” said CEO John Tomayko. • ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

news Hologic Launches Trident HD Specimen Radiography System Hologic Inc. has announced global commercial availability of the Trident HD specimen radiography system, a next-generation solution that delivers enhanced image quality, improved workflow and instant sample verification during breast-conserving surgeries and stereotactic breast biopsies.1 The Trident products are the only specimen radiographs on the market to use amorphous selenium direct capture imaging – the same detector technology used in Hologic’s 3Dimensions mammography system – to generate crisp, clear, high-resolution images. The new Trident HD system, which recently received FDA clearance in the U.S. and a CE Mark in Europe, also features a bigger detector that allows for complete imaging of larger breast surgical specimens, along with a wide range of surgical and biopsy samples.2 “The Trident HD system is a breakthrough solution that delivers the superior image quality clinicians have come to expect from Hologic products, helping to streamline workflows and reduce recalls while decreasing procedure times,” said Hologic Breast and Skeletal Health Solutions President Pete Valenti. “We are committed to identifying and addressing the challenges of our customers and their patients at every step of the breast health journey, and our expanding product portfolio is evidence of that commitment.”

The Trident HD system eliminates the need for clinicians to transport specimens for imaging and features an ergonomic design that is 37 percent smaller than the original Trident system, making it easy to maneuver in a crowded operating or procedure room. Prior mammography or biopsy images can be displayed on the same Trident HD high-resolution monitor to speed comparison and analysis, resulting in reduced procedure time and improved workflow.1 Additionally, an intuitive touchscreen interface and wireless integration supports advanced image sharing and seamless transfer of patient records to the facility’s picture archiving and communication system (PACS).

Hologic has expanded its product suite significantly in recent months. In addition to the Trident HD system, Hologic recently added the LOCalizer wireless radio frequency identification (RFID) breast lesion surgical guidance system, which is available in the U.S. and Europe.

The company also offers the BioZorb 3D bioabsorbable marker, an implantable three-dimensional marker that enables more targeted radiation therapy and helps clinicians overcome challenges in breast-conserving surgery or lumpectomy. BioZorb is currently available in the U.S. only. This expanded portfolio enables Hologic to play a larger role in breast-conserving surgery and further strengthen its offerings to radiologists, pathologists and breast surgeons. • Wilson A. Trident 2.0 QUAL Qualitative Findings.

Explore and identify the ideal breast biopsy verification system from the OR. Kadence International.

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Compared to original Trident system, which is not available in Europe.

2

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news When MRI, CT Parts are Needed

KEI MED Parts Makes a Difference Canon Medical Launches New Ultrasound Product Line Canon Medical Systems USA Inc. has introduced the Aplio a-series, a new line of ultrasound systems delivering high performance for multiple clinical uses at an affordable price point. Designed with the imaging, ergonomics and workflow capabilities of Canon Medical’s premium ultrasound systems in mind, the Aplio a-series, which includes the a550 and a450, can cover a broad range of clinical areas, from cardiology to women’s health for routine dayto-day excellence.

Features of the a-series product line include high-end image quality that integrates into workflow for a wide range of everyday imaging needs, including high-resolution 2D imaging and volumetric ultrasound. It also offers support for sonographers’ health with intuitive controls for easy operation and stress-free ergonomics for various patient exams with help from Canon Medical’s Healthy Sonographer Program – a CME accredited training and web support offering.

It includes a wide range of qualitative and quantitative tools thanks to iSense technology which enables easy operation and more objective, reproducible results. Advanced applications like iSMI and Differential Tissue Harmonics, available on the Aplio a550, provide clinicians with the ability to meet a range of clinical needs.

The Aplio a-series is part of Canon Medical’s suite of Collaborative Imaging tools which puts integrated imaging intelligence at the center of a patient’s journey. The initiative fuses multiple diagnostic imaging modalities with clinical applications to deliver holistic, optimized patient information to clinicians at the point of care.

Canon Medical Systems showcased the new Aplio a-series ultrasound systems at this year’s American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) 2019 annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. • 16

ICEMAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

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news

WEBINAR WEDNESDAY Webinar Series Delivers Knowledge, ACI Credits

By John Wallace

T

echNation’s Webinar Wednesday series continues to provide quality education eligible for ACI credit.

The most recent webinar “Who Built Your Ultrasound Transducer? Exploring Ultrasound Transducer Repairs With End Users” was sponsored by Summit Imaging and was presented by Larry Nguyen, CEO and CTO at Summit Imaging; Carolyn Coffin, MPH, RDMS, RVT, RDCS, Sonography Consultant; and Matthew Schwartz, MFA, RDMS, Sonography Consultant.

The trio discussed ultrasound transducers and how components used to repair may be impacting patient diagnosis. The session covered several areas including patient care, recent FDA inquiries as well as legal and economic repercussions. The webinar included examples of OEM versus non-OEM transducer repairs. Coffin and Schwartz diagnosed issues they find with the images, and how those issues impact the quality and reliability of a transducer.

Attendees discovered how HTM professionals and sonographers can work together to provide the best care for patients while lowering total costs.

The webinar was attended by 158 individuals who provided positive reviews via a post-webinar survey.

“It’s very informative as usual. I always learn something valuable not just for my own growth but also to anyone I share this information with,” said J. Seriosa, BMET Instructor.

“Interesting, informative, and helpful,” J. Burchett, Biomed Tech II, said about the webinar.

C. Davis-Ryan, CBET II, described the webinar as “informative”and said it was “nice to hear from the sonographer’s perspective.”

“The webinar was perfect. Now, I know more about rebuilt transducers,” said P. Goleta, Biomed II. “Great information and interesting. I was 18

ICEMAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

not aware how big of a problem remanufactured parts was,” said S. Couture, Biomed.

Troubleshooting X-ray Systems The Webinar Wednesday presentation “Troubleshooting Today’s X-Ray Systems” was sponsored by Technical Prospects and presented by John DiPasquale, a technical trainer and support specialist with the company.

Participation in the webinar was eligible for 1 credit from the ACI. DiPasquale provided valuable knowledge as he discussed what makes up the two primary subsystems of a X-ray system. He also discussed what it takes to successfully troubleshoot these subsystems – the generator systems and the imaging systems.

During the webinar, DiPasquale discussed the five basic systems that make up the generator subsystem with diagrams and his experienced insights. He also touched on the three systems within the imaging systems.

After sharing knowledge about the basics, DiPasquale talked about troubleshooting today’s X-ray systems. He shared some general information and thoughts and then broke down radiographic and fluoroscopic before talking about preventative maintenance.

The session concluded with an informative question-and-answer session.

This was a popular webinar from the start with the highest number of registrants so far this year. It also received the highest rating with a score of 4.3 on a 5-point scale.

The webinar also received positive feedback via a post-webinar survey.

“Really good logical breakdown of general X-ray troubleshooting strategy (generator versus imaging chain). I make system back-ups compulsively so I was really excited to hear the recommendations with regard to that,” said R. Marek, Imaging Specialist.

“I enjoyed the real-world advice for working with these modern machines. It was nice

to get real world experience to help you in your day job versus a sales pitch for a product,” said K. Saager, Field Service Engineer.

“The background information was very helpful in the presentation. It was a refresher of the circuitry and helped in providing the basis for troubleshooting. The different types of imaging were presented for an all-around exposure to problems and quality of the machines,” said Clinical Engineer H. Martin, CBET. “I’ve been repairing X-ray for about 35 years and I liked the fact the he talked very fluently through the material as well as gave basic hints on how to diagnose issues,” shared T. Cassell, Senior Imaging Engineer.

“ I am always excited when the subject and work schedule allow me to take time for Webinar Wednesdays. It has always proven to be well worth the time I set aside.”

–D. O’Keefe, Lead Technician Clinical Engineering

“As someone new to X-ray equipment maintenance, it was great to hear from an expert and learn tips on how to best troubleshoot specific issues and highlight common troubleshooting tips that may not always be taken in usual troubleshooting,” said D. Nitinthorn, TCF Biomedical Engineer.

“John provided a great overview of X-ray systems and typical troubleshooting techniques. I have a vague understanding of X-ray systems and get involved in repairs from time to time. This will absolutely enhance my abilities going forward. Great job and thanks,” said L. Shelman, Biomedical Equip Tech III (CBET).

“Mr. DiPasquale was very clear, very direct, spoke in a simple, very understandable ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

news way. He obviously gets what it means to be a technician in the field. Tips were excellent.

Excellent educator. (I don’t think they’re too common) Thank you very much. Very enjoyable,” said R. Resnicoff, Senior Clinical Engineering Technician.

Cybersecurity Insights The Webinar Wednesday presentation “Adding Medical Device Cyber Security To Your CMMS System” was sponsored by Nuvolo. It included insights regarding a hot topic in the HTM industry – cybersecurity.

It was presented by Nuvolo Vice President of Product Marketing Ben Person and was eligible for 1 credit from the ACI. He shared his experience regarding the different ways innovative HTM organizations are managing medical device cybersecurity in a CMMS System.

Person discussed today’s business challenge, process improvement areas and cybersecurity approaches. He also looked at the transition from the current to future state of IT in the health care environment and provided an insightful demonstration.

The webinar concluded with a question-and-answer session in which Person shared his knowledge regarding specific concerns with attendees.

About 200 people attended the live webinar presentation and more have viewed a recording of the webinar on YouTube and other outlets.

A survey sent to attendees collected positive feedback for the presentation and the Webinar Wednesday series.

“Great content! Cybersecurity is a great topic to keep at the forefront of HTM. Patient safety has changed with regulations and now cybersecurity is pushing the envelope even more. Keep bringing these types of interesting and relevant topics to the webinars,” said L. Clifford, Area Manager.

“I am new to the hospital’s cybersecurity team and this information is invaluable to discover and move ahead in my role as lone biomed guy and adding equipment to network,” said M. Pritchett, CBET. “This was one of your best webinars I have attended regarding new information. Learned a lot,” Biomed H. Kim said.

“I appreciate the effort placed into preparing presentations. When I can learn something that can improve my performance or stimulate new ideas the presentaWWW.THEICECOMMUNITY.COM

tion is real bonus. Thanks for continuing to provide great content and information for free,” said L. Shelman, CBET. X-ray PM and Repair Webinar Wednesday delivered insights for HTM professionals with the presentation “Controlling the Clock in X-ray Preventative Maintenance” by RTI Electronics AB Global Product Manager Fredrik Brorson. Attendees were eligible to earn 1 credit from the ACI. In the webinar, Brorson discussed how HTM professionals can be more efficient and productive in maintaining and repairing X-ray assets in today’s highly regulated environment.

He discussed the effect tight budgets are having on health care facilities and the pressure it places on imaging service departments to maximize the uptime of imaging equipment. He talked about the desire for a faster response and shorter service time in today’s health care environment.

In regards to the efficient servicing of imaging equipment, Brorson suggested the utilization of the best resources available. He said key elements to consider are a fast response time, intimate knowledge of the equipment history, the physical environment of the device, indepth technical knowledge and more.

He also discussed what he termed “OEM Protectionism” and how to bypass some restrictions.

Brorson then discussed servicing X-ray equipment/QA and calibration as he shared insights and tips. He talked about leveraging the experience and knowledge of in-house HTM professionals in regards to diagnostic imaging devices. He also covered how big data will play a role in the future.

The webinar concluded with a question-and-answer session.

More than 200 people attended the live webinar and more have watched it online.

At the conclusion of the live presentation, a survey sent to attendees captured positive feedback.

“Informative webinar. This one was more on point and relative to the future of this facility,” said R. McInally, CBET. “This was a good seminar. Very insightful and informative. The speaker is very knowledgeable and his presentation was clear and concise,” shared K. Ongchango, CBET. “Was an informative experience with many useful takeaways,” S. Honeywell, Oper-

ations & Quality Manager, said.

“This was a very informative webinar.

This is a great tool and skill for in-house trained biomed professionals to assist in keeping equipment up, assisting with diagnostics, reducing downtime and cost.

Thank you for having this presentation,” said B. Hayes, CBET. “Thank you so much for taking time to deliver the presented information. I always love learning even though it may not apply to my role now but could be beneficial in the future,” said J. Ekalo, CBET. “This webinar is useful for field service and in-house technicians who work on X-ray equipment frequently. It does not apply to all facilities, but it is good to know what tools are out there for the industry,” M. Calderon, BMET, said.

The Webinar Wednesday series continues to receive positive feedback.

“This was my first webinar with you folks and it was very informative, thank you for providing me this opportunity to listen and learn,” said G. Woods, Clinical Engineering IT Specialist.

“I am always excited when the subject and work schedule allow me to take time for Webinar Wednesdays. It has always proven to be well worth the time I set aside,” said D. O’Keefe, Lead Technician Clinical Engineering.

“Webinar Wednesday is a great way to learn about companies in our industry and ways to solve issues that arise in our ever-changing field,” shared M. Ramono, Clinical Engineering Technician.

As Medical Electronics Technician R. Slated said, “Upgrade your knowledge with Webinar Wednesdays!” ICE For more information about Webinar Wednesday, including upcoming presentations and a video library of previous sessions, visit WebinarWednesday.Live.

A special thank you to the companies that sponsored these recent webinars.

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news

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

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By Matt Skoufalos

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Beyond Clean of San Antonio, Texas has named Bob Marrs its vice president of organizational development.

Marrs is a perioperative clinical educator and consultant who was director of consulting services and field operations at Aesculap for nine years.

PDI of Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey promoted senior vice president and general manager of healthcare Tom McCurdy to senior vice president of healthcare sales. Sean Gallimore, former chief marketing officer of Parexel, will fulfill McCurdy’s former role. Ryan Herbert has been named vice president of healthcare field sales.

West Cancer Center & Research Institute of Germantown, Tennessee named Mitch Graves its CEO. Graves was most recently president and CEO of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare’s Affiliated Services Division for eight years.

Healthcare Solutions Holdings Inc. (HSI) of Glen Cove, New York, named Travis Revelle its CEO and Jonathan Globerman its COO.

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Cross Country Healthcare Inc. of Boca Raton, Florida has named Stephen A. Saville its executive vice president of operations. Most recently, Saville was president of CareerStaff Unlimited.

OneOncology of Nashville, Tennessee named Lee Schwartzberg its chief medical officer (CMO). Schwartzberg also is a member of the OneOncology board of directors, the medical director of West Cancer Center and Research Institute, and a professor of medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. He is the founding editor-in-chief of the journal Community Oncology and currently serves as the editor-in-chief of Practice Update Oncology.

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The Lustgarten Foundation of Woodbury, New York named Elizabeth M. Jaffee its new chief medical advisor. Jaffee is a professor of oncology and deputy director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. She co-directs the gastrointestinal cancer and diseases program, and co-directs the Skip Viragh Center for Pancreas Cancer Clinical Research and Patient Care at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

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reLink Medical of Twinsburg, Ohio has named Gregory Hemphill its vice president of products. Hemphill joins reLink after having spent the last 15 years in health care roles focused on improving customer experience and enhancing buyer and seller interactions. reLink Medical also recently promoted Scott Campbell to CFO/Chief Administrative Officer, adding to his responsibilities in technology innovation and strategic business development. Campbell joined reLink Medical in 2017 and has more than 25 years of experience in business management, accounting, operations, technology and product innovation. Amid its acquisition of DMSolutions LLC, relink Medical added DMSolutions founder and CEO David Sluka as senior vice president of sales.

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ICEMAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

HCA Houston Healthcare of Houston, Texas named Evan Ray its executive vice president and chief administrative officer. Ray was most recently president of St. Vincent’s Birmingham and St. Vincent’s Chilton hospitals, a division of Ascension Health, in Birmingham, Alabama. He holds an MBA in health administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

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The National Comprehensive Cancer Network of Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania named Ronald Walters chair of its board of directors and Ruth O’Regan vice-chair. Walters is associate head for the Institute for Cancer Care Innovation and a breast cancer oncologist at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He has been a member of the board for NCCN since 2012, and has served on the NCCN executive committee since 2016. O’Regan is the division head of hematology and oncology and associate director for clinical research at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center.

Find weekly installments at theicecommunity.com

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people

By K. Richard Douglas

PROFESSIONAL SPOTLIGHT Garr Jones, Ultrasound Field Service Engineer: It’s About Relationships

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he life of a field service engineer requires many skill sets. You need the patience and alertness to work on the road, practicing good driving skills and a strategic sense to structure your days in order to optimize your time. You should have soft skills to build relationships with customers. You also need keen technical skills to be able to repair equipment and troubleshoot accurately and precisely.

One field service engineer, who has acquired this skill set, started life in Africa and has experienced life in the eastern U.S.; both north and south.

Garr Jones was born in Liberia, but moved to the U.S. in his early teens. He lived in New Jersey and Pennsylvania before relocating to Georgia after high school. He attended DeVry University in Atlanta. He currently works for Philips Healthcare.

Jones has possessed the mind of an engineer from a young age.

“I was the kind of kid that wanted to know how everything works. I asked many questions growing up; my favorite question was, “Why?” I was talking to my mother about this question and she said that she remembered that I was more interested in how my toys worked than playing with them,” Jones says.

“I attended a technical high school where I majored in electronics. I was also interested in the medical field. Biomedical engineering merges both fields and it is 22

ICEMAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

the perfect match for me,” he says.

Jones earned his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering technology from DeVry University “I was lucky; I had a job as an ultrasound field service engineer a week after I graduated from college. I have not changed positions. I did change companies; leaving GE for Philips. I worked in Atlanta, Georgia for GE for six years. I moved to New York and GE did not have a position in New York; Philips did and they hired me,” Jones says.

“I did my internship at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. During my internship, I worked as if I owned the place. At the end of my internship, the biomedical director was impressed. He did not have a position available, but imaging did. He asked if I was interested; I hesitated, but I applied for the job and I was hired,” Jones says.

Jones’ area of specialty is computer networking. He is CompTIA A+ and Network+ certified.

As is the case with most field service engineers, much time is spent in a vehicle out on the road. Assigned territories can vary in size from a region within a state to a multi-state area. In Jones’ case, it is working a portion of a state.

“My territory is south New Jersey. I live in the middle of my territory,” he says.

“My furthest account is an hour and a half away. The majority of my days are spent

driving,” Jones adds.

Employing Soft Skills Sometimes, the toughest challenge in the field service engineer profession is following in the footsteps of someone who has already become very acquainted with a territory and built a relationship with customers. Jones has experienced this first-hand.

“The challenges that I have encountered are taking over an area from an engineer who had serviced that area for two decades. I have done this three times now; when I started with GE, when I moved to New York and when I moved to New Jersey. It’s a challenge because I had to create relationships, learn the new area; people don’t like change and so they hold back until they become comfortable,” Jones says.

“I’ve been in this role for 11 years. I’ve worked in four states; Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Georgia; worked for GE and now Philips,” Jones says.

“As you can imagine, I’ve faced a lot of challenges; indeed, the challenges are what make the job interesting. One specific challenge that comes to mind [occurred after] my first week in the field as an ultrasound service engineer after two months of training,” Jones says. “I got a call from my manager asking me to go to an account that was not my account.”

ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

people

Favorite part of being an imaging professional?

“I love down time with sonographers. I call them my coworkers; when I get to hear them talk about their lives and make jokes.”

GET TO KNOW THE PRO

Garr Jones is an ultrasound expert.

“As you can imagine, I’ve faced a lot of challenges; indeed, the challenges are what make the job interesting.” ­–GARR JONES Jones was asked to take over an existing customer who was serviced by an experienced field service engineer.

Jones was nervous stepping into the shoes of an experienced colleague after a short time on the job.

“I called my mentor and told him how I felt; he said, in this job, you will fix your customer more than you will fix machines,” Jones says.

“He meant; having a relationship and rapport with customers are more important than being the most knowledgeable service engineer. I went into that account and built relationships and communicated and followed up and they became one of my best accounts,” he adds.

WWW.THEICECOMMUNITY.COM

When not servicing ultrasound equipment, Jones can be found playing tunes for the benefit of others or spending time with family.

“I DJ for free, usually at family gatherings and friends’ parties. Hanging out with my two boys, I play soccer,” Jones says.

He also spends time cooking and learning how to cook.

“I have a wonderful family; fiancé Nyamah Kullie, two boys; Andrei Jones (8 years old) and Garr Jones (1 year old),” Jones says.

Jones says that one of the things he likes about his job is meeting new people. With his soft skills well honed and his interest in his customers, there is no doubt they like him as well. ICE

Favorite book “The Brain That Changes Itself” by Dr. Norman Doidge.

Favorite movie “Swordfish” Favorite food Garlic parmesan chicken alfredo Hidden talent Juggling a soccer ball What’s on my bench?

• My computer • My cellphone • A bottled water • Picture of my family • Notepad

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people

By K. Richard Douglas

DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT Diagnostic Imaging Phase I Program at the METC

F

ort Sam Houston, in Texas, dates back to 1876 and was a supply depot for the Army originally. The fort expanded further after the Spanish-American War, with the addition of a Calvary post and a light artillery post.

Further improvements in the 1920s preceded more expansion during World War II. The Army’s Medical Field Service School transferred to the post in 1946 and changed the mission to the home of Army medicine.

The Medical Training Center was activated during the Korean War to train enlisted medical personnel. It became known at the Army Medical Department Center and School in 1991.

The mission of training medical professionals in the military has included radiology specialists.

One of the training programs offered also happens to be the largest diagnostic imaging training program in the world. It is the Diagnostic Imaging Phase I Program at the Medical Education and Training Command (METC) at Fort Sam Houston. The program is under the direction of Ms. B. Stefania Green, program director of radiography for the Diagnostic Imaging Training Program Campus (METC).

Its beginnings go back nine years and staff members hail from various 24

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branches of the service and the civilian world. Before the current arrangement, the Air Force, Army and Navy each had schools at different locations. In 2010, they all moved into a consolidated service course at Fort Sam Houston.

“We are the largest diagnostic imaging training program in the world. We perform a 19 and a half-week Phase I program for joint service to include the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard,” says SSgt Natalie Zamudio, a radiology Instructor with the program.

“The phase II programs are broken up from each service as the Air Force’s is nine months long. The total instructors on hand are 46 joint-service to include Army, Navy, Air Force and civilian.

The students are from all three service branches ranging from straight out of initial entry training, or retraining from other career fields, from across the services. The curriculum is accredited through the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) equaling what is provided in the civilian colleges,” she says.

The radiology education for students in the military is broken down into two programs.

“Phase I is where we teach them the basics of all the different aspects of being a radiology technologist. They

learn radiation physics in a three-week period, they learn the radiation effects on biology, different anatomy ranging from the head to the toes along with all the muscle and internal organs related to those areas,” Zamudio explains.

She says that the students learn how to position fellow students in the different radiation exposure rooms in 76 different positions and have to do a final evaluation on all of them again at the end of training to ensure they know the positions.

Each branch of the Armed Forces has its own service-specific locations. The Army and Navy students conduct their evaluations in local military treatment facilities and hospitals. Those in the Air Force do their evaluations predominantly in military medical facilities and through agreements with civilian facilities.

Zamudio says that the students have a range of options upon graduation.

She says these can include “entering military medical treatment facilities, from the continental United States to overseas facilities, and placement on Navy ships providing careers.”

“All students have the opportunity to complete their associate’s degree and challenge the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

people

Students in the Diagnostic Imaging Program at the Medical Education and Training Command (METC) at Fort Sam Houston learn how to position fellow students in the different radiation exposure rooms in 76 different positions.

Radiology registry just like their civilian counterparts. Depending on the location of assignment, post-training, they can branch off into learning different modalities to include mammography, computed tomography, interventional radiography, magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear medicine and ultrasound,” Zamudio says.

The program’s teaching staff stays current with the clinical and technological advances in imaging in different ways, depending on the branch.

“The Air Force instructors rotate time through Wilford Hall ambulatory surgical center to maintain the Air Force Readiness requirement while we stay current on the emerging technologies to include Anatomage tables and 360 videos. The Army and Navy do their skill sustainability in accordance with their service specific requirements,” Zamudio says.

The instructors have additional duties ranging from managing the radiation detection devices, resilience WWW.THEICECOMMUNITY.COM

trainers, and equipment for 46 different exposure rooms and their maintenance.

They manage service-specific administrative programs ranging from didactic hours taught to enlisted evaluation submissions, according to Zamudio.

State-of-the-Art Facilities The program’s facilities are state of the art and include 46 different exposure rooms that range from actual exposure rooms in a non-radiation exposure lab to live lab where the students perform the more internal exams such as upper GI and barium exam imaging which can’t be produced on actual students.

“We also have the exposure equipment in the different classrooms allowing the instructors to demonstrate the proper positioning on the areas of study before they will have to perform them in the two different labs.

Outside the classroom, the students maintain their service-specific culture by being housed according to service branch, as well as marching together in

service-specific formations and eating meals together,” Zamudio says.

She says that they then join up as one joint-service class when they arrive at the Medical Instructional Facility (MIF).

“The structure of the studies is modeled off of what is done in civilian college institutions where they could be learning about patient care on Wednesday P.M., but will be taking a test on radiation physics on the next day first thing in the A.M. The thought process behind this is that we all learn material different and we need to remember that when we become a radiology technologist, we need to know how everything behind is intertwined and relatable to the task at hand,” Zamudio adds.

The U.S. military takes on the big task of training radiology professionals and does it with precision and efficiency. Through the hard work of the multi-service instructor contingent, the ranks of qualified imaging technicians are expanded each year. ICE ICEMAGAZINE

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT Digital Radiography Growth Fuels Detectors Market

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he “Global Healthcare X-Ray Detectors Market Forecast 2019-2024” report from ResearchAndMarkets. com suggests continued growth.

The global health care X-ray detectors market is estimated to witness a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.14% during the forecast period 2018-2024. The market is analyzed based on five segments, namely product types, portability, size, end-users and regions.

The market has tremendous opportunities to grow in both developed and developing countries, according to the report.

“The detector-based digital radiography is one of the latest developments in the diagnostic and imaging field (X-ray technology) that uses a different type of sources (flat panel detectors and charge couple devices) as image receptors and X-ray source for emitting high-quality radiographic images,” according to ResearchAndMarkets.com. “The health care detector is compact, lightweight and portable. The technological advancements in detectors have given a hallmark for most of the digital radiography systems with high dose efficiency, ease of handling equipment (ergonomics) and high image quality. This is considered as a complete digital solution for radiography as it can eliminate the need for replacing the WWW.THEICECOMMUNITY.COM

image receptors entirely unlike the filmbased or phosphor-based radiography.”

“Most of the leading medical imaging companies focus on developing high-quality imaging data for delivering real-time images that provide an assessment of various tissue pathophysiology based on different spectral characteristics of the tissue.

The sales of X-ray detectors are expected to increase through advancements and technological adoption of multi-modality imaging systems in hospitals,” according to ResearchAndMarkets.com.

ResearchAndMarkets.com predicts that the United States and Canada are set to be the leading countries within the North America market owing to the highest number of diagnostic cases in 2017.

“This region dominates the overall presence of medical imaging (health care X-ray detectors usage) and has the most diversified X-ray detectors available. It has the highest percentage of the elderly population with many individuals suffering from chronic diseases such as CVD, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and other urology-related factors. This has attracted most of the customers to sustain and grow over the period and maintain their product presence in the market,” according to ResearchAndMarkets.com.

Europe is set to be the second leading region and held more than 28% of the market share in 2017.

“The market in Europe is largely driven by advancements in medical imaging technologies,” according to ResearchAndMarkets.com. “An increase in the prevalence of diseases, continuous adaption of advanced technologies and increase in aging population are driving the market.

The countries such as Germany, France, UK and Italy are the major contributors in the region. The APAC region accounted for a share of 19.15% in 2017.”

“The global health care X-ray detectors market has immense growth opportunities in both developed and developing regions,” according to ResearchAndMarkets.com. “The market in the developed countries is witnessing increased adoption of X-ray detectors for high-quality imaging, screening and diagnosing due to improved access and encouragement from the government and other health care institutions, especially in the U.S., Canada, France, Germany and the UK.” “The advancements in technology and product upgradation will increase the competition among vendors. The market is highly dynamic with the presence of few big players accounting for more than 65% of the share,” according to the report. ICE ICEMAGAZINE

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products

Canon Medical Ultimax-i Multipurpose System Canon Medical Systems USA Inc. Ultimax-i expands the capabilities of limited R&F room space, making advanced imaging technology and diverse multipurpose system performance attainable. The system delivers a single console for X-ray control and image processing for radiographic and fluoroscopic procedures thanks to its single generator for two X-ray tubes, for two detectors. The system now comes with RAD Mode, an optimized user interface for enhanced workflow for each clinical segment (fluoroscopic and radiographic) with selectable protocols. New enhanced tools such as exposure index and reject analysis for DoseRite are also featured on the system. •

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products

Fujifilm FDR D-EVO Fujifilm is offering two new dedicated solutions designed to address the unique imaging needs for pre, intra and post-surgery long-length imaging in the operating room (OR). The FDR D-EVO GL with articulating stand allows versatile positioning of this exclusive 17-by-49-inch single exposure long-length detector, under the operating table. Entire spine images are acquired with one exposure and displayed at a console within seconds. The FDR D-EVO II detector solution features a unique two-position detector tray utilizing a standard 14-by-17-inch detector, to acquire views up to 34 inches and displayed on the DR mobile unit’s display. •

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products

Philips DigitalDiagnost C90 Philips’ newest premium ceiling-mounted digital radiography system, DigitalDiagnost C90, is designed to increase patient throughput and decrease the time to diagnosis, offering a flexible and customizable imaging solution that helps to improve workflow and clinical outcomes, while adding economic value. As the industry’s first radiography unit with a live camera image directly displayed at the tube head, DigitalDiagnost provides a clear view of the anatomical area being scanned during the patient positioning process – improving workflow so clinicians can be confident that the right area is captured. It also leverages Philips’ Eleva user interface to enable an efficient patient-focused workflow. •

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ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

products

Siemens Healthineers Multix Impact The affordably priced Multix Impact floor-mounted digital radiography system from Siemens Healthineers has an intuitive operating system, versatile wireless detectors, and a free-floating, flat tabletop for easy patient access. The touch user interface on the X-ray tube allows the technologist to remain with the patient for longer periods of time. The patient positioning camera enables continuous patient monitoring while the technologist is in the control room, potentially reducing repeat imaging and avoiding excessive patient dose. The intuitive user interface has graphical program selection as well as a patient positioning guide on the in-room touchscreen and control room workstation. Also, motorization and tracking features reduce staff physical exertion. •

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products

SOLUTIONS GUIDE Digital Radiography

Brandywine Imaging, Inc. SEE 201 W. Cedar Street OUR AD Kennett Square, PA 19348 P. 26 Phone: 610-444-5553 Fax: 610-444-5571 Website: www.brandywineimaging.com Brandywine Imaging offers a variety of X-ray imaging equipment to meet your facility’s needs. Our goal is to improve our national presence as a provider of healthcare imaging products. Currently, we have equipment installations across the country. We also serve our customers through our online catalog, where we are continually adding products. Items include X-ray film, pre-owned items we have in stock, new X-ray related accessories and much more. In addition, Brandywine is a founding member of the AMSP (Association of Medical Service Providers) allowing us a network of service providers across the country as well as access to equipment we may not offer directly.

Diagnostic Solutions 4075 Karg Industrial Parkway, Ste A SEE Kent, OH 44240 OUR AD Phone: 330-296-XRAY (9729) P. 15 Fax: 330-296-2555 Email: sales@diagnostic-solutions.com Website: www.diagnostic-solutions.com Diagnostic Solutions is a customer service based parts provider that specializes in all imaging modalities and manufacturers. Created to offer hospitals and ISOs a cost-effective and time-saving solution for ordering imaging replacement parts. We are confident you will see Diagnostic Solutions as THE Parts Solution.

The InterMed Group 13301 Progress Blvd.

Alachua, FL 32615 Phone: 386-462-5220 Email: info@intermed1.com Website: www.intermed1.com

MarShield Radiation Protection Products 4140 Morris Drive Burlington, ON L7L 5L6 Canada Phone: 800-381-5335 Email: sales@marshield.com Website: www.marshield.com

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Since 1979, MarShield has been North America’s premier manufacturer and global supplier of gamma and neutron radiation shielding products and materials to the nuclear energy, nuclear medicine, diagnostic imaging, non-destructive testing and design/ build markets. From lead, to tungsten, bismuth, iron, borated polyethylene and non-lead alternatives materials options, we offer design & consultation and will bring turn-key solutions to your radiation shielding challenges

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The InterMed Group is a premier provider of integrated technology management services. Our biomedical, imaging, and “Jump Team” specialists deliver HTM service at competitive rates. Our unique solutions have earned us a blemish-free track record for exceeding expectations.

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SOLUTIONS

Multi Diagnostic Imaging & SEE Surgical Solutions OUR AD P. BACK 990 East Cedar Street COVER Ontario, CA 91761 Phone: 909-591-6444 Email: sales@multiimager.com Website: www.multidiagnostic.com or www.multisurgical.com Since 1983, Multi, Inc. has been a premier global imaging and surgical systems and parts distributor, specializing in the full catalog of GE, AGFA, Carestream/Kodak, Konica-Minolta parts, as well as X-ray, DR, CR, C-Arm solutions and peripheral sales.

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Technical Prospects SEE OUR AD 1000 S. County Rd. CB P. 21 Appleton, WI 54914 Phone: 877-604-6583 Email: jhegner@technicalprospects.com Website: www.technicalprospects.com

Tri-Imaging Solutions 10 Fant Industrial Dr. Madison, TN 37115 Phone: 855-401-4888 Email: sales@triimaging.com Website: www.triimaging.com

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Tri-Imaging Solutions is an independently owned equipment, replacement parts, technical training and a technical support services company for the diagnostic imaging industry. We are available 24|7|365. Our education center in Nashville, Tennessee features classes with a unique blended learning approach designed to bring biomeds into the imaging field. Tri-Imaging Solutions strives to live up to its name and be a SOLUTION for its customers while at the same time #EmpoweringTheEngineer™.

Varex Imaging 1678 Pioneer Road Salt Lake City, UT 84104 Phone: 801-972-5000 Website: varexinfo.com/SIS

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At Varex Imaging, we aren’t just a supplier to our customers. We aim to be an extension of their teams; a partner in their success; a solution to their problem. Our goal is to help our customers become world-class system suppliers by strengthening their competitiveness and enabling them to bring products to market faster. Our rich history spans 65+ years of dedication to the imaging industry. Our knowledge, our people and our innovation make us who we are. At Varex Imaging, we are Solutions in Sight™.

With over 20 years experience with Siemens medical imaging parts, training and support, Technical Prospects is an industry expert. Technical Prospects has a DOA rate lower than OEM repaired parts. Providing quality-tested parts at a cost savings is a priority to ensure customers get their equipment up and running quickly.

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GE Healthcare Copyright 2019. Image may not be reproduced without the permission of GE Healthcare.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE GE HEALTHCARE Tube Watch

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ube Watch is GE Healthcare’s predictive solution that is designed to remotely monitor and predict tube failures before any disruption occurs, allowing remote repairs or scheduled repairs at a more convenient time. It delivers peace of mind by converting potential unplanned downtime to planned events, helping to avoid patient and staff disruptions and associated revenue loss.

Tube Watch allows proactive part delivery and service scheduling to minimize the impact of tube failures and quickly restore the scanner. Tube Watch can reduce CT scanner downtime by up to 70 percent and if a tube fails unexpectedly, GE guarantees the Tube Watch annual premium.* ICE *Guarantee is subject to the terms in your Statement of Service Deliverables.

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HORIZON H

ow hard is it to retain talent on your HTM team, including in-house imaging service professionals? Mark Seago says he recently lost a technician to a cross-town colleague … over a better parking space.

“I had him for about a week,” Seago said.

Seago is the Operations Manager for Clinical Engineering Services at the University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville, Virginia. The guy who poached his talent, in this instance, serves alongside him on the executive board of the Virginia Biomedical Association. And the hot-commodity prospect in this case? An ex-military tech with a medical background.

“It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there if you find somebody qualified so you don’t have to start from scratch,” Seago said.

“I’d much rather take a military person just because they pretty much know how to work as a team, discipline, focus; I’ve never gone wrong hiring a military person. You get wind of that, you hop all over it.”

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Why are military personnel so valuable? In a field where the veteran technicians are aging out of the job, talent is in high demand, and opportunities to train new blood exist mostly in-house – yours or someone else’s – Uncle Sam’s as good an instructor as can be found.

“We’ve been working hard to help promote our profession and handle growth, but it’s just not out there,” Seago said. “I hear stories about people having problems finding qualified folks, and I have the same problem. For me, the bar has really been lowered over the last 20-some years. You have to be prepared to take these guys a long way because they’re coming in with virtually nothing.”

Asked why that’s the case, Seago scratches his head. There aren’t any four-year degree programs that would offer an undergraduate degree in clinical equipment maintenance; there’s plenty on the engineering, design, and research infrastructure side, however. Other talent that’s not sourced from a military background usually originates in a tech school or must be brought in tabula rasa.

“What I’ve seen now is it’s 100 percent computers or 100 perADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

FINDING IMAGING TECHNICIANS IN A DWINDLING FIELD OF ENGINEERS

BY MATT SKOUFALOS

GOALS cent nothing,” Seago said. “I’ve hired one technician that went through [the IT program at a local community college], and I had to teach him what a wrench was.”

Woe betide the fate of the biomedical engineer; the unsung hero of capital equipment uptime. From ventilators to infusion pumps to telemetry devices don’t stay in service as long as they need to without his hands touching them.

For some institutions, the responsibility for equipment maintenance is given over to its original manufacturer (OEM) on a service contract; for others, it’s outsourced to a third-party service organization. And for those institutions that want the work to be done in-house to cut costs, shorten response time, or just exercise tighter controls over their assets, hiring, training, or retaining a talented team is a daunting task. Getting staff up to speed on how to wrangle your imaging equipment is just that much harder — and sometimes, even when you do, it’s the fastest way to show them the door.

“I can train my guys, but if they can’t use my training because the departments won’t let us work on a bed or a CT, it’s just wasted skills,” Seago said.

“They’ll just take it elsewhere. We are completely ready to train and build our WWW.THEICECOMMUNITY.COM

group, but historically I’ve not trained them on [imaging] modalities because they’re not going to work on them.”

“I’d be setting them up to leave, and I don’t want to do that,” he said. “You make them marketable, and if they can make more money elsewhere, and they’re into relocating, you bet, I will lose them.”

Even at the University of Virginia, where Seago can incentivize his staff with the opportunity to pursue a four-year degree while they work there, many who do might only switch tracks for a career in IT, which is, by some measures, far less stressful. He’s had to push the university to put the higher-skilled biomeds on a pay scale on par with IT employees who hold those four-year degrees.

“That helps, but if you can’t compensate your guys, they’re gonna leave,” Seago said. “I’ve been through that a lot, especially with [another] hospital down the road. It’s a constant battle.”

Overall, Seago says his team particularly “has kind of been starved for training, unfortunately.” Working at a teaching institution that’s home to higher-end PET and CT scanners without a team that’s well versed in their ICEMAGAZINE

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maintenance means depending on the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for service, which can add costs, wait time and limit options for replacement parts when necessary. After 30 years on the job, Seago has some staffers who are versed in general radiography equipment, fluoroscopy, and portable X-ray and ultrasound systems, but arranging training on more advanced imaging systems for his team through OEMs is expensive. To overcome that hurdle might mean inking an exclusivity deal with a single vendor for all imaging modalities, which could also lower costs, but is ultimately a handcuff on future flexibility.

“Just by mentioning that we might go to single-vendor has [other OEMs] going back and sharpening their pencils” when it comes to service and training opportunities, Seago said. “It’s done nothing yet, but we have light at the end of the tunnel. If this is truly implemented, we have a path for my guys as far as training to do what they want to do, which is imaging support.”

“You’ve got to be able to show leadership in the imaging department that you can minimize downtime and keep your equipment running,” he said. “Right now, we have a service guy that lives here, and they are just dependent on him – and so are we until we get my guys up to speed.”

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“I think anybody who wants to get into the field has got a bright future because of the extreme need.”

—JEFFREY RINDFLEISCH, TECHNICAL PROSPECTS

Such circumstances are typical of many equipment managers throughout the industry, said Jeffrey Rindfleisch, vice president of operations for Appleton, Wisconsin-based Technical Prospects.

“I don’t think that there’s much argument in the industry that there’s going to be an extreme need for imaging engineers,” Rindfleisch said. “There’s a bubble of engineers that is getting to retirement age.

Typically, they start out in biomed and go through some other fashion of training; we provide an augmentation to that with our training classes.”

Since 2014, Technical Prospects has offered a variety of such classes to bring those biomeds into greater proficiency in the imaging space. Courses are taught in five-day or eight-day modules that cover servicing everything from general radiography equipment through the newest flat-panel detectors; from fluoroscopy systems to CT and angiography (MR is the next modality on the horizon).

Students have access to 16 bays with staged equipment, which offers an opportunity to learn general equipment repair theory and how software interacts with it in a hands-on fashion. In fact, Rindfleisch said, the bulk of every class is designed with practical causeand-effect scenarios, showing students what happens when things aren’t functioning properly, and how to recognize error codes and their correlations to specific failures.

Instructors even stack the deck by pre-loading systems with broken parts to see if students will catch on.

“Of course, we have the parts to help them out as well,” he said. “That’s the nice thing about coming here for training. If we break something, we’ve got a warehouse full of inventory to get it back up and running. It’s not like training in a hospital where you break a CT and it’s not a good day. And we rarely run a course where we don’t break something.”

The courses offer “very practical knowledge for guys in the field,” Rindfleisch said; an opportunity for people coming out of biomed programs and who have an interest in servicing medical imaging equipment to cut their teeth.

“We try to offer our students a great experience,” he said; “we try to tailor our classes to their needs, and make sure we give them the best education for their dollar. We appreciate the fact that it’s hard for them to come out of the field and spend five to eight days with us.

We hope and trust that by the time they get done training with us, that they more than make that [time] up with proficiency and being able to save time and money for their companies and perform for their customers: the hospitals, and ultimately, the patients on the equipment.”

Students come from a variety of backgrounds, be they multivendor, independent

ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

service organization (ISO), inhouse biomed or international.

Custom sessions are created upon request for companies willing to commit a minimum of three students to a course.

In-person labs are supplemented with online, self-paced education taught on the blackboard software system. Like Seago, Rindfleisch cited the general difficulty of finding students to enter an HTM career, much less schooling them up to snuff on servicing high-value medical imaging equipment.

“We are working with a number of tech colleges in the area and biomed associations to get the word out that we provide training in this area,” he said. “I think anybody who wants to get into the field has got a bright future because of the extreme need.”

Once students graduate the program at Technical Prospects, they leave with a portable hard drive loaded with a complete textbook that includes system schematics and access to free follow-up technical support.

“You can always call us and we can walk you through trying to diagnose what the issue is,” Rindfleisch said. “We try to develop a longstanding relationship with the people who come through our classes,” he said, another nod to the lifeboat conditions for technicians in the field.

Circumstances such as those lend themselves to a necessary creativity within the industry to advance not only opportunities for training but also to keep pace with the direction of imaging technology. For Tri-Imaging Solutions of Madison, Tennessee, expanding its course offerings to include training that helps biomeds transition into imaging expertise is part and parcel with finding the next generation of technicians to take those courses, said National Accounts Manager Kimberly Rowland.

“Thirty to 40 percent of imaging engineers plan to retire in the next five to 10 years,” Rowland said. “It’s really changed the landscape for the crossover from biomed into imaging. A lot of the younger people want the IT jobs, but we’re really trying to develop these imaging engineers from the biomed background that’s available now.

WWW.THEICECOMMUNITY.COM

How do we bridge that gap more quickly to the imaging side?”

For a start, like Technical Prospects, Tri-Imaging focuses on getting its students onsite access to the prep, theory and instruction that comes with the primary background of a biomed. From there, it builds their imaging expertise, starting with X-ray equipment, portables, and then eventually plugging them into the higher-end imaging systems onsite. Rowland said the coursework is also focused on building a multi-disciplinary understanding of different imaging systems.

“We really tried to broaden the experience and become familiar with more than one OEM,” she said. “[As a biomed], you’re not going to have one health system that’s going to be all Siemens or all GE [equipment]; we want to give them a broader range of being prepared.”

To that end, the training offered at Tri-Imaging is supported after the fact by the staff at Tri-Imaging, which Rowland describes as “a wide base of very seasoned engineers with varying degrees, who have done it for 20 or more years.”

“With parts and technical support, we’re helping to build imaging engineers,” Rowland said. “We have the full, complete structure on the back end. We have a whole list of things that we prep them for.”

“Thirty to 40 percent of imaging engineers plan to retire in the next five to 10 years.”

—K IMBER LY ROW L A ND, TRI-IMAGING SOLUTIONS

Whether such offerings will be sufficient to create a roster of imaging-proficient biomeds ready to take up the banner for another 20 years will be a question answered only by time. But with cross-training, professional support, and knowledge-sharing across the industry, it’s more likely than ever.

“The greatest thing about our industry is that even when we’re competing, the best thing we can have is a healthy industry based on how we can work together,” Rowland said. ICE ICEMAGAZINE

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ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

Guide to AHRA

AHRA HEADS TO MILE HIGH CITY M

edical Imaging Management professionals plan to rock the Rockies at the 47th annual AHRA Meeting and Exposition this summer. AHRA 2019 starts July 21 at the brand new Gaylord Rockies in Denver, Colorado.

The four-day events features world-class inspirational keynote speakers, action-packed vendor symposiums, 13 basic track sessions for new managers and more than 70 sessions for experienced leaders. Another plus of the annual conference are the opportunities to network with peers and vendors.

AHRA: The Association for Medical Imaging Management is a professional organization representing management at all levels of hospital imaging departments, freestanding imaging centers and group practices. Founded in 1973, AHRA’s 5,000 members reach across the country and around the world. AHRA offers a complete slate of professional development programs including a comprehensive selection of educational conferences and seminars, networking opportunities, award winning publications and the Certified Radiology Administrator (CRA) credential.

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Continuing Education ARRT Category A Continuing Education (CE) credit will be available at the AHRA Annual Meeting and Exposition. CE credit for states with licensure for radiologic technologists will also be available. The number of credits per session will be listed in the onsite program book.

AHRA will be using an electronic tracking system for CE credits at the 2019 Annual Meeting. The bar code on your badge will be scanned as you enter a session and as you leave the session. You must get BOTH scans in order to receive CE credit. Since the bar code on your badge tracks your attendance, you can only get CE credit if you have your badge with you at the session! Each night you will receive an e-mail listing the sessions you attended and the number of credits you received that day. This e-mail will also include links to online session evaluations—please make sure you complete the evaluations! After the conference you will receive an e-mail listing your complete attendance history and number of credits earned.

More details about the CE tracking system will be provided in the onsite program book.

AHRA will post session handouts on its website 1-2 weeks before the start of the conference so attendees may print the handouts for the sessions they wish to attend in advance and bring them to the conference. Notes sections are also available in the onsite program book.

ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

Guide to AHRA

The keynote address is always a popular part of the annual meeting.

Special Events Golf: Don’t miss the 20th Annual Imaging Classic Golf tournament! Join your AHRA colleagues for a fun morning on the greens and raise money for a worthy cause … the AHRA Education Foundation. The cost is $165 for members; $180 for non-members.

CRA Exam Workshop: The Certified Radiology Administrator (CRA) Exam Workshop is Themed parties are a popular netowkring aspect of the annual event. This year, designed to facilitate the attendees’ study and unleash your inner rock star at the AHRA 2019 Theme Party. preparation for the CRA Exam. The course reviews each domain, or subject area, covered in the exam-fiscal management, human resource management, operations management, asset management, and Cultivating Accountability Workshop: This program challengcommunication and information management. It focuses on areas es attendees to take a deep look at accountability and how it to study as well as provides references and direction to other reaffects individuals, teams and, ultimately, the organization. sources. Attendees should use the course to identify their respective Participants will actively engage in accountability conversaareas of strength and weakness. Completion of the workshop will tions, learn the destructive nature of blame and the power of help channel the attendees in their foundation of study for the CRA taking ownership for results. Conversations and exercises build Exam. Breakfast and lunch are included in the registration fee. experience in the team and begin to create a more distinct understanding of accountability.

2019 Executive Leadership Workshop: This four-hour, interactive See website for details. leadership workshop is designed to achieve four key goals: 1. Discuss the challenges facing radiology leaders and identify Welcome Reception for New Members and First-Time strategies to overcome those challenges Attendees: This invitation-only reception is a great way to get 2. Enhance leadership skills to engage staff, build staff engageacquainted with AHRA. Connect with new colleagues and then ment leading to an exceptional patient experience join them at the President’s Reception, immediately following.

3. Invest in your individual “personal brand” and develop the enthusiasm that leads to winning teams AHRA’s Rockin’ in the Rockies: Unleash your inner rock star at 4. Create an environment that results in staff bringing their “A” the AHRA 2019 Theme Party. Whether it’s glam, heavy, thrash, or game everyday!

80s, be ready to ROCK the night away with AHRA friends! Enjoy See website for details. food, drink and plenty of dancing.

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Guide to AHRA

AHRA Breakout sessions grab the attention of attendees with insightful knowledge.

AHRA Breakout sessions grab the attention of attendees with insightful knowledge.

Exhibit Hall Visit more than 150 exhibitors during exclusive exhibit hall hours Monday through Wednesday.

The AHRA exhibition contains the leading vendors of imaging products and services. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to comparison shop under one roof. Complimentary lunch will be served to all attendees each day in the hall. It’s the ideal opportunity to get up close with not only the products, but also with the exhibit personnel. Ask the questions you and your organization need answers to! Exhibitors will have their experts ready to demonstrate products and discuss all services.

Exhibitors play an integral part in the Annual Meeting, so stop by and thank them for their presence and support. Plan appointments in advance and visit the AHRA website to see a current list of exhibitors and floor plan.

AHRA is pleased to partner with the leading companies in the imaging industry to bring educational sessions that cover the most up-to-the minute industry topics and issues via the Exhibitor Symposia. There is a variety of symposia offered at no additional charge to attendees and all offer ARRT Category A CE credits.

More than Mountains Be sure to enjoy your stay while in the Mile High City. The mountains are breathtaking, but there is more than mountains to check out while in Colorado.

Garden of the Gods is an unusual geologic formation of brilliant red rocks, located at the base of Pikes Peak an hour from 44

ICEMAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

Denver. Royal Gorge, the world’s highest suspension bridge, is two hours from the city. You can walk or drive across the bridge, descend to the bottom of the canyon on the world’s steepest incline railroad, take a train through the canyon or ride down the rapids in a rubber raft.

Denver is the largest shopping center in a 600 mile radius with everything from Nordstrom’s, Neiman Marcus and H&M to one of the nation’s largest independent bookstores – the Tattered Cover. The Cherry Creek Shopping District, just three miles from downtown, has nearly 500 department stores, art galleries, shops and boutiques, all in a deluxe ultra upscale mall or on quiet tree-lined streets. The 16th Street Mall is a pedestrian promenade lined with 50,000 flowers that runs for more than a mile through the heart of downtown Denver.

If you’re planning outdoor adventures, you’ll also find a vast array of sporting goods stores here.

Denver has 2,000 restaurants serving all varieties of cuisine.

Area specialties include Southwestern dishes, buffalo, Colorado beef and lamb and fresh produce such as succulent Palisade peaches and sweet Olathe corn. The city is gaining a reputation for its innovative collection of farm-to-table, chef-owned restaurants.

Denver brews more beer than any other city with 200 different beers brewed in town daily and at the Coors Brewing Company – the largest single brewing site on earth. ICE For more information about the annual meeting, visit AHRA.org/AnnualMeeting.

ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

Guide to AHRA

EXHIBITOR SPOTLIGHT Don’t Miss these Exhibitors During AHRA!

Injector Support & Service Booth: 824 www.injectorsupport.com

Richardson Healthcare Booth: 1402 www.rellhealthcare.com

Varex Imaging Corporation Booth: 417 www.vareximaging.com

ICE Oxford Instruments Healthcare

Booth: 1508 www.oxford-instruments.com/healthcare

RTI Inc

Booth: 1416 www.rtigroup.com

IMAGING COMMUNITY EXCHANGE

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Philips

Booth: 611 www.philips.com/healthcare

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Booth: 522 www.mysummitimaging.com

ICEMAGAZINE

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insight

CAREER CENTER For Smooth Relocation–Do Your Research

I

n today’s marketplace, many healthcare technology management (HTM) candidates are having to relocate for a position with a new organization or because of an internal transfer with an existing employer. For most of us, moving to a new location and a new position can be can be very stressful.

Here are some tips to make your relocation transition smoother: My first suggestion to candidates, when they are moving to a geographical area that they are not familiar with, is to first stay at an “extended stay” type of hotel for the first month or so. Many of these hotels have weekly and even monthly reduced rates. This gives you the opportunity to explore housing options firsthand – whether renting or purchasing a home.

Second, I suggest that you first rent a place for a year whether that be an apartment or a house. During this time, you can obtain a full understanding of housing options for the town where your position is located as well as all of the nearby neighborhoods within driving distance. This also gives you time to do more research on school systems, churches of preference and recreational activities that you want you and your family to have. This is especially helpful 46

ICEMAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

Written by Jenifer Brown Health Tech Talent Management

“Too many times I have witnessed candidates panicking and make mistakes because they were trying to do everything at once – plus start a new role!” if you have an existing home in your current location that you plan to sell. This is helpful because it gives you the time to sell your house and have the finances for your new home purchase. I realize that all of this seems very logical and that everyone would naturally do so. However, too many times I have witnessed candidates panick and make mistakes because they were trying to do everything at once – plus start a new role!

Here are some resources available to assist you in this relocation process: One of the best as well as free resources (though oftentimes it does not come to mind) is the local chamber of commerce.

It is a wealth of in-depth information regarding housing, school systems, medical needs, shopping and recreational activities. There are also many other websites for housing. For renting an apartment or a house some websites to consider are www.apartmentfinders. com, www.zillow.com, www.zumper. com, www.crib.com and also check Craigslist for individuals renting out homes or a room in their home. For purchasing a home, check www.trulia. com, www.redfin.com, www.homes.com, www.zillow.com or the numerous websites of local real estate companies.

Hope this helps to relieve some stress and help ensure an exciting new start at a new position and location! ICE ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

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ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

insight

IMAGING MATTERS

Written by John Garrett Director of a Clinical Engineering Department in CHI

New Vendors of Diagnostic Imaging

T

here are new players in town. At least they are trying to establish themselves as such. Then, there is the rebranding that is going on as companies merge or buy out other companies.

It is a very active time in the world of medical imaging.

United Imaging made its debut in the USA during RSNA with PET/CT, CT, MRI and general rad room offerings. Samsung, not new but very young, is offering ultrasound, portable X-ray, general rad rooms and portable CT. Then, there is Canon having purchased Toshiba marketing under the Canon name with some changes to the new designs. These are just a few of the companies out there that are either new or rebranded. We all wait to see what happens with GE Healthcare as they are divested from GE. There can be a lot of excitement generated about a new company, a new product offering, and a new set of features or options. Users get excited and envision what might be possible with this new equipment or company. Hospitals and imaging centers see improved workflow or better patient outcomes (be they real or imagined) and push to buy the equipment.

Every medical center has to make decisions that make the most sense for the situation they are in. They need to look at the best way to achieve desired patient WWW.THEICECOMMUNITY.COM

“New manufacturers bring a world of possibilities and opportunities. It is important to know and consider the full cost of owning the unit and what the realistic expectations of the equipment’s impact upon the center making the purchase will be over the life of the equipment.” outcomes. So, it is very possible that the new company or new offering is the right fit. However, it is important to consider all aspects of the purchase. There are hidden costs to consider when looking to purchase the new company product.

If you are using a product with a small market share, when people transfer into your company they will require complete training on that equipment. All of them.

There is little chance that an operator will have worked with equipment that has a small part of the overall market in a previous location. Service will have to be provided by the manufacturer unless you can get your in-house team trained. This may be easier to do with a company that has a smaller market share, or impossible.

Something to be researched and considered.

Finally, parts and down time. If there is no secondary market, all parts will have to

come through the manufacturer. Depending on the quality control of the company this may decrease or increase downtime.

It is important to note that these may not be big issues, and there are ways to mitigate any potential problems in the negotiations prior to the actual purchase.

However, as more players get into the diagnostic imaging equipment manufacturing business they are all serious considerations. Moving to a new or newer manufacturer will require more resources for service initially, but it is no different than using the same manufacturer with a new generation of equipment.

New manufacturers bring a world of possibilities and opportunities. It is important to know and consider the full cost of owning the unit and what the realistic expectations of the equipment’s impact upon the center making the purchase will be over the life of the equipment. ICE ICEMAGAZINE

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ICE18 members will have the rare opportunity to network with the best and brightest in the industry, gaining invaluable knowledge helping their department grow and prosper. There will be several exciting networking events, including our “ICE18 Talks” where you can learn and share innovative and creative ideas.

The event’s grand finale will have you take part in the Reverse Expo, which provides brief oneon-one introductions with vendors who will share product information that will assist with equipment and service needs.

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I get to network with other professionals who understand the same challenges who maybe have better practices or better answers to issues and problems that I face or vice verse.”

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insight

THE PROS AND CONS OF E-LEARNING D

o you know anyone at your work who avoids all technology? Impossible, isn’t it? Technology allows us to do phenomenal things today. For example, just about everyone uses a smartphone, which means we now carry more technology in our pockets or purses than what was used to get men to the moon.

Unfortunately, there are areas where we underuse technology, and one of those is training and development. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen amazing teaching and learning applications, similar to what you’d see in a “Star Wars” movie.

But overall, it’s been my observation that many companies are missing out on even the simpler options available for improving their training, and are missing out on improving their bottom line.

Since my formal education has to do with workforce learning and development and I’ve created my fair share of online learning modules, I’d like to take this opportunity to explore some of the pros and cons of e-learning, including some tips for how to get the maximum return from using it.

To start, one big advantage for using online training is that learning is standardized. Everyone learns the same terminology, and steps aren’t inadvertently missed.

The key to success here is to ensure your subject matter experts approve the training before it’s published.

Another huge benefit for using e-learning is the cost savings. Talking to the number crunchers, I’ve been told that for every $100 spent to put someone in a physical 52

ICEMAGAZINE | JUNE 2019

seat in a classroom, it costs only $30 to deliver the same training via e-learning.

That’s a huge financial advantage, but to capitalize on that savings, we need to understand the best use of online learning.

As a background, training occurs in three distinct arenas: cognitive learning, skills learning and attitudinal learning,

Written by Daniel Bobinski Workplace Consultant

times that are convenient for them. The technical term for this is asynchronous learning, the opposite of synchronous learning, where everyone is taking the class at the same time. Asynchronous learning allows people to learn while eating pizza at 2 a.m. in their pajamas. If that’s what works best for them, let it happen.

“Using e-learning will have a positive impact on your bottom line, but it must be created wisely and managed well.” which is mostly safety and quality issues.

Cognitive and attitudinal learning are easier to adapt to online methods. Teaching skills online gets more difficult.

Also, each of the three arenas of learning have different levels of complexity.

To me, many companies waste time and money teaching basic knowledge and understanding in classroom settings. If a company taught those things cheaply online, then the more expensive seat-classes can be used for discussing how to apply that knowledge, or even get into some hands-on troubleshooting.

Teaching a subject using both online and classroom instruction combined is called blended learning.

Another benefit of online learning is letting people complete their learning at

Although asynchronous learning provides many benefits, the downside is that follow-through can be a problem. That’s because watching e-learning isn’t usually an urgent activity, so if it doesn’t get talked about, it can fall through the cracks.

“Out of sight, out of mind,” as it were.

Therefore, when e-learning is assigned, it’s important that supervisors remind employees to get their learning done.

I also want to point out that e-learning must be engaging. I see way too many e-learning modules that are nothing but a PowerPoint presentation featuring walls of text. Few things are more boring, and people don’t like boring. Watch any TV show or movie and count how many different camera cuts occur in a two-minute time window. According to an article in ADVANCING THE IMAGING PROFESSIONAL

insight Wired magazine, “The average shot length of English language films has declined from about 12 seconds in 1930 to about 2.5 seconds today.” That means your typical e-learner is accustomed to seeing the content of the screen change every 2.5 seconds. If e-learning consists of walls of text that don’t change for 30 or 60 seconds, your learners will be bored quickly.

When I was doing preliminary research for my doctorate, I did a study on how front-line employees responded to e-learning. I was shocked to observe how quickly employees looked for ways to skip past presentations they deemed boring. In other words, their companies might have saved a few dollars by creating simple, inexpensive e-learning lessons, but that cost-savings was wasted because employees weren’t learning anything from it.

What are some e-learning best practices you should look for?

• Make sure learning is interactive. A few minutes of video instruction followed by a couple of quiz questions covering what was just presented is a good,

•

•

•

•

relatively inexpensive minimum. Even better if employees can interact with their learning, such as clicking on specific parts of an image as a way to choose correct answers.

Video is better that static images. Static images are better than bullet point lists.

Bullet point lists are better than walls of text. Also, with technology being so cheap and easy these days, you should always include audio.

Make sure that learning can be accessed from multiple device types.

Test the learning to ensure it works on desktops, laptops, tablets, iPads and smartphones.

Enable learning modules to be reviewed repeatedly. Also, if the learning involves a series of modules, set up the system so employees can log out and pick up where they left off when they log back in.

No matter how long a complete training is, individual lessons should not be longer than 15 minutes. If possible, design them so they’re between five and eight minutes.

I’ve seen good training that’s 15-20 minutes, but it’s highly interactive and there are lots of quiz questions interspersed to ensure learning is occurring. Five to eight minutes is best.

• Finally, the most important best practice when using e-learning is follow-up from those in charge. If e-learning is assigned, whoever is supervising the learners needs to talk about its importance and ensure it’s being done. If the boss doesn’t act like it’s important, it won’t be seen as important.

The bottom line? Using e-learning will have a positive impact on your bottom line, but it must be created wisely and managed well. ICE Daniel Bobinski, M.Ed. is a certified behavioral analyst, a best-selling author and a popular speaker at conferences and retreats. He loves working with teams and coaching individuals to help them achieve workplace excellence. Reach Daniel through his website, www.MyWorkplaceExcellence. com, or (208) 375-7606.

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54

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