TechNation Magazine June 2021 by MD Publishing

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Vol. 12

ADVANCING THE BIOMEDICAL / HTM PROFESSIONAL

JUNE 2021

D E K O O L R E OV

PANDEMIC CASUALTY

CONTINUING EDUCATION PAGE 54

20 Professional of the Month

Naveed Khan

26 News & Notes

Updates from the HTM Industry

64 Cybersecurity

Q&A with FDA Cybersecurity Director

69 The Future

The Future of Certification

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CONTENTS

FEATURED

HE ROUNDTABLE: T TRAINING/EDUCATION In the roundtable article, we invited experts to share insights regarding training and education during a pandemic.

CONTINUING EDUCATION: OVERLOOKED COVID-19 CASUALTY The COVID-19 pandemic altered life in a variety of ways. Continuing education and training for HTM professionals adapted during the pandemic and continues to do so as organizations provide options for those interested.

Next month’s Roundtable article: Cybersecurity

Next month’s Feature article: Medical Device Servicing Collaborative Community

TechNation (Vol. 12, Issue #6) June 2021 is published monthly by MD Publishing, 1015 Tyrone Rd., Ste. 120, Tyrone, GA 30290. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to TechNation at 1015 Tyrone Rd., Ste. 120, Tyrone, GA 30290. TechNation magazine is dedicated to providing medical equipment service professionals with comprehensive, reliable, information concerning medical equipment, parts, service and supplies. It is published monthly by MD Publishing, Inc. Subscriptions are available free of charge to qualified individuals within the United States. Publisher reserves the right to determine qualification for a free subscriptions. Every precaution is taken to ensure accuracy of content; however, the information, opinions, and statements expressed in the articles and advertisements herein are those of the writer and/or advertiser, and not necessarily those of the publisher. ©2021

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JUNE 2021

TECHNATION

INSIDE Departments

CONTENTS

PUBLISHER

John M. Krieg

VICE PRESIDENT

Kristin Leavoy

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Jayme McKelvey Megan Cabot

ART DEPARTMENT Jonathan Riley Karlee Gower Taylor Powers EDITORIAL

John Wallace Erin Register

CONTRIBUTORS

Roger Bowles Jenifer Brown K. Richard Douglas Jim Fedele Joe Fishel Manny Roman Cindy Stephens Steven J. Yelton

DIGITAL SERVICES

Cindy Galindo Kennedy Krieg

EVENTS

Lisa Lisle

WEBINARS

Jennifer Godwin

HTMJOBS.COM

Kristen Register Sydney Krieg

ACCOUNTING

Diane Costea

EDITORIAL BOARD

Jim Fedele, CBET, Senior Director of Clinical Engineering, UPMC Carol Davis-Smith, CCE, FACCE, AAMIF, Owner/ President of Carol Davis-Smith & Associates, LLC David Francoeur, CBET, CHTM, Senior Vice President Marketing and Sales, Tech Know Associates - TKA Jennifer DeFrancesco, DHA, MS, CHTM, System Director, Clinical Engineering, Crothall Healthcare Rob Bundick, Director HTM & Biomedical Engineering, ProHealth Care

MD Publishing / TechNation Magazine 1015 Tyrone Rd., Ste. 120, Tyrone, GA 30290 800.906.3373 • Fax: 770.632.9090 Email: info@mdpublishing.com www.mdpublishing.com

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Proud supporters of

P.12 SPOTLIGHT p.12 MD Expo Dallas Recap p.14 Department of the Month: TRIMEDX Clinical Engineering Department at Rush Copley Medical Center p.18 What’s Happening at AAMI eXchange REWIRED p.20 Professional of the Month: Naveed Khan – Riyadh HTM Professional p.24 Shifting Gears: Once Wore the Trident P.26 INDUSTRY UPDATES p.26 News and Notes: Updates from the HTM Industry p.32 Ribbon Cutting: Tristate Biomedical Solutions p.34 AAMI Update p.36 Company Showcase: Elite Biomedical Solutions p.38 ECRI Update P.41 p.41 p.43 p.44 p.46

THE BENCH Biomed 101 Tools of the Trade Webinar Wednesday Shop Talk

P.60 EXPERT ADVICE p.60 Incompatibility Issues: When Monitors and Modules Don’t Talk to Each Other, sponsored by Avante Health Solutions p.63 Career Center p.64 Cybersecurity p.66 20/20 Imaging Insights, sponsored by Innovatus Imaging p.69 The Future p.70 How to Understand and Fill the Gaps in Your Clinical Risk Management Program: The top five capabilities you need to successfully manage risks, sponsored by Medigate p.73 The Other Side P.76 BREAKROOM p.76 Did You Know? p.78 The Vault p.80 Where in the World is Ben C.? p.82 MDExpo Dallas Scrapbook p.85 iMed Biomedical: Get Up Clean Up Contest p.90 HTM Strong p.86 Service Index p.89 Alphabetical Index Like us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/TechNationMag Follow us on Twitter, twitter.com/TechNationMag

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SPOTLIGHT

500+ ATTEND MD EXPO DALLAS Exhibitors, Attendees Praise Organizers, Event BY JOHN WALLACE

D Expo, MD Publishing’s signature event for healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals, proved the old saying “Everything is Bigger in Texas!”

MD Expo Dallas drew a total of 566 people for continuing education credits, exhibit hall access and networking events. MD Publishing transitioned to smaller HTM Mixers in 2020 for safety reasons as the pandemic created a “new normal” across the country. The MD Expo held in Tampa, Florida in November 2020 saw a shift toward larger conferences. MD Expo Dallas showed tremendous progress in the ability to hold events. MD Publishing President and Founder John Krieg shared some of the overwhelmingly positive feedback he received from those in attendance at MD Expo Dallas. • “ T hank you for hosting a live event, it was much needed!” • “ We appreciate your boldness and

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JUNE 2021

paving the way for keeping businesses running.” • “ You’ve led the industry in supporting in-person meetings and making sure we continue our ability to learn, network and share valuable information.” “These are just some of the unbelievable testimonials we have received,” Krieg said. “MD Expo started unique and quality meetings 20 years ago, and we aren’t going to stop. What we have proved is people can still meet in a safe and clean environment, continue doing business together and help our industry grow and prosper.” Attendees and exhibitors alike praised MD Expo Dallas. D.J. Fingerlos, director of clinical engineering at TKA/Queen of the Valley Medical Center, said this was his fourth or fifth MD Expo. “This one is the best yet because we are all out in the open again. We have been needing this,” Fingerlos said. “It’s great for continuing education, a great place for networking and seeing what

other people are doing in the industry.” He said the three words he would use to describe MD Expo are “engaging, inviting and successful.” Bob Smothers, CBET, is treasurer of the Colorado Association of Biomedical Equipment Technicians (CABMET). He also is a field service engineer with HSS Inc. He was impressed with MD Expo and said he picked up a few ideas for the next CABMET Symposium. “I was very impressed with it,” Smothers said. “There is a wonderful turnout of attendees and exhibitors! I am running into a lot of friendly faces and networking.” The three words he would use to describe MD Expo are “informative, diverse and joyful.” Damion McKinzie, an imaging service tech with Common Spirit Health, said he was glad that he was able to attend MD Expo Dallas. “It meets expectations because there is a diverse group of people from different places discussing a variety of topics,” he said.

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SPOTLIGHT

He added that it was wonderful how the sponsors and the companies exhibiting made free registration possible for hospital employees, members of the military and students. “It’s cool that they are paying back into the HTM community with free attendance,” McKinzie said. Paul Stodolka, manager of biomedical engineering at UT Southwestern Medical Center, said MD Expo was very organized and “very well done.” He said that he has attended several AAMI conferences in the past and had some concerns about attending the smaller MD Expo. Those concerns evaporated quickly. “The education is just as good or better compared to the last couples of years at AAMI,” he said. “I’ve been doing this a long time, since 1979, and I got new ideas in the classes.” He said one example was the educational session “How to Survive a Survey.” Stodolka said the session gave him a solution he plans to implement as soon as he returns to work. He also said that MD Expo provided great access to vendors in the exhibit hall. When asked for three words to describe MD Expo, Stodolka shared four words – “networking, affordable, fun and educational.” Larry Fennigkoh, adjunct professor of biomedical engineering at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, said he loves coming to MD Expo. “I love presenting. I love teaching, but hospital biomed work was my first love and passion,” Fennigkoh said. “My first 22 years were in the hospital environment and many of these attendees, it is going to sound weird, but they almost feel like surrogate kids to me. I love nothing more than to come back here and see these new people, these young people getting wired, amped up and inspired; and taking this energy and this inspiration back to their workplace and maybe passing it along.” He could not limit himself to three words when asked to describe MD Expo. “Priceless,” Fennigkoh said. “I want to say educational, but it is really growth. It’s not just the educational sessions and the great information we get from the vendors but consistently what I see is the bonding, the connection, that people make when they are at these meetings that I think just re-inspires them, re-energizes them. I just feel the pride that this community has, and it is just really a treat being around these really dedicated, committed, like-minded geeks and that is how I think we grow. By the validation that people get, again not just from the great educational experiences and information but it is the sense of being a part of something much greater than ourselves.” Information about upcoming HTM Mixers in Milwaukee and Kansas City can be found at HTMmixer.com. The next MD Expo is set for Las Vegas this November with more information available at MDExpoShow.com.

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Dallas, TX • April 16-17, 2021

Exhibitors and attendees come from all over the country to network at MD Expo Dallas.

The exhibit hall was filled with new and innovative technologies.

JUNE 2021

TECHNATION

SPOTLIGHT

DEPARTMENT OF THE MONTH

TRIMEDX Clinical Engineering Department at Rush Copley Medical Center BY K. RICHARD DOUGLAS

n April 9, 2021, Rush University System for Health administered its 100,000th dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. It was administered in the medical center’s impressive Edward A. Brennan Entry Pavilion.

The health system is comprised of Rush University Medical Center, Rush Copley Medical Center, Rush Oak Park Hospital and Rush University, as well as an extensive providers’ network and numerous outpatient care facilities. The teaching hospital ranks 17th on the Best Hospitals Honor Roll, according to U.S. News and World Report. Like many health care providers across the country, Rush University Medical Center has taken on the challenge to help

TECHNATION

JUNE 2021

mitigate the concerns and health needs of the people it serves. The center serves the Chicago community. Managing this impressive health system’s medical equipment is the TRIMEDX Clinical Engineering Department at Rush Copley Medical Center. In addition to managing the equipment at the 210-bed medical center, the clinical engineering team provides service to Rush Copley Medical Group clinics, the Midwest Center of Advanced Imaging and Rush Copley Urgent Care Yorkville. Team members include Director Mikhail Ostrov, Senior Site Manager Shawn Molloy and Supervisor Brian Sexton in leadership. The team also includes Cody Goodbear, ISE III; Kelly Harris, biomed

III; Stephen Cadena, lab spec II; Joe Delacruz, biomed II and Jonathan Gonzalez, biomed I. They manage nearly 7,500 devices. Molloy says that each member of the leadership team started their careers as technicians. As the site manager, Molloy says he is able to evaluate service contract needs through the use of an array of tools, technology and data provided by TRIMEDX. “Being a nationwide company, the site manager is able to pull data from the large scope of TRIMEDX sites at the model level and compare it to their local trends and needs,” he says. The team also works in harmony with IT to keep the network buttoned down. “Our clinical engineering and the

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SPOTLIGHT

hospital IT department work together to ensure the functionality and security of all medical devices. New IP “Clinical engineering works directly with IT in the integration of devices. We are grateful to our IT counterparts and how well they work with us from Rush to ensure we provide safe and secure care for our patients,” Molloy says. The team was so effective that it earned a Pinnacle Award in 2020. The award was recognition from TRIMEDX as the best-performing site in the nation. The clinical engineering team’s value to the hospital is reflected in a net promoter score (NPS) of 9.3 out of 10. TAKING ON PROJECTS DURING A PANDEMIC During the past year, many biomed departments have had to add special projects to address the unique needs that the COVID-19 pandemic has placed on hospitals. The clinical engineering team took on additional duties that permitted the facility to provide care for more COVID patients. “This was a challenging year, and the team was there for each other, the hospital and the community of Aurora. COVID-19 presented challenges, as we saw surges require the conversion of general areas to ICU COVID units. TRIMEDX was at the forefront with our health care partners in the incident commands and in the frontlines providing solutions,” Molloy says. He says during this past year, the clinical engineering team evaluated and redesigned the telemetry overview area which oversees a significant number of patients. “With the addition of COVID units, the facility layout did not support adding additional clinical staff to monitor more patients. At no additional cost to the hospital, our team was able to install a new design that allowed for the addition of 32 beds to the monitoring system, as well as an additional clinician to monitor,” Molloy says. “During the past year, the clinical engineering team was able to repurpose

and reconfigure monitors in the intermediate care area to create additional ICU and ICU step-down beds to support the changes in hospital population and census due to COVID. These monitors were repurposed from monitors that had been upgraded, and we were able to expand the hospital’s capabilities without added cost,” Molloy adds. He says that the clinical engineering team also played a significant part in the rollout of personal protective equipment (PPE) in support and defense of the clinical staff to ensure they could safely care for patients, adding 100 CAPR units for staff use. The additional challenges during 2020 did not end there. “The clinical engineering team at Rush Copley Medical Center assisted the Rush University medical team with the check-in and implementation of over 5,000 infusion pumps,” Molloy says. The team also saved the health care system money while addressing the needs created by a surge in the number of COVID patients. “The hospital had a 32-bed day surgery unit that it wanted to convert to an ICU with central station overview. They reached out to the vendor and were told the hospital would need to upgrade the central monitoring system to add the overview of this unit. This

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

would be a million-dollar project,” Molloy says. He says that the clinical engineering team evaluated the system and found a small modification that would provide the overview of the beds with no cost and no need to upgrade. The modification was done very quickly, and the health care team was able to care for a larger amount of COVID patients during the surge. The team of HTM professionals at Rush Copley have been an invaluable asset to clinicians and patients. It has proven worthy of the prestigious award that it earned. “The purpose of the TRIMEDX Site Excellence Awards is to recognize sites that demonstrate excellence throughout the year. Excellence is measured through nine key factors, including customer satisfaction, associate engagement, service delivery performance and commitment to continuous improvement. Our Pinnacle Award winner represents the top performing site out of all TRIMEDX sites nationally within the TRIMEDX organization,” says Jay Khan, executive vice president and transformation officer at TRIMEDX. As a biomed team who has set the gold standard during a pandemic; this group of biomeds has proven that they can excel even in the most challenging of times.

JUNE 2021

TECHNATION

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SPOTLIGHT

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT AAMI EXCHANGE REWIRED T

he 2021 AAMI eXchange has been redeveloped into a fully virtual event, the AAMI eXchange REWIRED. And while it is unfortunate that attendees won’t be able to meet in person to discuss all things health technology, the online format is able to offer new experiences and capabilities never before available to eXchange attendees. To help you better navigate the exciting five-day virtual conference, we’re providing a sampling of familiar and new moments alike that you won’t want to miss during the AAMI eXchange REWIRED.

WHAT’S NEW “I do not want this to be ‘just another virtual event.’ We’ve had enough of those after one year of the pandemic,” said Steve Campbell, acting president and CEO of AAMI. “Though we would have liked to have come together in person, we are enthusiastic about the unique opportunities of a virtual eXchange, enhanced by the simple fact that all of us – regardless of circumstances – will be able to take part.” One key feature of AAMI eXchange REWIRED that should not be ignored is that talks and education sessions will be recorded. These recordings will be available on demand to registered

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individuals or teams for the rest of the 2021 year. This allows attendees to make the best use of their time without disrupting work-life balance. Of course, there are many moments that you’ll want to catch live! Starting the day with “Good Morning HTM” is unique to the REWIRED experience. AAMI’s Danielle McGeary, vice president of healthcare technology management (HTM), and Robert Burroughs, senior vice president of education, will be co-hosting a morning broadcast that will introduce attendees to some of their favorite topics. The daily show (11 a.m. ET) will include live Q&As with special guests and will highlight the day’s lineup of speakers, education sessions and product spotlights. Additionally, four of the online event’s five days will include another topic spotlight at 4 p.m. ET focused exclusively on AAMI’s latest initiatives, such as the national BMET apprenticeship program, recently approved by the U.S. Department of Labor. Taking advantage of the online medium, eXchange REWIRED is also offering tools to harness numerous networking opportunities. Attendee networking will be supercharged with a searchable/filterable attendee directory, one-on-one chat options, video conferencing and topical attendee chat threads

to accompany each session. A virtual exhibit hall will also provide opportunities to connect directly with leading product suppliers and developers. And at 3 p.m. ET every day, the eXchange REWIRED’s platinum sponsors will be giving talks and showcasing their products and services on the main livestream. WHAT’S FAMILIAR AAMI eXchange REWIRED will include the same great educational content eXchange attendees have come to expect, with 30 hours of industry-leading learning opportunities providing the chance to earn up to 30 ACI CEUs. For professionals looking to renew their certification, that’s enough credits to cover three years! Education topics being covered at eXchange REWIRED include highlights such as… … New Challenges and Solutions in Cybersecurity. One subject that is becoming increasingly important to health tech communities is cybersecurity, especially as our personal and professional lives have become tethered to the Internet of Things (IoT). AAMI eXchange REWIRED is offering sessions on cybersecurity best practices, new avenues for collaboration between hospitals and manufacturers, new strategies for security risk manage-

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ment and cybersecurity training to keep employees in-the-know. Most notably, AAMI knows that the cybersecurity of medical devices is no longer restricted to the hospital room or laboratory. One session to look forward to is “Cybersecurity in the Era of Telehealth, Wearables & HIoT.” It will cover how the digital transformation of health care poses new challenges for security, compliance and patient safety. “Join us and discover the growth of artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, medical and other HIoT devices, including wearables,” said speakers Richard Stayings, MA, MS, Cylera, and Benoit Desjardins, MD, Ph.D., FACR, FAHA, University of Pennsylvania. “Together, we will consider the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of PHI and other non-public data.” … Catching up on Emergency-Driven Innovation It is no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed medical innovation to new heights. AAMI COVID-19 Response Team Co-Chair Sandy Weininger has said that “this is the time to innovate,” adding that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s emergency use authorizations (EUAs) are paving the way for new ideas to help in the pandemic. Since the start of the pandemic, the Response Team has witnessed the rise of $500 mechanical ventilators, intriguing “bubble helmets,” and even remote-controlled hospital rooms. That’s why it is important for AAMI to provide an education track that gets eXchange REWIRED attendees up to speed on new technologies and emergency preparedness. A strong example of the sessions available, “Meeting the COVID-19 Challenge: Innovation in Ventilation for Healthcare Institutions” provides a brief update on airborne

contamination risk in the wake of COVID-19, reviews the limitations of conventional ventilation and introduces participants to the science of Temperature-controlled Air Flow, a novel technology that is rapidly gaining adoption in Europe. Additionally, panels such as “COVID-19’s Impact on the Future of Healthcare and HTM” will showcase the varied insights and experiences from different hospitals and consultants as they attempt to predict the resulting long-term impacts of COVID-19 and the new ideas this pandemic have inspired. … Training and Succession Planning in the Digital Age The eXchange REWIRED will be offering multiple sessions dedicated to improving the quality of training programs within your department. Health technology management, cybersecurity and sterility assurance managing professionals can learn crucial steps for ensuring staff and new hires are prepared to tackle new responsibilities. A reflection of the times, several sessions will be exploring strategies for virtually training employees. In “Use of Augmented Reality Optimizes HTM Staffing at Remote Locations,” a team from the Veterans Health Administration will be explaining how the use of augmented reality can optimize HTM staffing at remote locations; while in “Virtual Reality – Training for the Future,” St. Clair College educators will discuss how VR allows a single app to train HTM professionals in the use of new equipment even before it arrives. WHAT WE’RE ALL ANTICIPATING During the virtual meeting, two keynote speakers help explain how to enrich and empower a workplace during difficult times.

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Author Jim Knight honed his revolutionary approach to strong leadership, organizational cultures and exceptional guest service over two decades as the senior director of training and development at Hard Rock International. On Wednesday, he will offer fresh, new insights on organizational cultures, including practical leadership initiatives that can be immediately implemented. And on Monday, motivational speaker Brad Montgomery will provide a humorous and inspirational take on how to motivate teammates, encouraging positivity, optimism and meaningfulness within organizations. “Focusing on the people side of business not only improves the bottom line,” said Montgomery, “it can be enormously satisfying, inspiring and sometimes very funny.” The AAMI eXchange REWIRED talks will wrap up on Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. ET with a very anticipated keynote speaker. Attendees will get a rare opportunity to meet a leader from the Joint Commission in an interactive session. Herman McKenzie, director of the department of engineering in the standards interpretation group, leads the team responsible in developing and interpreting the life safety and environment of care standards. Come with questions and have them answered in real time! The expanded schedule for 2021 will ensure that there is always something new to see at AAMI eXchange REWIRED, and you’ll be able to design a high-impact schedule perfectly tailored to your interests. It is AAMI’s hope that you’ll join us to connect with your colleagues and gain new knowledge of products, standards and regulations. To learn more, visit https://bit.ly/eXchangeREWIRED.

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SPOTLIGHT

PROFESSIONAL OF THE MONTH Naveed Khan – Riyadh HTM Professional BY K. RICHARD DOUGLAS

he city of Riyadh is the capital of Saudi Arabia. The city sits in the center of the country and is a financial hub in one of the world’s wealthiest nations.

Travelers to Riyadh can visit the Edge of the World, an other-worldly wall of steep cliffs northwest of the city that emerge from the desert floor and allow hikers to see for miles. It is not unusual to see camels and camel herders on the desert floor below. In the city, tourists can visit the Masmak Fort, a clay and mudbrick historical site dating back to 1289 A.D. There is also the Deerah Souq, a shopping area with quaint shops that sell souvenirs, gold, silver, antiques and

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traditional clothing. More modern attractions include the Kingdom Centre Tower and Al Nakheel Mall. One of the city’s health care providers is Saudi German Hospital-Riyadh. Saudi German Hospital (SGH)-Riyadh is a 219-bed, multi-specialty tertiary care hospital that has been in operation since 2001. Naveed Khan, a biomedical engineer at SGH-Riyadh, works as an assistant facility/operations manager. Khan’s biomed journey started in Pakistan. “I applied for an internship at Siemens in Pakistan where I had been placed in the medical engineering division. That was the beginning; then I continued my career in HTM/ biomed,” Khan says.

The countries of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are separated by water. They sit on opposite sides of the Gulf of Oman. “I spent more than a year as an internee. Then, I got different training at different levels of my career. I did my internship with Siemens’ medical engineering division, where I was working under senior engineers and assisting them as well,” Khan says. After completing his internship at Siemens, Khan worked there as a technical assistant. He then worked at the local Mehdi A. Manji Diagnostics Center in Pakistan, where he worked on imaging equipment. The work with imaging equipment has remained an area of specialty to this day. “Although I have been working in different areas of medical equipment as an

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in-house engineer, I think I am still doing good work in radiology,” Khan says. While Khan’s career path has added more responsibilities, he says that the HTM role in the countries he has worked in are similar. “Biomed in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is the same, but the nature of my job is different. In Pakistan, I was working as a field engineer, and in Saudi Arabia, I am an in-house engineer,” he says. “Originally, Saudi German Hospital started its first branch in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and is now across Saudi Arabia and in other countries of the Middle East; Saudi German Hospital has branches,” Khan explains. He says that in his role as assistant facility/operations manager, he is responsible for taking care of the daily operations of the hospital such as biomedical engineering issues, general maintenance, HVAC and works with the purchasing committee for medical equipment. CHARTING WORKFLOWS AND OTHER PROJECTS Khan’s role at his hospital has included routine responsibilities and special projects. “As a special project, development of policy and procedures for the biomedical engineering department took a lot of time,” he says. That effort paid off. He says that recently, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority survey found that the SGH-Riyadh’s biomedical engineering policy and procedures were very comprehensive and ranked best among regional hospitals. Another project was participation in the development of a CMM program (biomedical engineering module) in-house development with the WIPRO team. “My responsibility as a biomedical engineer was to make a workflow chart

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“ I’m trying to be a good human being and I want to be a citizen of Earth where everyone respects and cares for others.” and maps; from purchase request until finalizing of the order and entry of medical equipment in organization until retirement – warranty, services PPM, corrective maintenance, safety test calibration, classification of device – all these steps converted into the program by the WIPRO team and tested on different levels till ‘go-live.’ This program is still running in the SGH-Riyadh and SGH-Madinah branches,” Khan says. Another memorable project was the installation of a linear accelerator at the Karachi Institute of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Cancer Hospital in Karachi. “One beautiful experience; I had worked with the most experienced engineers and pioneers of Siemens medical engineering. I was selected as best employee in that project for my efforts,” Khan remembers. When not working, Khan says that he enjoys reading books and attending

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

HIDDEN TALENT:

Good observation

FAVORITE PART OF BEING A BIOMED

“Feeling good and satisfied when I was returning from an emergency (on-call) in the middle of the night after fixing a life-saving device, for which I felt, as my little contribution, to save the life of a person.”

WHAT’S ON MY BENCH?

• Bench top Power supply (0- 50V) • Oscilloscope • Hobbies circuits books • Orange juice • Falafel sandwich

conferences and seminars to enhance his knowledge. “Most important; meeting professional people to learn from them,” he says. He also enjoys spending time with his family. “I am family man; I love to spend time with my wife and kid,” Khan says. He added that he is blessed to still be able to spend time with his mother. Khan’s personal goals as an HTM professional extend beyond his work. “I’m trying to be a good human being, and I want to be a citizen of Earth where everyone respects and cares for others,” he says. That attitude will continue to benefit patients and clinicians in Riyadh as Khan addresses a host of responsibilities.

JUNE 2021

TECHNATION

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SPOTLIGHT

SHIFTING GEARS

A look at HTM professionals away from work Once Wore the Trident BY K. RICHARD DOUGLAS

hallenges come in many forms and what we do with those challenges says a lot about our character and integrity.

One of the most elite special forces in the world, maybe the most elite special force, are the Navy SEALs; a highly trained group of special operations professionals who tackle some of the most critical missions in the military. Joining this team of elite warriors is not for the faint-of-heart or those willing to only make a partial commitment; it is an all-in proposition. The job can be inherently dangerous, and the price of admission requires a mental and physical fortitude that few possess. For as many warriors who currently make up the SEAL (SEa, Air and Land) teams of today, there are countless retired or former SEALs who have gone on to work in other pursuits or who are enjoying a real retirement. Eric Dalsin is a biomedical networking specialist in the clinical engineering department with the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System. Today, Dalsin is a biomed professional specializing in IT. Previously, he wore the Trident; the Special Warfare insignia of the Navy SEALs. Dalsin remembers what led him to take on the challenge that so many others had to walk away from. In SEAL parlance; it is “ringing out.” This is the

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Eric Dalsin pictured with his family. symbolic way that nearly 80 percent of those who enter BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL) training decide they have had enough. The smaller number of trainees, who survive the portion of BUD/S known as “hell week,” go on to become members of one of the SEAL’s east or west coast teams. It is far better for the instructors at BUD/S to break a trainee mentally or physically than to learn of a person’s limits during an important operation. Dalsin grew up in Jackson, Mississippi and knew from the age of seven that he had a love for the water. “I was seven years old when I first joined a local swim team in my hometown,” he says. Growing up in a small town, he wanted to get out and see the world, so he joined the Navy.

“I joined the Navy in 1987 and immediately was off to Great Lakes, Illinois to begin boot camp. I then spent the next six months in Great Lakes, attending basic electricity and electronics training and advanced training for maintenance and repair on one of the Navy’s guided missile launching systems,” Dalsin says. He says that after completing his initial training, he was assigned to a nuclear cruiser (USS Bainbridge CGN-25) homeported at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia. “While stationed onboard the USS Bainbridge, I volunteered to serve as one of the ship’s two search and rescue swimmers and completed search and rescue (SAR) training in Pensacola, Florida. After a few six-month long Mediterranean cruises, coupled with cruises to the North Atlantic and various places in the world, four years had gone by in an instant and I was ready to try something new,” Dalsin says. TAKING ON THE CHALLENGE His training and work in a submerged environment continued as Dalsin joined the Navy diver community. “I re-enlisted to become a Navy diver, and was off to Panama City, Florida where I completed training at the U.S. Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center. My next assignment was on-board a submarine tender, (USS Emory S. Land AS-39) performing

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SPOTLIGHT

In his free time, Eric Dalsin enjoys fishing.

underwater repairs on submarines. While I very much enjoyed the work as a Navy Diver, after three years I volunteered to attend Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training (BUD/S) in Coronado, California,” he says. Did Dalsin’s experience as a trained diver give him any advantage during BUD/S? “I think being confident and comfortable in the water did have its advantages. But no matter how good of shape you’re in when you arrive at BUD/S, you will be broken down both mentally and physically; but being fit does allow one to recover more quickly than if you arrived out of shape,” he says. After completing training, Dalsin spent the remainder of his time in the Navy assigned to SEAL Team 4 and SEAL Team 10. “After returning from a deployment in Iraq on October 2007, I retired with 20 years of service in February 2008. I then moved to Gulfport, Mississippi, where I worked for two different private contracting companies responsible for delivering expeditionary combat skills training to active-duty military personnel. While working as a private contractor, I also attended classes at Tulane University as a full-time student where I earned a Bachelor of Science in information technology in 2013,” Dalsin says.

Eric Dalsinis all smiles during a fishing trip.

The challenges of being a Navy diver require a special skill set, but making the jump to one of the most demanding positions on the military is another story. What drove Dalsin to consider the SEALs? “What initially drove me to want to be a SEAL was the challenge,” he says. “I’ve always enjoyed challenging myself both physically and mentally — although I have slowed down since leaving active duty. When I was younger, I enjoyed challenging myself with running and swimming. I remember training for the Marine Corps Marathon in 1990; looking back on that I recall many days spent training outside my comfort zone. I’ve always felt that working outside your comfort zone can be rewarding in many different ways,” Dalsin says. “Depending on how you are working outside your comfort zone and how you are having to adapt and overcome, the potential to enhance your experience, knowledge, fitness level, etcetera is tremendous. Working as a SEAL offers a lot of time outside your comfort zone, and it was very rewarding,” Dalsin adds. He says that one of the most enjoyable elements of working on the SEAL teams was that the camaraderie and teamwork are second to none. “Amazing things can be accomplished when a group of professionals are

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

working towards the same goal; whatever that goal may be,” Dalsin says. He says that one of the qualities of a SEAL is a stubbornness not to quit, not to give up; not to fail is a requirement. “BUD/S definitely pushes a person to the edge and beyond; sometimes that stubbornness is all you have left to keep you going,” Dalsin adds. The next phase of his career brought much different challenges. “I was hired by the New Orleans VA in 2016 as an electronics technician, and in 2019 a position as a BESS/IS became available, which is the position I am currently working in. I really enjoy my current position with the VA; the duties I perform are challenging and being able to enhance the service provided to other vets is extremely rewarding,” Dalsin says. Has the SEAL training helped with his post-military career? “I think a can-do attitude is helpful in any environment/situation,” he says. Dalsin remains serving his country by helping out his fellow vets. The work of a BESS/IS may bring its own challenges, but they are less mentally and physically taxing than the work of a Navy SEAL. For those who have worn the Trident, the saying goes: “the only easy day was yesterday.”

JUNE 2021

TECHNATION

INDUSTRY UPDATES

NEWS & NOTES

Updates from the HTM Industry AVANTE HEALTH SOLUTIONS ADDS COOL PAIR PLUS HTM MIXER RETURNS TO MILWAUKEE MD Publishing, the company behind TechNation magazine and MD Expo, returns to Milwaukee this summer with another HTM Mixer! The event is supported by the Wisconsin Biomedical Association (WBA). Think of the HTM Mixer as MD Expo 2.0 – a slightly modified and shorterduration event that still provides valuable continuing education, networking and vendor engagement opportunities. The first HTM Mixer of 2021 will be held July 14-15 at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee and includes a WBA meeting. The exhibit hall already includes some of the leading HTM companies. The HTM Mixer is free for hospital employees, active members of the military and students. For more information, visit HTMMixer.com.

Avante has announced that Cool Pair Plus is joining its family of companies. Founded in 1995, Cool Pair Plus sells, services, refurbishes and repairs MRI cryogenic equipment. The addition of Cool Pair Plus further strengthens Avante’s overall reach and capabilities in the diagnostic imaging market, according to a news release. “The Cool Pair Plus team brings a wealth of experience, strong repair capabilities and quality customer relationships to Avante Diagnostic Imaging. Avante anticipates that Cool Pair Plus will immediately provide accelerated growth within the Avante Diagnostic Imaging platform,” the release states. As part of Avante Diagnostic Imaging, Cool Pair Plus will continue to operate in its current facility in Algonquin, Illinois, and serve as Avante’s dedicated repair and service operation focused on MRI cryogenic equipment. The new partnership creates a stronger MRI service offering to better meet the needs of the collective customer base. Cool Pair Plus focuses on exchange and repair services for MRI coldheads, compressors, adsorbers and helium flexlines for all major manufacturers. In addition, Cool Pair Plus also provides on-site MRI magnet service including turnkey installations for these products. Like the other Avante companies, Cool Pair Plus operates from an ISO 13485:2016 certified facility, which is a testament to the company’s quality processes and procedures. For more information, visit coolpair.com.

METROPOLITAN MEDICAL STRENGTHENS PATIENT MONITORING PORTFOLIO Metropolitan Medical Services, a leader in anesthesia equipment sales and service, has partnered with MIPM to offer a new MRI patient monitor to this highly specialized market. “Based in Mammendorf, Germany and founded in 1982, MIPM started as a service company and quickly expanded to be a global leader in the development and production of MRIcompatible medical devices,” according to a press release. “With this knowledge and expertise, MIPM developed the

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JUNE 2021

Tesla M3 and Tesla DUO patient monitors, which can monitor both high and low acuity patients throughout the entire MRI procedure. Beyond the base model monitoring of ECG, SpO2 and NIBP, the innovative design of the Tesla M3 is years ahead of existing products currently sold into this marketplace. With an integrated power supply and field upgrades such as TEMP, IBP and a multi-gas module for anesthesia monitoring, MIPM provides both clinical and financial flexibility.”

“We are proud to work alongside CEO Jennifer Rosenheimer and the MIPM team to continue to introduce top-quality medical devices to our customers in the U.S.,” Metropolitan Medical President/ CEO Jeff Rhinehart said. For more information, visit metropolitanmed.com.

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INDUSTRY UPDATES

MEDIGATE, RAPID7 JOIN FORCES “Health care organizations are becoming increasingly vulnerable to cyber-attacks given their high-value data and often disparate IT systems,” said David Beaver, director of strategic alliances and partnerships at Rapid7. “As the IT and IoMT landscape continues to evolve, there must be a focus on investment in cyber defense to protect patients and their data. We are thrilled to partner with Medigate to bring safety and security together through visibility, assessment and governance.” Todd Felker, director of information security at Torrance Memorial Medical Center commented, “The integration between Rapid7 (vulnerability management) and Medigate is crucial and helps on both fronts. It saves you money on the number of IPs to be scanned by Rapid7 by having Medigate provide

the IoT scanning exclusions, and it provides accurate vulnerability data on the Medigate-side with the servers and computers that integrate with your medical devices. It’s all about having the tools that you invest in working together to provide better data and run more efficiently.” Medigate and Rapid7’s integrated solution benefits derive from a bi-directional data integration scheme that delivers each system continuously refreshed, fully synchronized intelligence powering health care security and asset management ecosystems. Ultimately, the partnership enables key areas of interoperability that increase efficiencies, reduce costs and improve patient safety. For details on the Medigate and Rapid7 partnership, read the “Managing Vulnerabilities in Clinical Network” white paper.

FIED RTI

Medigate recently announced its partnership with Rapid7, according to a press release. The joint solution will enable health care delivery organizations (HDOs) with neverbefore-available vulnerability management insights powering new best practices. Each day, health care organizations operate on clinical networks with a mix of traditional medical and IoT equipment connecting from a variety of locations, making it extremely difficult to have full visibility into the environment and further, make informed decisions on managing these critical assets. Under this partnership, Medigate’s IoT security platform will integrate with Rapid7 InsightVM and Nexpose vulnerability management systems, allowing HDOs, clinics and other HIPAA-covered entities a secure way to manage connected assets.

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INDUSTRY UPDATES

TKA EARNS ISO 9001 CERTIFICATION FOR OPERATIONS The Tech Knowledge Associates (TKA) quality management system has earned ISO 9001 certification from Intertek. The three-year certification verifies that TKA, which provides healthcare technology management (HTM) services, maintains a quality management system that delivers the highest levels of operational and regulatory requirements, in addition to continuously improving to meet hospital partner needs. “This certification from one of the leading global ISO registrars signifies that not only have we developed superior operating processes, but those same processes have been validated to confirm we deliver repeatedly against those exacting quality standards,” said George Hampton, president of TKA. “This certification underscores that our people consistently perform at the highest levels to uphold patient safety, which, in turn, translates into strong satisfaction from our partner organizations.” The independent International Organization for Standardization, based in Geneva, Switzerland and founded in 1947, develops standards across traditional industries – including manufacturing – as well as for best practices and services that align with those standards. With offices in more than 100 countries, Intertek provides testing and certification services, including for ISO standards. The ISO 9001 standard specifically focuses on quality management systems, which align with TKA’s role in taking care of diagnostic and therapeutic medical equipment and devices in its health care system partners. While the HTM industry offers certification programs for biomedical technicians, no similar quality benchmarks exist for clinical engineering programs. TKA leaders identified the ISO 9001 certification as a way to provide partners and potential partners with the necessary confidence that the

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company and its people operate consistently and optimally to support the shared mission of quality patient care. At the heart of TKA’s quality management strategy is TeamNet, its customizable computerized maintenance management system (CMMS), which tracks and documents preventative maintenance and corrective maintenance, parts ordering, equipment life cycle, response time and more. Building on that platform, TKA has developed processes and methodologies for repairing equipment, auditing performance and remediating emerging issues – not to mention training and development plans to keep biomeds prepared to handle ever-more-sophisticated medical technology. TKA’s certification comes after a trio of rigorous process reviews by ISO auditors, which verified each fundamental daily process met both expectations and requirements of the ISO9001 standard. The final audit, conducted over five days, involved reviewing operations and practices in member hospitals. “TKA already had proven management systems in place, and our journey toward certification focused our efforts on formalizing our best practices into procedures that aligned with the ISO9001,” said Raymond Reid, director of quality, who joined TKA a year ago to help the HTM company achieve ISO 9001 certification. “This effort resulted in elevating what was already high-quality work to the next level across the TKA footprint.” TKA now is looking to add ISO 13485 certification. Although this standard is designed specifically for medical equipment manufacturers, TKA leaders see opportunities for the certification to apply to independent service organizations and their role in medical technology upkeep and repair. For more information, visit ii-techknow.com.

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INDUSTRY UPDATES

CROTHALL HEALTHCARE, NUVOLO LAUNCH CMMS Crothall Healthcare announced that its healthcare technology solutions (HTS) division has launched teamCHAMPS, a modern, cloud-based computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) powered by Nuvolo. This next-generation cloud platform is available at all hospitals served by Crothall HTS. Crothall Healthcare manages and provides oversight of a hospital’s entire life cycle of medical devices. It is one of the largest U.S. companies in the market, maintaining approximately 1 million medical devices annually and serving more than 200 hospitals and health systems across the country. “This strategic investment from Crothall represents the strongest possible commitment to our customers to truly modernize service management for clinical engineering. This exciting new technology from Nuvolo, built on the ServiceNow platform, allows our customers to harness the value and power of improved uptime, better clinical engineering program management, and improved medical device safety and performance,” said Division President Jim Cheek. “The teamCHAMPS platform provides modern, easy-to-use and mobile-ready capabilities in areas of data and analytics, robust, easy-to-create reporting and dashboarding, and flexible workflow management.” Crothall’s new teamCHAMPS platform, powered by Nuvolo, supports the full-service management life cycle of a hospital’s medical device fleet. The platform’s cloud-powered inventory control feature enables teams to track each step of the inventory process. The platform also captures information on service contract management, service requests, preventive maintenance management, capital equipment and cyber security profiles. The teamCHAMPS platform’s real-time reporting and analytics enables each hospital to receive data insights correlating to an asset and facility in just a few clicks. Crothall’s HTS team can also track historical data and leverage the platform’s three levels of maintenance analytics – corrective, preventive and predictive – to optimize use of all equipment and improve decision-making with maintenance issues. Other capabilities include: • I ntegration with ECRI’s database for product recalls and hazard alerts • I ntegration with the oneSource Biomedical database of validated manufacturer PM and repair guidelines • Shipping status and delivery arrivals, which speed up the workflow process • Designed to support the requirements of the Joint Commission, accreditation organization DNV, and Crothall HTS’ ISO 13485:2016 Quality Management System.

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JUNE 2021

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INDUSTRY UPDATES

MULTIMEDICAL SYSTEMS CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY Twenty-five years ago, MultiMedical Systems (MMS) was founded. This venture started after the founder spent a decade working on X-ray equipment for GE Medical Systems, chemistry analyzers for Abbott Labs and working for Sutter Health’s Biomedical Engineering Center servicing anesthesia devices, ventilators and general biomedical equipment. Based out of Fresno, California, the original office was a garage. Over the years, MultiMedical Systems has expanded and acquired a three-building campus spanning over 30,000-squarefeet with more than 100 full-time employees. Two years ago, the expansion continued into the Pacific Northwest with the opening of an office in Spokane, Washington. MMS services more than 150 clients in the region. MMS is continuing its growth, serving on the front lines during the pandemic and currently has team members from New York to the West Coast with clients across the United States.

MMS deploys trained and skilled biomedical technicians (BMETs) to fill in where and when needed, anywhere in the United States. They also provide comprehensive repair and maintenance of a wide variety of medical devices, and its surgical services division provides repair services on surgical stainless instruments and endoscopes, with a robust loaner pool. MMS also has infusion pump preventative maintenance teams, a used medical equipment sales department and a wheelchair repair program. For more information, visit multimedicalsystems.com.

NUVOLO AMONG FASTEST-GROWING PRIVATE COMPANIES Inc. magazine recently revealed that Nuvolo is No. 75 on the second annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: New York City Metro list. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the NYC area economy’s most dynamic segment – its independent small businesses. “Nuvolo’s growth since its founding in 2013 is a testimony to our incredible people, customers, partners and

investors. With the closing of our $31M Series C financing, we will now execute on doubling the size of the company in the next 18 months, dramatically accelerate our product roadmap and deliver on our commitment to customer success,” said Tom Stanford, Nuvolo CEO. “Our Connected Workplace platform, Built on Now, represents the future of workplace service management and it’s growing adoption will continue to

drive Nuvolo’s incredible organic growth for years to come.” Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals: NYC Metro area, can be found at inc.com/inc5000/regionals/ new-york.

TRI-IMAGING SOLUTIONS HIRES REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Tri-Imaging Solutions – a medical imaging parts, refurbished equipment, training and services company – has announced Jeff Kendrick as its new regional sales director for the central region. “Jeff is a well-respected member of the diagnostic imaging community and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our sales team,” said Laura Hafner. “We are confident that his existing relationships will help us greatly in continuing to support customers nationwide.” Prior to joining Tri-Imaging, Kendrick held sales roles with the Dunlee division of Philips Healthcare, Varex Imaging (formerly Varian Medical Systems) and Richardson Electronics. In each of his roles, he was instrumental in helping the business-

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es reach sales goals and develop innovative solutions for customers. “Our business is growing, and we need top sales talent to help support our customers’ needs,” said Wanda Legate, senior vice president of business development at Tri-Imaging Solutions. “We are proud that Jeff chose to join our team. He knows our industry, our customers, and is already making an impact.”

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INDUSTRY UPDATES

PARTSSOURCE CEO MAKES TOP 50 LIST In recognition of his exceptional leadership, organizational performance and health care innovation in the face of a global pandemic over the past 12 months, PartsSource President and CEO Philip Settimi, MSE, M.D., has been named to The Healthcare Technology Report’s list of Top 50 Healthcare Technology CEOs for 2021. The release of PartsSource Pro 2021, the launch of the PartsSource Command Center and the introduction of the award-winning, first-to-market ondemand service network are the latest accomplishments in Settimi’s refocus of the company from its founding purpose to source difficult-to-find medical parts to the higher value purpose of raising the availability and quality of patient care via a more reliable and resilient supply chain. “Settimi’s healthcare technology experience and vision combined with the enormous potential to improve hospital operations, workflow and clinical throughput inspired the development of the company’s flagship solution PartsSource Pro, the industry’s only Clinical Resource Management Platform, powered by PRECISION Procurement, a proprietary and patented algorithm-driven decision-support engine based on 3 billion data elements to maximize safety, reliability, productivity and cost-effectiveness of the medical device supply chain,” according to a press release. “The first-of-its-kind service gives healthcare technology management (HTM), laboratory and life science services, and facilities management teams instant access to the highest quality clinical resources at the point of purchase through the software platform. Through rapid adoption, PartsSource Pro has digitally transformed clinical operations workflow, improved team productivity and provided enterprise analytics to over 1,200 hospitals. Today, leading health care providers are now able to achieve measurable quality, cost and productivity outcomes. In 2020, 2.5 hospitals joined PartsSource Pro every week and 6.8 hospitals renewed PartsSource Pro every week.” For more information, visit PartsSource.com.

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

TECHNICAL

PROSPECTS

Experts in Siemens Medical Imaging

TECHNICAL PROSPECTS ANNOUNCES INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL TRAINING ACADEMY Technical Prospects has launched its Interative Virtual Training Academy (IVTA) platform for all of its courses, modernizing how imaging engineers can access worldclass training. Technical Prospects’ virtual training platform gives students identical content to in-person class instruction, offering attendees flexibility to choose between platforms or even a hybrid learning experience. While virtual, the training involves real-time instruction, with various opportunities for audio and visual collaboration. For example, students can interact through their desktop to the class’ virtual whiteboard, share documents and livestream. The only equipment required is a computer and an app that is free to download. “As the needs of imaging professionals continue to evolve, we knew we needed to develop a hybrid system that provides not only an online learning experience, but also a collaborative virtual classroom environment,” said Sam Darweesh, chairman of engineering and vice president of operations at Technical Prospects. “This training format offers advantages in comfort, confidence and certainty in that students can be assured they will get the most from their training.” As part of Technical Prospects’ well-known, robust training program, virtual courses are accredited by the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) and meet its rigorous guidelines, which include proper instructor licensing and training, maintaining sufficient levels of presentation skills, upholding an appropriate class format, utilizing a tailored approach and customer focus and much more. Students can earn up to 45 ACI-CEUs per class. The training academy is led by Darweesh. For more information, visit TechnicalProspects.com.

JUNE 2021

TECHNATION

INDUSTRY UPDATES

RIBBON CUTTING Tristate Biomedical Solutions BY ERIN REGISTER

(PM) services to our customers in compliance with regulations. We also provide consulting services for new offices, new and refurbished equipment including imaging, equipment moves, installations and de-installations.

yler Thornberry chose to start Tristate Biomedical Solutions (TBS) in February of 2009 when he saw a need in the Cincinnati medical community for a reliable, local repair biomed company that could fulfill the needs of medical equipment service and repairs for customers with a quick turnaround time.

“TBS quickly grew by proving to have the ability to provide these services while being sensitive to the customers’ budget needs,” said Aaron Neace, Tristate’s business development manager. “We have always thought of ourselves as partnering with our customers and working hard to find equipment and provide a level of service that best fits the customers’ budget and needs.” In January of 2018, Tristate Biomedical Solutions purchased Medical Equipment Services of Dayton, Ohio, who specializes in imaging/X-ray sales and service. In January of 2021, TBS also purchased Nightingale-Alan Medical Equipment Services, who specializes in respiratory services. Both of these companies have been transi-

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Q: HOW DOES TRISTATE BIOMEDICAL SOLUTIONS STAND OUT IN THE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT FIELD? A: We are always willing to go the extra mile to provide top quality service to our customers. We always work hard to enable our customers to provide the highest level of patient care. tioned to TBS as part of fulfilling its vision of providing a broader range of services under one roof to better serve customers. TechNation learned more about Tristate Biomedical Services in an interview. Q: WHAT IS THE MAIN FOCUS OF TRISTATE BIOMEDICAL SOLUTIONS? A: Biomed, imaging and respiratory sales and service are the main focuses of TBS.

Q: DOES TRISTATE BIOMEDICAL SOLUTIONS HAVE ANY SPECIFIC GOALS TO ACHIEVE IN THE NEAR FUTURE? A: Our goal is to continue to broaden our scope of service even further to provide a “one-stop shop” for our customers so they can spend more time doing the work they love while trusting us to take care of their equipment and service needs. For more information visit www.tbsmes.com

Q: WHAT SERVICES DOES TRISTATE BIOMEDICAL SOLUTIONS OFFER? A: TBS provides preventive maintenance

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INDUSTRY UPDATES

AAMI UPDATE Health Technology Education Adapts to COVID-19 BY CHRIS HAYHURST

s the pandemic picked up in the spring of 2020, entire industries were brought to their knees. But health technology education? Like a boxer shrugging off a walloping left hook, it assessed the situation, took a moment to reset, and then it jumped back into the ring.

More than a year after COVID first hit, educators and education-program leaders all say the same thing: Nothing about the pandemic has been routine or expected, but the courses, the teaching and the learning all continue – health tech training has hardly missed a beat. “It hasn’t been easy, that’s for sure,” says Charles Wickens, CCE, adjunct professor of biomedical engineering at Portland Community College in Oregon. When the school closed its doors to in-person classes, all hands-on lab work for HTM students was put on hold, as was the co-op program he runs at Samaritan Health, where Wickens serves as director of clinical engineering. There was no playbook for what to do next, but he did know he wasn’t about to stop teaching. “It all happened so fast, Oregon moved swiftly in implementing comprehensive COVID-19 restrictions, opening up alternative ideas for education with the stoppage of what had always been standard practice for educating these students. The only thing we could do was pivot to something entirely different,” Wickens says. “We really didn’t have a choice. It was an education must move forward approach.”

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NEW TOOLS FOR A NEW WORLD That “something” has predictably involved technology almost everyone has become familiar with over the last year or so. In Wickens’ case, he’s turned to WebEx for class videoconferencing, and D2L Brightspace Learning Management Platform for posting and managing class resources. “Those two tools have allowed us to continue our didactic lecturing, and then we use technical training videos in place of what the students would have had in the laboratory or through the co-op experience,” he explains. One video, for example, might run through the preventive maintenance (PM) procedures for a device, while another might cover repair-related troubleshooting. Much of the content is provided by manufacturers, but Wickens also turns to industry stalwarts like TechNation for live and recorded webinars. Students watch the videos together via WebEx, or they stream them on their own as their schedules allow. “Nothing can replace hands-on experience, but there are a lot of good things about remote learning, too,” Wickens says.

people out there who want to take the program, but accessibility is a real issue. If we offered them online access, maybe they’d be more likely to enroll.” After moving completely online as part of its initial response to the pandemic, SPC transitioned to a hybrid model last semester. For biomedical engineering, lectures and other standard classes are now delivered in what the college has dubbed “Live Online” format. Unlike typical “asynchronous” online courses, where lectures are recorded and students learn on their own schedules, the Live Online courses are delivered synchronously, over Zoom, in live virtual meeting rooms. When the threat from the virus reached a peak in Florida, all lab work was also handled remotely. For example, in a class covering electrical circuits, Bell sent students packages containing a variety of tools and supplies, including wires, multimeters, capacitors and resistors. “You obviously can’t send a $5,000 medical device home to every student in the class, but for smaller things, this actually worked pretty well, and the students seemed to enjoy it.”

FOCUSED ON FLEXIBILITY Wickens isn’t the only one who feels this way. “Having the ability to do things remotely is really good for some of our students,” says Brian Bell, lead faculty in the biomedical engineering technology program at St. Petersburg College in Florida. “I think for the vast majority of my students, they prefer to be in-person no matter what. But I also know there are

PANDEMIC PIVOT Ensuring that his organization’s educational offerings met its customers’ expectations was also a concern for M.J. McLaughlin, AAMI director of education programming. Just a few months prior to the pandemic’s arrival, McLaughlin had started exploring moving some AAMI training courses online. “We know it’s hard to pad travel

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time and expenses into a training that could be up to five days, so one major advantage to virtual training is the complete elimination of those considerations,” McLaughlin said. March 2020, McLaughlin says, forced his team to stop investigating and planning and to instead take quick and definitive action. “We had a course scheduled at our facility in Arlington for the week after everything shut down,” he recalls. “Six days to prepare – that’s all the time we had to go completely virtual.” The good news for that event and the others that followed: Almost everyone seemed amenable to making online education work. “People mostly understood, and in a lot of cases, it’s what they preferred to do anyway,” McLaughlin says. To make their new instructional approach work, McLaughlin and his team turned to many of the same tricks used by educators at colleges and universities. They mailed blood pressure monitors to the attendees of one course, for example, and for other courses, they did away with paper workbooks, emailing PDF versions of the material instead. They also started using daily evaluation surveys to get feedback on what was working, and what could use improvement. “So now we’re taking that information and we’re applying it right away, making changes to make our courses more virtual-friendly,” McLaughlin says. One bit of feedback his team received early on was that more bathroom breaks would be appreciated. “That was something we hadn’t thought of – that when you’re taking a class sitting behind your computer, the standard two hours between breaks can feel really long.” Since then, he says, they’ve adjusted schedules accordingly, and he hasn’t heard any complaints. “I think we’ve learned a lot in the last year, and I think we’ve made a lot of progress along the way,” he says. “It’s been a whirlwind and we’ve had our challenges, but I think for the most part, things are working out.”

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SHOWCASE SPOTLIGHT

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

COMPANY SHOWCASE

ELITE BIOMEDICAL SOLUTIONS “You Work Hard, Your Products Should Too”

ay in, day out, you take on the roles and responsibilities as a vital member of your health care system. By doing so, you are providing crucial services for every hospital department, ensuring that the hospital is supported. More recently, you have worked tirelessly helping our country fight through this COVID-19 pandemic. For this we thank you! But you already know the hard work you do. Elite Biomedical Solutions believes your purchased products and services should uphold the same high standards, high quality and reliability. As your business partner here are our commitments to you.

HIGH QUALITY STANDARDS We believe that quality cannot have shortcuts. Because of this, Elite Biomedical Solutions takes a risk management approach for our products and services. The risk management process includes many steps. Such as identifying the risk, assessing the likelihood of the risk

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occurring, impact of this risk, implementing risk mitigation strategies and monitoring the effectiveness of the risk management controls. The results of the risk management process allow Elite to anticipate any error and to minimize the impact. The best result of an effective risk management process is prevention. Elite also completes risk evaluations. During this, each risk is evaluated for the probability (likelihood) of it happening and the consequences. These two factors help determine if said risk is considered high, medium or low. By performing a risk evaluation, Elite can focus on any and all risks that impact the patient’s safety. After risks are evaluated and prioritized, we decide to either accept, reduce or eliminate each risk. Risks may be reduced or eliminated by introducing new gauging, new fixture equipment, poka yokes or by altering the production/assembly process. Once the Elite team evaluates the risk

mitigation plan, these plans are put in place. Risk Management is not a one-time exercise. Continuous monitoring and reviewing are crucial for effective risk management. Furthermore, Elite Biomedical Solutions is a registered ISO 13485:2016 and ISO 9001:2015 company. Annual audits are completed

“ Risk Management is not a one-time exercise. Continuous monitoring and reviewing are crucial for effective risk management.” WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

by an outside ANAB accredited registrar. Just as important as the registrar audit, is the ongoing internal auditing plan. Elite has several internal auditors who also audit our processes. These audits are completed to ensure conformance to the ISO standards and operating procedures. Elite is also FDA registered and complies with 21CFR820, Quality System Regulation. USA MANUFACTURING CONTROL Now, more than ever, the health care industry lacks domestic sourcing. Elite has set out to become just that. We strongly believe you should know and trust your sources. Therefore, years ago we began the journey of in-house manufacturing. Throughout those years we have invested in the proper tooling, highly trained experts and custom materials to provide you with high-quality manufacturing. With this goal in mind, Elite regularly evaluates its processes for improvement. We are firm believers in continual improvement. It is an ongoing effort to advance our processes, products and services in order to provide the best solution. Our team works closely with you to exchange ideas and brainstorm improvements. Through the plan, do, check, act (PDCA) cycle, these ideas or solutions are tried and tested. If proven effective, they are then implemented. DESIGN CONTROL Throughout the entire process of product development, we follow a strict set of guidelines. This is accomplished by establishing a detailed project plan from the collaboration of department design reviews. The reviews foster input and discussion on the product design and the areas with special consideration. Documentation is created and main-

“ Our goal is to design, manufacture and build products that allow you to keep doing what you do best.” tained for each design review. Every product process is validated through an IQ, OQ and PQ process to ensure that the respective process will yield a product that meets the predetermined requirements. This is true regardless of how complicated or simple the process is. Prior to releasing a product for sale, a test protocol is created and performed to ensure that Elite parts perform to the same level as OEM. Each product is composed of numerous parts that are either fastened together or included in assembly. A detailed set of assembly steps are created and validated to guarantee the assembly is correct and contains all components. PEACE OF MIND From the start, we made a commitment to high-quality, USA-manufac-

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tured products. Over the years we have put in the work, hired the talent and streamlined our processes to accomplish this. Because of our higher standards, we can effectively reduce the risks for your business in environmental, financial, regulatory and safety terms. By bringing manufacturing back to the U.S., you are creating jobs for Americans and securing the U.S. supply chain of needed products. Whether you are a biomed, hospital management or working within the health care industry, your products should work as hard as you. Our goal is to design, manufacture and build products that allow you to keep doing what you do best. For more information visit elitebiomedicalsolutions.com

JUNE 2021

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INDUSTRY UPDATES

ECRI UPDATE

Safeguarding Telehealth Technologies After Rapid Adoption During the Pandemic

elehealth programs were implemented with great speed this past year, but not likely with the depth of analysis required to assure their long-term success. Telehealth is here to stay, but programs that were introduced or expanded to meet the emergency needs of the COVID-19 pandemic may not be configured to provide optimal patient care. ECRI delved into the problems and challenges associated with rapid telehealth adoption as topic No. 3 on its list of the Top 10 Health Technology Hazards for 2021.

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted health care delivery organizations across the United States to rapidly implement or expand telehealth technologies and programs, sometimes in a matter of days or weeks. To illustrate the point: the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that the number of Medicare primary care visits that were provided through telehealth increased from less than one percent in February 2020 to more than 40% in April 2020 (0.1% versus 43.5%; see: HHS Issues New Report Highlighting Dramatic Trends in Medicare Beneficiary Telehealth Utilization amid COVID-19.) The rapid adoption of telehealth technologies for various use cases in 2020 was driven by the need for health 38

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care organizations to continue providing services during stay-at-home orders, to conserve personal protective equipment (PPE) and to protect clinical personnel and patients. This shift was aided by government funding provided in the CARES Act, relaxed enforcement of HIPAA regulations and policy changes instituted by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that expanded its list of covered telehealth services during the pandemic. While the sudden change has been necessary to meet the immediate need, the rapid deployment and expansion of telehealth solutions may create its own problems and challenges. “Challenges could impact both patients and providers,” notes Juuso Leinonen, a senior project engineer in ECRI’s device evaluation group, “particularly as facilities transition from the pandemic response to new telehealth care delivery models.” Addressing these challenges may result in the eventual need to switch, modify, reconfigure or completely cease the use of some of these technologies, software, programs or workflows. Following are seven tips from ECRI for safeguarding patient care and ensuring the long-term success of a telehealth program. Failure to address these challenges could adversely affect patients – it could lead to suboptimal treatment, increase the risk of medical errors or hinder certain populations

from accessing care, for example – and it could put the patient’s and the facility’s data at risk. 1. Assess whether the technologies are suitable for long-term use Given the need for rapid implementation and expansion, some technology assessment steps that are part of the normal process may not have been conducted. As a result, the technologies adopted may not be suitable as a long-term telehealth solution or may not be the best long-term option for the facility. If assessment steps were skipped, take the time to go back and subject telehealth components to appropriate reviews as specified in facility policy. 2. Be prepared for regulatory or reimbursement changes ECRI stresses the need for a transition plan for any technologies and programs that are being used under the auspices of temporary regulations or policy changes. HIPAA compliance exemptions and temporary CMS policy changes that fueled the telehealth expansion may expire or change once the public health emergency subsides. For example, commercial video platforms that may have been adopted during the pandemic may not be viable when enforcement of HIPAA compliance resumes.

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3. Identify and correct workflow inefficiencies Review the current telehealth clinical workflows and how they integrate with the existing practices and systems to identify aspects that may lead to inefficient or suboptimal patient care. Consider challenges such as: • Distractions that can exist in either the provider or the patient environment during a telehealth encounter • Physician fatigue and burnout due to numerous back-to-back visits without adequate time to regroup between patients • Inability to weigh patients during telehealth encounters, increasing the risk of medication errors • Inadequate technology resources to support telehealth encounters • Poor coordination of care 4. Verify that telehealth system users are appropriately trained Expansion of telehealth technologies has resulted in many additional clinical staff being required to use these solutions to deliver care. During rapid implementations of telehealth programs or expansions of existing ones, user training may have been overlooked. “Ease of use can’t be assumed,” explains Leinonen. “Usability concerns have been some of the core issues identified during ECRI testing of telehealth technologies.” 5. Establish a clear patient-selection methodology Not all patients are good candidates for telehealth. For example, a telehealth

visit may not be effective for patients who are not comfortable using technology or who have diminished cognitive ability. Some patient conditions will require an in-person visit. Offer alternatives or technology support to patients who are not comfortable with the use of the telehealth technologies. 6. Provide alternatives for patients who lack telehealth access Patient access to the hardware and other resources needed for using telehealth services – resources that include digital devices, broadband access, Wi-Fi capability, reliable cellular connection and private space – is not equal for everyone. Connectivity options may be limited based on the geographical location of the patient and the service provider. Recognize that access to technology will differ among patients and consider alternatives when appropriate. 7. Mitigate unaddressed cybersecurity risks A rushed implementation could lack adequate cybersecurity controls, putting the patient’s and the facility’s data at risk. Risks can be introduced through the expanded use of connected medical devices, such as those used in remote patient monitoring, or can result from the need to rely on a personal cellular device and the use of a personal wireless network, which may lack common security controls (e.g., up-to-date software, use of secured wireless networks). Additionally, the reliance on telehealth solutions to deliver care requires access to a reliable network and high system availability. This is espe-

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cially crucial for any emergency telehealth services. Effective cybersecurity measures can protect patient and facility data and can help minimize downtime. ECRI recommends conducting a security risk assessment for any implemented telehealth solution to verify that facility expectations are met and that appropriate security controls are in place. SUMMING UP “Telehealth technology expansion is here to stay. There’s no going back,” explains Leinonen. “But what programs will look like as the dust settles after COVID-19 is unknown.” Regulatory, reimbursement, reliability and usability factors all will help shape future telehealth technologies and programs. His bottom-line? “Established telehealth programs may need to evolve in order to be viable in the post COVID-19 world.”

– This article is adapted from ECRI’s Top 10 Health Technology Hazards for 2021 and related content, including a series of ECRI webcasts addressing Telehealth during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Each year, ECRI produces its Top 10 Health Technology Hazards report to help hospitals direct their time and energy toward technology management activities that can have the greatest impact on patient safety. An Executive Brief version of the report is available for complimentary download at www.ecri. org/2021hazards. The full report, accessible to ECRI members, provides in-depth discussion of each hazard, including detailed steps that organizations can take to prevent adverse incidents. To learn more, contact ECRI at 610825-6000, ext. 5891, or by email at clientservices@ecri.org.

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BIOMED 101

Responsible Donations, Volunteerism Make A Difference BY AUDRA POE

here is tremendous need for working medical equipment in developing countries, which are home to more than 80 percent of the world’s population.

Just like any other mechanical device, medical equipment needs to be maintained and repaired when problems arise. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates nearly 70 percent of medical equipment in developing countries is not functional. Without functioning medical equipment, hospitals and clinics are unable to diagnose and treat patients. Indianapolis-based TRIMEDX Foundation is a self-governing 501(c) (3) charitable organization working to provide its services to impoverished communities around the world. The foundation partners with U.S.-based medical surplus recovery organizations (MSRO) to prepare and repair medical equipment for international shipment and to assist hospitals in developing nations with optimizing donated medical equipment. MSROs accept donated medical equipment, and TRIMEDX Foundation works alongside them by

providing expert assessment, repair and consultation. Volunteers work with MSROs by repairing medical equipment and preparing it for international shipment to ensure it fits the needs of the receiving facility and is received in good working condition. Denise Sears, president and CEO of Supplies Over Seas in Louisville, Kentucky, cannot highlight the value of responsible donation enough. “Working with MSROs is important for health care organizations wanting to donate equipment overseas,” says Sears. “While the donor may be well intentioned, uncoordinated shipments could contain items that are expired, or lack accessories, parts or manuals. Matching medical equipment with the needs of our partners is critical.” This good work would not be possible in the United States and abroad without the dedication of dedicated volunteers. TRIMEDX Foundation volunteers work tirelessly to keep facilities and life-saving medical equipment repaired and maintained. The heart, compassion and devotion volunteers bring to serving hospitals, clinics and patients around the world expand the mission,

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Audra Poe

Director of TRIMEDX Foundation

increase capacity and deepen the impact of TRIMEDX Foundation. TRIMEDX Foundation, in cooperation with MSROs, is available to educate donors and recipients to ensure donated equipment is appropriate, in good-working order and includes accessories. For more information regarding TRIMEDX Foundation, MSRO partners or volunteer and donation opportunities, contact TRIMEDX Foundation at 317-275-1558 or missions@trimedxfoundation.org.

JUNE 2021

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TOOLS OF THE TRADE Excelitas Technologies

Cermax MX300 Series Xenon Lighting

xcelitas Technologies has been setting the industry standard with its Cermax Xenon light sources for over four decades. Cermax MX300 technology is ideal for medical endoscopy, surgical headlamp illumination, biofluorescence, robotic surgery equipment and any other medical illumination applications demanding a high-intensity, perfect-white light source. Cermax MX300BF and MX300BFM modules are designed with a rugged metal-body, operate within a 250-325 Wattrange and deliver 20% more output than alternative 300W Xenon sources on the market. The improved output provides enhanced coupling into smaller fibers for maximum optical output efficiency. For more information, visit excelitas.com/product-category/cermax-xenon.

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JUNE 2021

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WEBINAR WEDNESDAY

Experts Share Knowledge Via Presentations STAFF REPORT

ubject matter experts continue to deliver insights to Webinar Wednesday attendees on a range of topics. The webinar series is averaging more than 100 attendees per live session through April 21. The 2021 webinars are also being posted online where they are available for on-demand viewing. The already popular Webinar Wednesday series seems to be even more popular following an increase in virtual learning created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

X-RAY LEAKAGE, SCATTER The presentation “Tracking Leakage and Scatter in Diagnostic X-ray” was presented by Erik Wikström and sponsored by RTI Group. The session was eligible for 1 credit from the ACI and drew 131 attendees for the live presentation. In this 60-minute webinar, RTI Training Manager for Product Management and Customer Success Erik Wikström shared new methods to measure scatter and leakage from diagnostic imaging X-ray installations. This discussion shed more light on how these measurements can contribute to a safer environment for patients and health care staff. By using modern instrument technology, lower leakage radiation levels can be detected and documented, which may result in the reduction of unwanted X-ray exposure. Wikström concluded his presentation with a question-and-answer session. One question was, “We use an ion

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chamber to measure scatter now. What is the difference and why would we need a scatter probe?” Wikström answered, “The ion chamber, that’s the traditional method of using it, and typically it’s pressurized to improve the sensitivity. But even though it’s pressurized you’ve got a lot of molecules, gas molecules in your ion chamber. The sensitivity is much higher in a solid-state instrument.” Attendees provided feedback on the webinar via a survey that included the question, “Why did you attend today’s webinar? And was it worth your time?” “I find RTI X-ray QA solutions very powerful and easy to use, and I wanted to know more about this new scatter/ leakage probe that could be integrated with the rest of the equipment. Having also scatter/leakage radiation measurements in Ocean is quite interesting, as the exposure information available would be far more extensive. It was worth my time,” Radiation Safety Advisor A. Gamboa Castillo said. “I received my CBET not too long ago and will have to attend classes to be able to recertify. My coworker informed me about informative webinars for biomed techs on Wednesdays. It was well above my expectations and worth my time,” said M. Macomb, BMET I. “Needed a refresher. Was worth the time,” Senior BMET S. Rivera said. MEDICAL LIGHTING The Webinar Wednesday session “Cermax Xenon Lamps for Medical Lighting” was presented by David Collins, director of plasma lighting,

Excelitas Technologies, and Kevin Tong, applications engineer, Excelitas Technologies. It was eligible for 1 credit from the ACI and was sponsored by Excelitas Technologies. Collins and Tong provided an introduction and history of how Excelitas Technologies pioneered the Cermax Integrated Reflector Lamps for medical lighting applications. The Cermax Xenon lamp revolutionized the medical lighting world upon its introduction and continues to be the preferred light source for high brightness, true color applications. This webinar shared the revolutionary technology and benefits of high-intensity, perfect-white light output for medical illumination, including Cermax technology innovations past and future. A question-and-answer session at the end of the webinar provided additional insights. One attendee asked, “What is the most effective spectral power distribution for human vision?” “I mean, for human vision, it’s basically coupled into the light that comes out of the sun,” Collins said. “So, the human eyes evolved in such a way that it’s sees its peaks, right around in the green part of the spectrum. And this is the solar spectrum is the center of the curve. And I think that’s also where the Cermax lamp is also at its brightest … I do know that it’s going to be a good match for the human eye.” Attendees provided feedback via a post-webinar survey that included the question, “What did you like most about today’s webinar?” “The science behind the design and

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manufacture of these bulbs,” Biomed S. Keeny said. “Very in-depth presentation with science behind the manufacturing process,” clinical engineering professional L. Velasquez said. “It was interesting to learn how the bulbs are manufactured,” said R. Walter, BMET III. CMMS CAN ASSIST IN AN EMERGENCY The Webinar Wednesday session “How to Use Your CMMS to Prepare for the Next Emergency” was presented by Ray Laxton, administrative director of eQuip (Center for Clinical Technology Management) for Sutter Health, and Kyle Holetz, director of solutions consulting at Nuvolo. The webinar was eligible for 1 credit from the ACI and was sponsored by Nuvolo. Hospitals have experienced emergencies in the form of pandemics, earthquakes, fires, floods, tornados, hurricanes, accidents, man-made attacks and more. By their very nature, emergencies are unpredictable, but Sutter Health has developed tools within its CMMS for ensuring it’s more prepared when the next emergency occurs – whatever form that emergency takes. The presenters discussed what HTM professionals can do within a CMMS to make a health care organization more prepared to respond quickly to the next big emergency. A question-and-answer session provided additional insights into how a CMMS can be a valuable tool when it comes to emergency situations. One question was, “Outside of some of the changes in the CMMS system that supported you, what kind of people and process changes did you make that aided in disaster recovery?” Laxton answered the questions based on a fire example that was used in the webinar. “We coordinated those through our operations team,” Laxton said. “Our operations team sat in the daily meetings for that affiliate and then they communicated that up to our leadership, and then we identified our technical resources that we were going to need and got a pool of people that were available on the pandemic side, if you will.” “The biggest coordination that we needed was with our team, since we were the ones that were going to be collecting say a ventilator that was going to be moved from Hospital A to Hospital B, one of our staff would collect the equipment on the owning side and then a courier would pick it up and deliver it. Our staff will pick it up on the other side, through the in-service and the incoming track on that and get that information entered into our CMMS,” he added. “So, it was coordination for our technical staff to assess for the relocation of those devices. We have weekly meetings. We set our all-hands meetings frequently and if we have emergency information we need to communicate, that has served us well.” Attendees provided feedback regarding the webinar via a survey that asked them to give 3 words that described the webinar. “Informative, in-depth, worthwhile,” Manager Biomedical Services M. Benner said.

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“Clear, concise, useful,” Director of Clinical Engineering D. Fingerlos said. “Data, prepared and contingency,” Area Service Manager D. Barnes said. UNSCRAMBLING LOCATION TECHNOLOGIES The Webinar Wednesday presentation “RTLS, RFID, BLE, WIFI – Unscrambling Locating Technology to Meet Both Your Short and Long-Term Goals” was sponsored by Infor and eligible for 1 credit from the ACI. In the webinar, experts Keith Herron, industry and solution strategy director, Chris Clemenson, technical customer architect, and Derrick Olson, senior director of development, discussed the abundance of locating technologies available to meet a variety of use cases across health care. These technologies range in complexity, accuracy and price. How does an individual determine which technology is best suited to meet one’s current needs? How does one plan for long-term value? The presenters walked attendees through key considerations for establishing criteria and requirements for a location-based system. They also discussed features and advantages of categories of locating technology. They provided examples of use cases and applications aligned to each of the technologies. They also shared questions one should consider when they are beginning to evaluate needs and appropriate technology. Attendees provided positive feedback via a post-webinar survey that included the question, “How will today’s webinar help you improve in your role?” “Understanding the importance of knowing where each piece of equipment is will improve my service delivery,” Chief Technical Officer O. Mathumo said. “We have RTLS already installed, but it provided more insight into things we should or could look at to improve our system,” Program Manager C. Noll said. “Was a great opportunity to know the technology and how we can implement it,” Healthcare Specialist Support and Consultant G. Diaz said. For more information, visit WebinarWednesday.Live. Thank you to our sponsors:

JUNE 2021

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SHOP TALK POWERED BY

BECKMAN COULTER ALLEGRA 21 AND 21R

What can I do about an Error 88 message? What does it pertain to?

I actually contacted the manufacturer. They wrote, “Error 88 on the Allegra 21R is related to an over temp issue on the main power board or control board.” Reply: Interesting! If the unit is giving the error code even when it’s cold, i.e., not used in some time, then I’d say it’s the board. MAQUET SERVO-I UNIVERSAL

When I switch on the machine, it will turn on and the logo is showing on the display, but then it freezes and I’m not able to control the ventilator.

First thing to do is reload the update software. This is a PCMCIA card, which is one of three types (Update, Upgrade and FSS). Then, PCMCIA updates the software

in all the boards. NOTE: If you tried swapping boards from another Servo-i without the exact same software revision, it will give this error. You need the update card to do any troubleshooting.

LUMENIS NOVAPULSE

This is a regular situation with the BC-2800, especially if left unused for a while.

The manual suggests that there is a disconnect somewhere between the foot press and shutter. Has anyone worked past this issue? We were helpfully told to “ensure the press was used firmly.”

Error 82 is a code generated when the shutter does not close. So, if I understand correctly, the footswitch was pressed, and the shutter responded. But after releasing the footswitch, the shutter stayed open or didn’t close fast enough. Verify that the shutter is not catching on anything that may hinder its closure. Also, verify the spring hasn’t lost its tension.

MINDRAY BC-2800 When starting the device the error “BLANK ABNORMAL” appears and the platelets are high.

Just perform the Probe Cleanser and E-Z Cleanser. If the PLT is still high, check the tube on the inner left side of the machine, the one that brings in the Diluent. Make sure it is clean. You can remove it and flush it out with a cleaning agent. These two points should get you sorted. All the best. Reply: I cleaned the chamber, and the tubes were poorly fitted to the diluent outlet, rust ended up falling into the solution and it was read as platelets. Problem solved!

SHOP TALK

is compiled from MedWrench.com. Go to MedWrench.com community forums to find out how you can join and be part of the discussion.

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ROUNDTABLE

ROUNDTABLE Training

OVID-19 impacted almost everyone’s life in 2020 and continues to do so in 2021. Healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals are among those effected via the availability of parts, access to equipment, as well as continuing education and training opportunities. In this month’s roundtable article, TechNation invited experts from throughout the industry to share their insights regarding training and education during a pandemic.

Participants in the roundtable article are Injector Support and Service (ISS) Director of Procurement and Training Bruce Clarke, College of Biomedical Equipment Technology (CBET) Director Richard L. “Monty” Gonzales, Althea US Inc. Instructor/Modality Manager Michael Gossman, Siemens Lead Engineer/Instructor for Tri-Imaging Solutions Kenneth Hable and AAMI Vice President of Healthcare Technology Management Danielle McGeary.

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Q: WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO LOOK FOR WHEN SEEKING TRAINING? CLARKE: Beyond the obvious of applicability of the training to the career path of the attendee, I would say presentation type. Is the training a straight lecture (snore)? Does the training include any dialogue between the presenter and other attendees? Is there any hands-on aspects to the training? The training presented by Injector Support and Service (ISS) integrates the concept by Confucius of “Tell me, and I will forget. Show me, and I may remember. Involve me and I will understand.” into our training sessions. By implementing both the “show me” and “involve me” precepts into our training sessions, the attendees are far better prepared to work on injectors than those that sit in an audience, slipping in and out of lecture coma as the speaker rambles on and on and on ... GONZALES: Training and education need to align with professional goals. We

Bruce Clarke Injector Support and Service

have all heard the horror stories of students with tens of thousands of dollars in debt and limited prospects. HTM professionals considering investing in additional training and education need to ensure their investment, of both time and money, is aligned and consistent with their professional objectives. Training and

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education should be affordable, practical and focused like a laser on what they hope to achieve professionally. GOSSMAN: An excellent training program should include the following: • Knowledge of operation: What does the unit do and how is it used? • Operational Functions: Basic operation of unit • Repairs: How to perform on-thespot troubleshooting and repairs • Parts replacement: How to replace the parts and complete an operational check-out • Preventive maintenance procedures • Extensive hands-on with the equipment: Confidence building HABLE: I believe there are two “most important things” to consider: 1) Will this training opportunity meet my goal for attending? and 2) What is the structure of the training? Make sure the training will actually meet the need intended. Time/resources are tight, and we are all asked to do more with less, so answering this prior to attending is important. The structure of the training is equally important. Is it lecture based, hands-on or a mixture? How much time is hands-on, and which training process best suits me or the staff I am looking to send?

use velcro shoelaces. However, if the equipment is complicated and their contact with the equipment is infrequent, once or twice a year, then a refresher course of some kind should be required/offered every two or three years or if modifications are made to the equipment.

Richard L. “Monty” Gonzales College of Biomedical Equipment Technology

Q: HOW OFTEN SHOULD BIOMEDS UPDATE THEIR TRAINING ON SPECIFIC TYPES OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT?

GONZALES: Advancements in the health care industry are occurring at lightning speed. If you are not actively seeking continuing education, training and professional development, you are likely falling behind. Education and professional development do not need to be expensive or time-consuming endeavors – they need to be focused and substantive. Engaging in the professional community through HTM and biomedical associations, participating in no- or low-cost webinars and, of course, engaging in formal accredited educational opportunities are all important elements of professional growth and development. The short answer is that HTM professionals should seek continuous self-improvement through professional development and education, both formal and informal.

CLARKE: Depending upon the type of equipment, an update may never be required. Sort of like learning how to

GOSSMAN: Biomeds need to keep abreast of all updates in their field. With the ever-changing medical environment,

MCGEARY: It is critical when seeking training to ensure the organization and individuals providing the training are creditable and credentialed.

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knowledge is the key to being successful. Know your field of expertise. When talking to the techs that operate the medical equipment, your knowledge of the equipment will instill confidence in the techs of your capabilities. HABLE: This depends significantly on their current knowledge base and experience. Many people believe that BMETs and imaging engineers should take as much training as possible. I strongly believe in a tiered approach to training. You learn the basics and general concepts in your basic education. Once you start to apply those basics to your daily work, you start to realize where your deficiencies are. Focus on selecting training opportunities that will build on your current skill set yet challenge you to rise to the next level of servicing the equipment. Training is not a static entity, it as a continuum that should progress throughout one’s career. MCGEARY: BMETs should update their training whenever any major changes are made to existing or new equipment. It is also important that HTM managers have a process in place to ensure their staff is competent on all the equipment their staff is working on. If a competency is ever in question, retraining should occur. Q: HOW DOES HTM TRAINING PROVIDE COST SAVINGS TO HEALTH CARE FACILITIES? CLARKE: Health care facilities with well-trained biomeds save their facilities thousands of dollars simply by not calling in the OEM and relying on their own staff of in-house professionals. This is especially true when the facility is not near a densely populated area or city. Just the travel time charged by the OEM can sometimes be nothing short of highway robbery. One should also consider the downtime of the equipment and what impact the downtime has on

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patients and patient health. A trained biomed with the proper tools and parts can greatly limit lab downtime, have a direct impact to patient throughout and hence patient care. GONZALES: One of the most intriguing parts of my job is having the opportunity to engage with HTM professionals across the country. One thing is clear, savvy and capable HTM departments save hospitals money, time and, most importantly, lives. Experience is critical, but education and training are equally important. Consider the next frontier of technological advancements in health care and ask yourself if your team is prepared. The technicians of the future need to be adept at repairing equipment and maintaining the networked devices they are responsible for managing. Investing in continuing education, training and professional development is both necessary and smart.

Michael Gossman Althea US Inc

GOSSMAN: Who better to service your equipment than the owner of the equipment, basically that is you. By having training on the equipment, you provide the following: • Quick response time • Faster repairs

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• One-on-one with the user • No waiting for the vendor to answer your call or to show up Bottom line: • Less re-scheduling for patients (labor cost saving) • Less downtime (continued revenue for site) • Direct communication with staff (provides ability for staff to make timely decisions) • Less inconvenience for the customer, the patient HABLE: Equipment-based training is a critical component of lowering the total cost of ownership and decreasing operational downtime. In-house service teams with proper training and knowledge can provide nearly immediate on-site evaluation, develop a service plan and, at times, provide the repair before an off-site OEM or third-party vendor can be there. All of this equates to better inside and outside customer support in addition to lower costs. MCGEARY: There are many ways that HTM training saves health care facilities money, but if I had to pick one, it would be by way of patient access. By having trained staff on-site, you have personnel that can respond immediately to medical equipment issues. Having staff available to troubleshoot and fix equipment on-scene avoids prolonged downtime, which directly helps to avoid cancelling patient cases or having to send patients to another place to receive necessary care. This increases patient safety and satisfaction which all directly impact health care costs. Q: HOW HAS COVID-19 IMPACTED TRAINING PREFERENCES AND EXPECTATIONS? CLARKE: Many organizations are still placing travel restrictions on staff, limiting access to educational seminars offered at trade shows and access to off-site training provided by various

vendors. Some training organizations have chosen to offer an online solution to this problem, while others have offered to take the training to the student and set up classes in the city of the facility in question. GONZALES: Few industries were unaffected by COVID-19, educational organizations are no exception. Of course, every challenge also presents an opportunity. Concerns regarding COVID-19 triggered a seismic shift in education, overnight, online education and training became both immediately relevant and necessary. Although this shift was difficult for many, it has resulted in the expansion of opportunities for students and forced innovation in education. With regards to expectations, students and employers should expect as much, or more, from an online education as they do from a traditional program. GOSSMAN: If the proper Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines are followed, we have seen minimum impact with Althea US contrast injector training program. We have found by the ability to provide what our customers’ needs are, particularly on-site training, training can continue. There is no better training than a program that provides extensive hands-on opportunity. HABLE: The COVID-19 health crisis disrupted work patterns worldwide and employee training was especially hard hit. Many training opportunities moved to online presentation and/or interactive group/team-oriented training to try and meet employee needs. Many training providers have migrated to these models at this point and will continue to provide these opportunities as we move forward. It is my belief that although important in the moment, our industry cannot sustain itself solely on online training. For introductory, basic

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knowledge and theory-based training, online is a great option, but it will never be able to provide the true hands-on skills needed to perform the BMET and imaging engineers core functions without an in-person, hands-on component.

Orlando, Florida the third week of each month. GONZALES: The next frontier in education must include online, fixed-site and hybrid learning modalities. To keep pace with the industry and the pace of technology, education needs to be agile, adaptive and work closely with the industry partners we support. The days of education dictating the terms are over, the industry partners we serve and the students we support must come first. Educational consortiums, industry partnerships and a team-of-teams approach will allow us to innovate and advance at the same pace as those we serve. GOSSMAN: Never turn down the opportunity to receive training. Knowledge is the key to success. Take the training no one else wants and you will be successful. Find your niche in the biomedical field and learn everything you can.

Danielle McGeary AAMI

MCGEARY: Access to training has definitely been more difficult during the pandemic as travel has been greatly restricted, prohibiting trainers from coming on-site at hospitals and also leaving BMETs unable to travel due to organizational restrictions.

Q: WHAT ELSE DO YOU THINK TECHNATION READERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES? CLARKE: Our strategic partnership with Maull Biomedical affords the student with the opportunity to receive not only quality Level-I PM training, but also our Level-II repair and service training. Injector Support and Service (ISS) is currently offering Level-II Injector Maintenance Training in beautiful

Kenneth Hable Tri-Imaging Solutions

HABLE: An HTM career is one that should be seen as a never-ending need to get educated as new equipment and technology will be consistently devel-

oped. I also remember reading Bruce Clarke’s “Three Main Factors” reply in a previous roundtable article which really stuck with me and is something I consider with every teaching opportunity: “The three main factors to be considered when it comes to training: The presenter and their ability to know the subject and discuss it at a level that is understood by the attendees. Training at levels above or below the audience level will not be beneficial to any attendee and creates an environment in which the audience is lost to boredom or to their inability to comprehend the subject matter. The attendee and their willingness to learn. Attendees coming to a training session to “get out of the office” or because it is “mandated training” are lost before they walk in the door. The topic/subject of the training should have a direct application to the attendee or why they are attending the training in the first place.” Thank you for the insight, Bruce. Life, as this industry is an evolution of learning. Much appreciated. MCGEARY: While it is difficult to transition to start or alter a training program even at the best of times, COVID-19 has put many hospitals’ hands-on training, internship and volunteer programs on hold. HTM leaders are making the best of this situation, using the pause to rethink their programs. AAMI’s “HTM Training Guide for BMET Students, Interns, and Volunteers” was published in October of last year and can help by providing new and prospective HTM professionals, who are actively learning in the hospital, a broad overview of everything the profession entails.

For an informative video on training, visit 1TechNation.com/roundtable and select this month’s article! EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

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COVERSTORY

OVERLOOKED

PANDEMIC CASUALTY

CONTINUING EDUCATION BY K. RICHARD DOUGLAS

An objective look at life today reveals how many routines and practices have changed since March of 2020. As a result of the pandemic, face masks, social distancing and excessive handwashing are the norm. On the other hand, dining out and travel were systematically stymied amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

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ttendance at gatherings was limited to a small percentage of what would have been the norm. Classes in schools and colleges depended on virtual models until local pandemic metrics improved enough to allow for in-person classes.

The shift in learning was a challenge for many school systems as students, teachers and administrators had to shift to platforms that they may not have been familiar with and that transition needed to happen quickly. The virtual learning models have relied upon software that facilitated classroom instruction, grading, test taking, teacher feedback, communication and most other functions that were traditionally handled in person. In addition to the challenges faced by students and instructors, there have also been challenges for organizations that routinely provide continuing education units (CEUs) or credits. This continuing education (CE) challenge has impacted many industries. Doctors and nurses have had the challenge of earning CEUs while treating COVID-19 patients. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been busy keeping the nation abreast of the latest COVID-19 information. It has also continued to provide health care professionals with continuing education activities. Healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals also had obstacles to overcome when it came to earning continuing education credits. How has delivery of this important prerequisite for many professions been facilitated with the lockdowns and social distancing requirements during the pandemic? And, more importantly, how have HTM professionals earned CEUs to earn or maintain certifications?

“This has become a concern for a number of individuals across all of health care, to include HTM. When you look at the number of certifications across health care, there is a significant need for approved/ accepted CEUs.” — Mike Busdicker

The saving grace for continuing education requirements has been the capability to deliver the necessary coursework and classes virtually via webinars and other tools. For all of the shortcomings of the Internet; without it, the likelihood of meeting the requirements of earning CEUs during a pandemic would be greatly diminished. From OEMs to associations, publishers to colleges, the switch to a virtual teaching environment allowed for contactless, safe and effective dissemination of the material required for earning CEUs during a challenging period. “This has become a concern for a number of individuals across all of health care, to include HTM. When you look at the number of certifications across health care, there is a significant need for approved/accepted CEUs. Based on my experience the majority of these provide you with the requirements for recertification and allow a specific timeframe for completion,” says Mike Busdicker, CHTM, FACHE, system director of clinical engineering at Intermountain Healthcare in Midvale, Utah. He says that it is very important for individuals to understand the requirements and ensure they are accumulating and documenting required CEUs over the approved timeframe.

WEBINARS TO THE RESCUE Although intuitively, it could be assumed that webinars are a fairly new concept, they actually date back to the late 1980s. The original concept was

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that they were a “web seminar,” which was later shortened to “webinar.” As has been the case with most other platforms on the Internet, the webinar was refined and software was developed to add capabilities to the concept. By 1996, Microsoft had introduced NetMeeting and by 1999, the company launched WebEx Meeting Center, which later became simply Webex. In the intervening years, many new and updated platforms have been introduced, including MyOwnConference, Google Meet and GoToWebinar. During the early months of the pandemic, the platform called Zoom received a lot of press and news coverage as a necessary tool. The company’s stock zoomed as well. The webinar format had been a staple at MD Publishing well before the pandemic necessitated it as an essential work-around. MD Publishing’s webinars have always been a valuable source for CEUs. COVID-19 only ramped up the suitability of the offering. The webinars are available at WebinarWednesday.live. “MD Publishing offers several outlets to earn CE credits including our most popular format, which is our ‘Webinar Wednesday’ webinar series. Airing weekly at 2 p.m. EST for nearly eight years, Webinar Wednesday has become the go-to resource for HTM professionals to get the continuing educaJUNE 2021

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OVERLOOKED

PANDEMIC CASUALTY CONTINUING EDUCATION tion they need,” says Kristin Leavoy, vice president of MD Publishing. In addition to webinars, MD Publishing added new opportunities for HTM professionals to gain continuing education. “This past year, we launched our on-demand webinar series as well as podcasts. The podcasts are an excellent resource for users because they can be listened to anytime, anywhere without the requirement to be in front of a computer to view the content,” Leavoy says. The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) found itself faced with having to reshuffle training courses quickly at the beginning of the pandemic. In an AAMI News article, AAMI Director of Education M.J. McLaughlin wrote about that experience. March 2020, McLaughlin says, forced his team to stop investigating and planning and to instead take quick and definitive action. “We had a course scheduled at our facility in Arlington for the week after everything shut down,” he

continuing education offerings online. “In addition to the AAMI Credentials Institute’s CEU Pre-Approval program, which vets and approves select trainings that are HTM-related for CEUs, AAMI also offers monthly HTMLive! webinars that are worth 1 CEU per webinar and are free of charge,” McLaughlin says. The HTM Live! webinars are free for AAMI members and $30 per session for non-members. McLaughlin says that to renew an ACI certification, there are plenty of CEU activities that can be done remotely and without spending any money. “For example, individuals can write an HTM-related article for an AAMI publication (IE: ranging from an AAMI News editorial to a peer-reviewed study in BI&T) that is published for CEUs towards the recertification of their certification. To find more ways to earn CEUs, please visit www.aami.org/aci and click ‘Continuing Practice Journal’ to see a detailed CEU Guide,” McLaughlin adds. The convenience of receiving training and CEU opportunities online has been met with appreciation from those who have participated. “Participants show up week after week for the content we provide and their feedback is overwhelmingly positive,” Leavoy says about TechNation’s Webinar Wednesday series.

“Participants show up week after week for the content we provide and their feedback is overwhelmingly positive.” — Kristin Leavoy recalls. ‘Six days to prepare – that’s all the time we had to go completely virtual.” The story goes on to say, “The good news for that event and the others that followed: Almost everyone seemed amenable to making online education work. ‘People mostly understood, and in a lot of cases it’s what they preferred to do anyway.’ ” AAMI has continued to offer several

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INSIGHTS FROM LEADERSHIP Providers of CEU opportunities have had to adjust to the changing landscape of a pandemic in order to make training

convenient and available. Those who manage HTM departments also had to consider how their staffs would meet CE requirements without the option of classroom or OEM training off-site. “The 2020 pandemic led to the cancellation of numerous conferences, to include the AAMI Exchange, resulting in limited opportunities to acquire approved CEUs. As we move into the future, and the ‘new normal,’ caregivers will need to be much more proactive with career development and certification renewals. Caregivers will not be able to wait until year three, of a three-year renewal cycle, to get required CEUs,” Busdicker says. He also points out that another area of importance includes an ability to utilize acquired CEUs across more than one certification. In other words, can CEUs acquired through virtual attendance of American College of Healthcare Executives training sessions be utilized to meet AAMI requirements for CHTM recertification? “For meeting CE requirements, my team was able to maintain, and was encouraged to seek out, more virtually available sources to meet the requirements. A lot of our normal conferences, from the annual AAMI Expo to our local HTM group, had to adapt and make available offerings via webinars, which actually went over a little better due the flexibility and lower costs,” says Anthony McCabe, MBOE, MBA, LSSBB, director of clinical engineering and central equipment at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. He says that the weekly webinars were also great. His team was attending them before the pandemic and continued to do so. “As far as obtaining CEUs from official training, we did take advantage of a couple of virtual options that some

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COVERSTORY

Tony Cody

Mike Busdicker

manufacturers switched to and had already had set up to help reduce cost and the complexity of sending people out across the country,” McCabe adds. The trend in virtual avenues is likely to supplement a return to in-person events, according to one director. “The pandemic has brought about many opportunities to re-evaluate CEU training opportunities. AAMI Exchange is fully online, ACCE has more webinars, TechNation still does Webinar Wednesday, and local BMET societies made similar adjustments,” says Tony Cody, CHTM, Tech Management/ENTECH director at Banner Health in Colorado. “I do believe that this will continue through most of this year, but more in-person meetings and trainings will begin to gradually re-establish itself. Zoom meetings have a place, but I know people miss the face-to-face interactions,” Cody says. He says that he encourages his team to get involved with webinars, as it helps them grow professionally and helps them maintain certifications. “Moving forward into 2021, we are still playing it safe and keeping up on the virtual webinars available, but we are starting to send people out to technical trainings to keep our competency and coverages up while our staff members are getting their CEUs,” McCabe says.

CE CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES GOING FORWARD While COVID-19 mandates included strict social distancing and the avoidance of crowds, the emergence of coronavirus vaccines is relaxing some of the measures. As a result, the remainder of 2021 will include a mix of online and in-person opportunities for HTM professionals.

M.J. McLaughlin

Anthony McCabe

Kristin Leavoy

“Zoom meetings have a place, but I know people miss the face-to-face interactions” — Tony Cody

“We will continue to offer the incredible webinars and podcasts attendees have come to enjoy, but we will also be offering several in-person CE opportunities for those looking to engage with presenters directly and participate in a conference environment,” Leavoy says. One of those events was the recent MD Expo held in Dallas, Texas. The conference attendance reached 566 people with continuing education sessions, an exhibit hall and networking events. Upcoming events include an HTM Mixer in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on July 14-15 and an HTM Mixer in Kansas City, Missouri on September 9-10. For more information, visit HTMmixer.com. Also, the fall MD Expo will be held in Las Vegas on November 1-2. For details, visit MDExpoShow.com. “AAMI will continue to offer monthly HTMLive! webinars that are worth 1 CEU each. AAMI will also be offering up to 25 CEUs for the five-day Exchange Rewired event that will be a virtual event from June 7-11. Essentially, attending the full virtual Exchange Rewired event, plus five HTMLive! webinars, will give someone the 30 CEUs they’d need for their three-year reporting journal. For more information about the Exchange Rewired or the HTMLive! calendar, please visit www. aami.org/events,” McLaughlin says.

CHANGES THAT WILL STICK AROUND Many experts have pointed out that the pandemic’s impact on culture and life as we have known it may be more permanent than most people would like to

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believe. There is little doubt that it will weigh on the psyche of most people for years. Many companies shifted employees to remote positions and many of those people will continue to work from home. The process on obtaining CEUs will likely evolve as well. “COVID-19 really acted as a catalyst for the modernization of AAMI Education. Luckily the education department is made up a solid team of flexible and innovative staff who were able to take a predominantly face-toface training design and shift it to virtual delivery in less than a week’s time,” McLaughlin says. He finds a glimmer of optimism coming out of the experience of dealing with the pandemic. He says that while it was daunting at first, it’s definitely allowed AAMI to grow and offer more training to a larger pool of industry professionals from around the world. He adds that training opportunities are now endless. Busdicker says that this topic needs to be on the minds of all caregivers currently holding or acquiring any certifications. “Leaders within HTM, and health care, must assist with the process through mentoring and providing opportunities for development,” he says. While avenues exist for the acquisition of CEUs, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a seismic change in both culture and behavior. In-person events are returning, but virtual options will continue to play a significant role when it comes to meeting one’s continuing education needs.

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