TechNation Magazine December 2021 by MD Publishing

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ADVANCING THE BIOMEDICAL / HTM PROFESSIONAL

DECEMBER 2021

Biomed Wish List BETTER THINGS IN 2022

12 Professional of the

Month: Michelle Baquie

28 Company Showcase Southeastern Biomedical Address Service Requested MD Publishing 1015 Tyrone Rd., Ste. 120 Tyrone, GA 30290

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CONTENTS

FEATURED

Biomed Wish List

BETTER THINGS IN 2022

HE ROUNDTABLE: T TEST EQUIPMENT TechNation reached out to several companies to find out the latest about test equipment.

Next month’s Roundtable article: Patient Monitors

BIOMED WISH LIST TechNation gathered end-of-year wish lists from many biomeds and managers they prepare for 2022 and the future. ext month’s Feature article: N Impact of Pandemics on Future HTM

TechNation (Vol. 12, Issue #12) December 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

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

DECEMBER 2021

TECHNATION

CONTENTS

PUBLISHER

John M. Krieg

VICE PRESIDENT

Kristin Leavoy

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Jayme McKelvey Megan Cabot

INSIDE Departments

EDITORIAL

John Wallace Erin Register

P.12 SPOTLIGHT p.12 Professional of the Month: Michelle Baquie p.14 Department of the Month: The Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital HTM Department p.18 Association of the Month: The Armed Forces Biomedical Society (AFBS)

CONTRIBUTORS

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

P.20 p.20 p.28 p.30 p.34 p.36

INDUSTRY UPDATES News and Notes: Updates from the HTM Industry Company Showcase: Southeastern Biomedical Recap: MD Expo Las Vegas AAMI Update ECRI Update

DIGITAL SERVICES

Cindy Galindo Kennedy Krieg

EVENTS

Kristin Leavoy

WEBINARS

Jennifer Godwin

P.38 p.38 p.40 p.42 p.44

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

HTMJOBS.COM

Kristen Register Sydney Krieg

ACCOUNTING

Diane Costea

ART DEPARTMENT Jonathan Riley Karlee Gower Taylor Powers

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

P.59 EXPERT ADVICE p.59 Career Center p.60 20/20 Imaging Insights: TTE or TEE, WHY and HOW, sponsored by Innovatus Imaging p.62 The Future: Students Weigh In on Right to Repair p.64 Cybersecurity: Medical Device Cybersecurity Incident Response p.67 The Other Side: Have a Great New Year P.70 BREAKROOM p.70 Did You Know? p.72 The Vault p.74 MD Expo Scrapbook p.86 HTM Strong p.81 Service Index p.85 Alphabetical Index Like us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/TechNationMag

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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DECEMBER 2021

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SPOTLIGHT

PROFESSIONAL OF THE MONTH: MICHELLE BAQUIE Making a Difference in HTM BY K. RICHARD DOUGLAS

he Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and especially its role in health care for veterans, is probably the best-known health care provider in the country. The VA has a long and storied history.

The first “domiciliary and medical facility for veterans” was authorized by the federal government in 1811. After the Civil War, more state veterans homes were established to provide medical care to those who had seen combat. The state veterans homes provided care to indigent and disabled veterans of the Spanish-American War, the Indian Wars and the Civil War, as well as discharged regular members of the military. Additional programs were created for veterans at the start of World War I. An ambitious hospital construction project was targeted at preparing the system for caring for the World War I veterans. Fast forward 100 years, and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) continues its mission of caring for the nation’s veterans. One biomed professional who has been a part of this mission in recent years is Michelle Baquie, national biomedical engineer in the Veterans Affairs Central Office. “Like most biomedical engineers, I knew I wanted to work in health care, and I thought I would want to be a pediatrician. But I much preferred my

TECHNATION

DECEMBER 2021

math classes to chemistry and decided to keep on my path as a biomedical engineer. I loved getting to focus on math and finding a way to use technology to help people,” Baquie remembers. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering at Boston University and then joined the VA shortly afterwards. “I was initially hired as a technical career field (TCF) biomedical engineer, which is a two-year training program for engineering graduates to learn how to be a clinical engineer in a health care setting. It is a fantastic program that pairs you with an experienced mentor to help guide your first two years and give you the practical knowledge needed to be a successful biomedical engineer in the VA,” Baquie says. Bacquie’s initial two-year stint as a TCF was with the VA Northern California Healthcare System. She remained there in the capacity of a staff biomedical engineer. “In 2009, I joined VA’s Central Office (headquarters) as a national biomedical engineer. I have stayed in this position since and have no plans to leave – I love this job,” Bacquie says. In her role at VA headquarters, Bacquie specializes in the training and education of HTM staff and human resources. MANAGING THE TCF PROGRAM The need for skilled biomeds is a pervasive problem with the retirement of so many of the older HTM profes-

sionals from the field in recent years. Bacquie faces this reality in her job every day. “One of my biggest challenges is recruiting HTM staff into the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The need for biomeds is growing rapidly and really outpacing graduating engineers and technicians. This is not a problem that can be fixed immediately but we are working hard to impact it over time,” she says. Bacquie says that her biomedical engineering recruitment and retention team has created presentations to inform high school and college-aged students about the biomedical engineering profession and the steps needed to join the profession. “We work with our VHA staff to have them go to various outreach events and campaign for biomed and VHA in hopes this will help our career in the future. We also work to see what makes our current staff happy and work on projects that help improve their daily work lives,” she says. “I have also partnered with our human resources national office to push for more promotion potential and professional recognition for our biomedical engineering technicians. This project took years of approvals and policy drafting with HR and field subject matter experts. But it was extremely rewarding and beneficial for our biomed community,” Bacquie says. She says that one of her favorite projects is managing the TCF biomedi-

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SPOTLIGHT

FAVORITE BOOK: “Night” by Elie Wiesel

FAVORITE MOVIE: “Amelie” (2001)

FAVORITE FOOD: Chocolate chip cookies

HIDDEN TALENT: I can wiggle my ears.

WHAT’S ON MY DESK? “A little dinosaur lamp with a little blue bow tie, a water bottle, my monthly calendar to keep up with work and my kids, a notebook and my eraser from college that I still use.”

FAVORITE PART OF BEING A BIOMED? “The people! I love our team and everyone I have been thankful to work with across our organization. We have some fantastic technicians and engineers that amaze me with their professional and personal accomplishments. I love watching them grow as individuals and biomeds.”

Michelle Baquie is an award-winning HTM professional and a proud member of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

cal engineering program, the same program that launched her career. “Each year, I recruit and train new talent in to the VHA and watch them grow into successful biomedical engineers and technicians. I request slots from our national VHA office, set training requirements and help the TCF find new positions after their training program. I have helped over 200 biomedical engineers and 50 technicians in my 10 years managing this project,” Bacquie says. Away from the office and the important work of bringing new HTM professionals into the VA system, Bacquie enjoys travel and family. “I love casual hikes with my family in the mountains and exploring new places. We try to travel as much as possible. I also enjoy just being with my family and having movie nights

with pizza. I have been married to my better half, James, for 17 years. We have two kids (11 and 9) and a goofy dog,” she says. Bacquie’s commitment to the VA and the HTM field motivates her, and she is grateful to those who helped her along her career path. She says that she believes all biomedical engineering professionals are important and needed in the field. “For the first few years, I thought I was in the wrong career field as I’m not the most technically strong engineer and really wanted to be a math teacher. But through the years, I realized that I could make a difference in our profession and utilize what skills I am stronger in. As an engineer, I am able to understand the technical piece, but my love and passion is helping others understand our field

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

and advocate for our staff,” Bacquie says. She says that she is extremely thankful for the mentors and supervisors who helped push her outside of her comfort zone, but also saw her strengths and allowed her to grow the projects she has worked on and contribute to the VA in non-traditional ways. “Every day, I am thankful for them and hopeful that I can give others the same support. But you have to be willing to work and step up to the challenge,” Bacquie says. The VHA and its HTM professionals are lucky to have someone so devoted to the organization’s future and the HTM field specifically. Nominate a professional at 1TechNation.com/nominations.

DECEMBER 2021

TECHNATION

SPOTLIGHT

This nine-member crew covers a variety of departments, from critical care to radiology.

DEPARTMENT OF THE MONTH The Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital HTM Department BY K. RICHARD DOUGLAS

est of Chicago, in the greater Chicagoland area of Illinois, is the village of Downers Grove. The village is in DuPage County and was founded in 1832.

Downers Grove is known for its bustling downtown area with convenient access to the area’s main airports. There are opportunities for outdoor activities with a visit to the local arboretum or the park. Another benefit to living in the area is access to a Level I trauma center and certified Level III neonatal intensive care. Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital offers this level of care along with private rooms and cutting-edge technology. Supporting this technology is the hospital’s nine-member healthcare technology management (HTM) department. Alvin Fajardo, CBET, leads the team as site supervisor with support from multi-site director Bob Paulson. The team also includes five BMETs and two radiology service engineers. Jerry Seremak is the team’s coordinator and serves as lead technician. Seremak manages the surgical, sterile 14

TECHNATION

DECEMBER 2021

processing and critical care departments. Alikhan Iteshamuddin and Ryan Williams are the HTM team’s radiology engineers. They manage imaging devices, the cath lab, interventional radiology, injectors, X-ray machines, nuclear cameras and ultrasound machines. Biomed II Issac Dunson specializes in respiratory equipment, labor and delivery, NICU and dialysis equipment. Matt Dean is the department’s infusion pump expert. He manages patient floors and home health services. Mustafa Hafeez is the telemetry system guru and manages the emergency department, the GI lab and ACL lab equipment. The team supports Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital with its approximate 300-bed capacity, as well as five clinics including pediatric transport, Lemont Immediate Care Clinic, South Downers Clinic, home health services and remote central telemetry center. Fajardo says that they also offer back-up support to 10 health clinics and numerous Advocate Medical Group clinics across the Chicago area. “Our department oversees all clinical equipment support needs, preventive

maintenance and repair services. We also assist with capital purchases and projects involving medical equipment,” Fajardo says. He adds that the HTM corporate team manages equipment service contracts within the Advocate Aurora Health system. “The team is composed of senior leadership, directors, clinical engineers, the business office team and contract managers. They review all the equipment at Advocate Aurora hospitals, identify where contracts are appropriate and negotiate pricing. HTM has a contingency fund to selectively replace equipment when repair does not make sense either due to age or cost. That is something that differentiates AAH HTM from many other similar departments,” Fajardo says. He says that HIT (the system’s information technology department) and clinical engineering work together to address security issues and IT interface issues related to medical equipment. How is data collection accomplished? “All asset information, serial numbers and the make and model of the equipment is entered into TMS, our management database. We also capture repair, WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

SPOTLIGHT

The Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital HTM Department has several specialists, including radiology engineers Alikhan Iteshamuddin and Ryan Williams.

preventive maintenance information, safety alert and recall data,” Fajardo says. TELEMETRY AND COVID CARE Team members have been instrumental in providing input for recent projects. “Our department has recently been involved in projects that demonstrate how the clinical engineering department can improve the function of our hospital. We had a representative involved in all phases of multiple new immediate care clinics, as well as cardiovascular/IR labs. In these settings, the whole room is constructed around the imaging equipment,” Fajardo says. He says that having in-house radiology service engineers is an integral part of these projects as they collaborate with the clinical staff, project coordinators, information technology and electricians during walkthroughs and equipment purchases. “Not only is our team’s involvement helpful during the project stages, but it also gives us a chance to suggest design changes before installation. This ultimately cuts down on the number of post project corrective work orders,” Fajardo says. He says that in another project, a biomed tech was tasked with improving the nursing call equipment on a floor in the hospital to provide better access for patients. The tech designed the equipment layout and ensured the call buttons worked properly; ultimately improving patient care.

The HTM team also demonstrated its value as the pandemic brought additional challenges to hospitals everywhere. “Like most who work in health care, the most significant challenge we’ve faced began when COVID-19 reached our hospital. Our team immediately began to assess all our medical equipment so we could provide support to COVID-19 patients in our critical care unit (CCU). We were able to move in equipment from other areas of the hospital to double the number of occupancies in the CCU,” Fajardo says. He says that during that time, the management team activated the command center to coordinate this project. “Our role consisted of installing medical equipment and configuring a system to allow our clinical staff to monitor patients remotely from the central station,” Fajardo adds. Another important project the team tackled was its involvement in launching a multi-hospital, centralized telemetry center. “Our team is also involved in the implementation of a centralized telemetry center, responsible for remotely handling patient telemetry monitoring at an offsite facility. Our job at the remote central telemetry center consists of providing on-site support for a team that handles the telemetry of three hospitals. This means collaborating with Philips to diagnose and troubleshoot hardware issues, software issues and network issues,” Fajardo says.

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

He says that the Advocate Good Samaritan team serves as the boots on the ground, carrying out necessary patches and repairs under the advice of Philips Healthcare and the information technology team. “Due to our efforts, our partner facilities benefit from a streamlined workflow that allows hospital staff to focus on patient care while our team handles the logistics surrounding surveillance and routing patient data. The success of the remote CTC facility has led to plans for further expansion, with an end goal of centralizing all patient telemetry across the Advocate Aurora Health system,” Fajardo says. Away from work, the team members keep their skills sharp and help with volunteer work. “We support CEI, Project C.U.R.E. and some of the team members are AAMI members. All team members attended the recent CEAI conference and participated in the training provided by the vendors. At Project C.U.R.E., some of the techs volunteered to segregate and repair equipment that will go to third-world countries,” Fajardo says. This capable HTM team in the Chicagoland area is benefitting clinicians, patients and finding time to do work that helps those in developing countries. Nominate a department at 1TechNation.com/nominations.

DECEMBER 2021

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SPOTLIGHT

ASSOCIATION OF THE MONTH The Armed Forces Biomedical Society (AFBS) BY K. RICHARD DOUGLAS

he biomed community has always been dependent on the large contingency of Department of Defense-trained biomeds who can be found in every health care environment nationwide. The military’s training includes an intense program, split up into two parts, and the opportunity to work on some of the most cutting-edge equipment available.

Before 1999, the BMETs from the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army trained together at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Denver. The Air Force BMETs trained at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas. At the end of that year, the programs were consolidated. In 2005, the BMET program was relocated to Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston. The deadline for the program at the Medical Education and Training Campus (METC) to become fully operational was in September of 2011. The first METC BMET class started in August of 2010. Military-trained biomeds have a common experience that further binds them. It was only natural then that they should have a biomed association that is focused on their common training, vernacular and mission. That is the reason the Armed Forces Biomedical Society (AFBS) was born in October of 2010. Officers in the group include President Jorge Magana, Vice

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DECEMBER 2021

President Derrick Bostic, Secretary Diego Gomez-Morales, Treasurer Wesley Ladlee and Membership Manager Richard Bodrick. “A couple of us came up with the idea to form the AFBS. As you may, or may not know, Fort Detrick, Maryland is the home for medical logistics. Inherently, there are a lot of biomedical equipment specialists/ technicians and engineers (biomedical) in the area. Following guidance from an old AAMI ‘How to Establish a Society’ guide, I knew we had the people. The first step was to find out if they would be interested in supporting such an organization,” says Gomez-Morales. Gomez-Morales says that everyone he reached out to at the time said that they would support the society. “Next came finding a name that was encompassing of all the service branches. We finally decided on calling the society the Armed Forces Biomedical Society. The rest is history; I became the first AFBS president. We all get along at work, but there is always a feud about which service branch produces the best ‘BMETs,’ ” Gomez-Morales jokes. He says that the initial goal was to establish a forum and resource for the active Army Reserves and National Guard military biomedical equipment specialists/ technicians. He says to note that he uses the words “specialists and technicians” because there are different titles depending on the service branch (i.e. Army, Air Force,

Navy ... ) so that experiences and professional development requirements can be shared. “We thought we could make a difference because there was no such thing as a biomedical society who catered to the U.S. military. Previous to the COVID-19 pandemic, we always had an excellence attendance record to our meetings. Each meeting was structured to provide some type of training, or medical application presentation of the latest medical device technology in the market. Fast forward 11 years, we still have active society members but have not met since COVID-19 started back in March 2020,” Gomez-Morales says. He says that he really has to thank the AAMI guide for establishing a society because it provided all the information and methodology for the AFBS to get started. “I cannot believe the AFBS is going to be 11 years old come October 2021 and folks are always asking me when are we going to have our next meeting,” Gomez-Morales says. A FOCUS ON MEMBERS AFBS’s key priorities have changed some since the group was conceived, but the focus remains on its members.“Our initial intention was to mentor and help young military biomedical equipment specialist/ technicians network with the medical industry as they were beginning their careers in the military,” Gomez-Morales says.

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SPOTLIGHT

Over the last 11 years, AFBS’s has been on its members and the camaraderie between them.

He says that the group sponsored (with the help of CABMET) a no-cost online study groups for members. “We have contributed to the AAMI Scholarship Fund. We give away AAMI memberships. The most important contribution is the camaraderie that is developed between the various generations of equipment specialist/technicians from the different services. It is amazing to see how many people come to our AAMI exchange booth. We always have people because our paths have crossed, or simply because the individuals have served in the military. It is amazing to see how much impact the military has in the flow (employment) of HTM professionals,” Gomez-Morales says. The group doesn’t yet have a formal symposium and because of some factors that are unique to the group, hosting such an event may prove to be a real challenge. “We have not been able to establish a regular interval for a symposium, but had

coordinated meetings-gatherings a few times during the normal AAMI exchange events, or local government vendor events. This is something that we would like to do, but there is something unique about the AFBS when it comes to our members’ locations. Most of our members live or work all over the world. We have a core membership from the national capitol region, but most of our members are remote. Again, we take advantage of the AAMI meetings to gather the ‘troops’ (for a lack of a better word),” Gomez-Morales says. The group’s normal annual conference involvement with AAMI was disrupted by COVID-19. “This year’s conference was virtual, so it was difficult to contribute. However, I was able to present (on behalf of the Army) information about ‘Repair parts planning and management.’ I believe every time the military hears that there will be a presentation (with a military spin) there are always

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

a few folks that attend just to support,” Gomez-Morales says. One of the most important roles of biomed associations and societies is to play an active role in bringing new biomeds into the field to replace the retiring baby-boomers. AFBS is doing its part by allowing new biomeds to see the role that the more veteran biomeds in the group play. “We have a multi-generation membership base that consists of brand-new recruits to the crusty old technicians that have been around since vacuum tubes were still being used in medical devices,” Gomez-Morales says. He says that one of AFBS’s goals has been to provide a forum for the “young blood” coming out of their basic biomedical equipment school (training). “As they see how well some of us have adjusted to society, it becomes an incentive for them to join HTM as technicians and managers. I think we play an important role in providing a ‘role model’ for how they will become when they retire, or leave the service,” Gomez-Morales says. What military-trained biomeds have shown to the field is that they are role models in many respects and it is only fitting to have a biomed society focused on them.

DECEMBER 2021

TECHNATION

INDUSTRY UPDATES

NEWS & NOTES Updates from the HTM Industry ISO ALLIANCE TAKES MESSAGE TO D.C. Members of the Alliance for Quality Medical Device Servicing recently traveled to Washington, D.C. for meetings with members of Congress and the Senate. Alliance member Larry Hetzler, COO of The InterMed Group, said some topics of emphasis were right to repair, cybersecurity and the difference between servicing and remanufacturing. He said the meetings went well and proved to be informative for the nation’s lawmakers. The original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have done a good job of sharing their message and the Alliance was able to add to the conversation. “What the representatives continue to tell us is that they never heard the other side of the story,” Hetzler said. “There was a lot of interest, and we received a lot of feedback from them.” Dave Francoeur, senior vice president of marketing and sales at TKA, agreed that the Alliance was able to share the ISO’s view with elected officials. Alliance members were able to meet with Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA), Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA), Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX), Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX), Rep. Dan Creshaw (R-TX) and/or staff members from their offices. The group also met with the FTC. Francoeur explained, “We met with them to help them understand the value of what it means to have service providers other than OEMs providing service. We basically said there’s three things we can bring in terms of value of servicing medical devices. The first one is it provides hospitals or health care organizations choice and that is paramount. We are able to provide just as high-quality of work on medical equipment as an OEM. And, the most paramount piece of all three is that we were there and advocating and demonstrating as a continuing provider of better outcomes for patients by having the hospitals have choice other than the OEMs perform service.” In summary, the Alliance’s message was that ISOs provide choice and a safe, high-quality alternative to the OEM for medical device service. Also, ISOs provide an added benefit because of their involvement they can help enhance overall

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Photo Caption: Members of the Alliance for Quality Medical Device Servicing who recently met with U.S. lawmakers included (from left to right) TKA’s Dave Francoeur, Sodexo’s Binseng Wang, InterMed’s Rick Staab, TriMedx’s Scott Trevino and Crothall’s Sheila ODonnell.

patient outcomes. The Alliance for Quality Medical Device Servicing was formed in 2018 and is comprised of seven leading independent medical device service organizations throughout the United States. The Alliance consists of TriMedx (which now includes the former Aramark Healthcare Technologies business unit), Sodexo, Crothall, ABM, Agiliti, The InterMed Group and TKA. The Alliance represents the largest participants in the ISO segment of the U.S. medical device service industry. The Alliance employs tens of thousands of employees across all 50 states and actively services and maintains millions of medical devices across the country. The Alliance members, as independent service organizations (ISOs), serve as a truly independent voice and advocate for health care providers, offering not only safe and effective service, but also an equipment agnostic perspective focused on improving safety, reliability and efficiency. For more information, visit deviceservicingalliance.com.

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INDUSTRY UPDATES 626 ACQUIRES 2 COMPANIES 626 Opco LLC (626) has acquired Digitec Medical and Independence Cryogenic Engineering (ICE). “I am honored and humbled that these two very successful organizations have given our 626 family an opportunity to bring them into our culture of rapid growth and winning,” said Phil Revien, CEO of 626. “It is important to acknowledge that without the amazing team of employees we currently have, our organization’s rapid growth would not be possible. I want to thank my team members and new team members, as well as our incredible customers, for your continued support of our ever-growing 626 brand. I value each and every one of you for your hard work, dedication and loyalty.” Operating since 1982, and based in Lawrenceville, Georgia, Digitec is a leading third-party, multi-OEM mammography solution provider of service, training and parts. “We have watched 626 grow exponentially over the past few years,” said Jim Mcghinty, owner of Digitec. “We decided to partner with 626 as a way to accelerate our growth and market presence. Our team could not be more excited to join Phil, Michael and the 626 family of companies as they continue to impress and show their commitment to our combined customers. We look forward to our role in making this crucial part of the 626 portfolio even stronger.”

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“For more than 25 years, ICE has been specializing in compressors, cold heads, lines and helium in support of its growing customer base. Having created its own proprietary technology, the company THE hasWORLD MOVES FAST. WE MOVE FASTER.™ solidified itself by evolving the finest product in the space. Located in Egg Harbor, New Jersey, this is a tremendous geographic fit and solution addition for the team at 626, as they further develop their capabilities in comprehensive MRI service,” according to a news release. “With our market position and growth rate, we are very excited to join the 626 family. We are eager to partner with someone who is willing to invest in us and put people in the right place who can take us to the next level,” said Frank Hughes, owner of ICE. “From an overall solution provider perspective, we know they are committed to their customer base in MRI, and we know they will make the necessary investments to help with the scalability that we need to help us grow.” “We are so thrilled to continue our strategy of organic growth and growth through acquisition. We love the strategic fit of ICE and Digitec. These are great companies with great cultures, great people, and they’re going to fit right in with 626,” 626 President Michael Fischer said.

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CYNERIO LAUNCHES IOT DEVICE SECURITY SOLUTION FOR SMALL HOSPITALS Cynerio, a provider of health care IoT cybersecurity, has announced the launch of Cynerio Now!, a health care industry specific solution to help small hospitals reduce risks to medical IoT devices. Cyberattacks on the health care industry have increased dramatically over the last 18 months – more than doubling in 2020 alone – with small hospitals among the most at-risk because of limited technical, human and financial resources to combat cyber threats, according to a Cynerio press release. “Built with the affordability and ease-of-use needed to help small hospitals, Cynerio Now! will empower these organizations to reduce the spread of malware, ransomware and other device security threats to an organization’s connected medical devices,” the release states. “Small hospitals face unique challenges, often with limited IT budgets and staff, but they are still expected to provide the same level of patient care, security and compliance as larger hospitals and health systems,” said Leon Lerman, CEO and co-founder, Cynerio. “With Cynerio Now!, small hospitals can effectively address burgeoning security concerns so that they can continue to focus on their primary mission – caring for patients.”

The press release states that Cynerio Now! ensures shortand long-term risk reduction from ransomware, breaches and threats to patient safety from IoT and OT medical device risks. “Eliminating critical risks in under 30 days and adding IoT incident response capabilities to small hospitals from day one, the solution enables hospital IT teams with security visibility into IoT environments, automating threat detection, mitigation and remediation to simplify IoT security management. Additionally, with Cynerio’s virtual segmentation validation engine, small hospitals can contain and micro-segment device threats while devices are connected to patients, allowing patient care to continue securely even in the event of a security threat,” the release adds. Cynerio Now! will be offered in two subscription options, including: • Basic subscription: Includes product training and 10 days of professional services • TAM support: Extend your team and guarantee longterm risk reduction with on-call services For more information, contact info@cynerio.com.

AZHTM RELAUNCH CONTINUES AZHTM, the new Arizona healthcare technology management association, held a “relaunch” meeting on September 30. The meeting was a relaunch of a relaunch that was hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic. AZHTM was created to provide the Arizona healthcare technology management community a place to network, receive ongoing education and have fun along the way. It is a diverse group of HTM professionals with members and leaders from a variety of different health care systems and companies. The meeting was held at the Half Moon Windy City Sports Grill and was sponsored by Pronk Technologies with a presentation by Julio Castro. Atlantic Biomedical plans to sponsor the 2022 meeting. Chris Enders was unable to present at this year’s meeting because of an illness. He has recovered and plans to present next year. ZRG Medical President Tony Lively is excited about the organization. “I think AZHTM has a bright future.

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There are many HTMs in the Phoenix area looking for training, networking and place to share ideas,” he said. “The biggest take away was that we got a new board of directors nominated to lead AZHTM into the future. Also big was the sharing of ideas for future training.” He encourages biomeds and HTM professionals in the area to join the association. “AZHTM is an all-inclusive HTM organization. The new leadership comes from the many different health networks within Arizona. There is a big push to get an HTM program started at the local college. AZHTM has great resources to pull from to bring great training and leadership to the organization,” he explained. President Pro Tempore Matt Tomory from Innovatus Imaging agreed and

said “a good time was had by all” at the recent meeting. Officers elected at the meeting include President Jacob Dreiling, Vice President Robert Hall, Secretary Audrey Marquez and Treasurer Matt Tomory. Joshua Trueblood will assist the treasurer. Also, Jason Velick and Brent Doyen were elected to serve as board members. A date for the next AZHTM meeting has not yet been set.

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ASIMILY NAMED GLOBAL LEADER IN CLOUD COMPUTING, IOT SPACE Asimily, a leading provider of Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) risk management platform, announced that its IoMT platform was awarded a 2021 Stratus Award by The Business Intelligence Group for outstanding achievement in cloud computing. This honor recognizes companies, products and people that are offering unique solutions that take advantage of cloud technologies. “Asimily’s IoMT risk remediation platform holistically secures the mission-critical health care devices that deliver safe and reliable care. With the largest knowledge base of connected and stand-alone medical devices and protocols, vulnerability research and manufacturer capability documents, the Asimily platform is helping health care organizations keep their patients safe and IT assets secure,” according to a press release. “Now more than ever, it is critical

that health care organizations embrace IoMT cloud technologies to keep their connected and non-connected devices safe,” Asimily CEO Shankar Somasundaram said. “We are proud to take home a Stratus Award for Cloud Computing in the IoT category and will continue to bring innovation to the IoT space.” “Asimily is at the forefront of the cloud, helping to drive practical innovations in the cloud with comprehensive medical device management to reduce device downtime and maximize operational efficiency,” said Maria Jimenez, chief nominations officer of Business Intelligence Group. “The cloud is now part of the fabric of our personal and professional lives and we are thrilled that our volunteer judges were able to help promote all of these innovative services, organizations and executives.”

In addition to the Stratus Award, Asimily was named one of Data Magazine’s 101 Most Innovative Data Visualization Startups & Companies in California. This list recognizes startups and companies that are taking a variety of approaches to innovating the Data Visualization industry. Asimily provides data analysis and visualization that enables different views of devices and their environment to provide continuous data-driven insights with actionable recommendations across devices and vendors.

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PIEDMONT HEALTHCARE CIO JOINS VIZZIA TECHNOLOGIES’ BOARD OF ADVISORS Vizzia Technologies has appointed healthcare technology leader Geoffrey B. Brown to the company’s board of advisors. Brown is vice president and chief information officer of Piedmont Healthcare, the largest healthcare provider in Georgia with 16 hospitals and 800 locations serving over 2.7 million patients statewide. Piedmont earned the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives’ (CHIME) 2020 Digital Health Most Wired recognition for the third consecutive year. “The Vizzia platform has delivered strong operational results for health systems nationwide,” said Piedmont CIO Geoffrey Brown. “I look forward to advising Vizzia as they continue to develop innovative solutions to improve patient care and health care efficiency.” Prior to Piedmont, Brown served as senior vice president and CIO at Inova Health System, vice president CIO at Grady Health System and CIO at Tenet Health System. He has held several govern-

ment roles, appointed by two governors, including technology chair of the Virginia Health Reform Initiative. Brown is a CHIME Fellow and received the 2020 Georgia CIO of the Year ORBIE Award. “We are honored to have Geoff’s thought Geoffrey B. Brown leadership on healthcare technology trends,” said Andrew L. Halasz, founder and CEO of Vizzia Technologies. “His extensive experience and valuable insights are a welcomed addition to our distinguished Board of Advisors, which includes the former CEO of GE Healthcare and other senior leaders from respected global organizations.” For more information, visit VizziaTech.com.

IVENIX SELECTS EASTMAN TRITAN COPOLYESTER FOR NEW INFUSION SYSTEM Medical technology innovator Ivenix collaborated with Eastman to incorporate Eastman Tritan MXF copolyester into its Ivenix Infusion System. The new system includes a large-volume infusion pump, a portfolio of administration sets and a suite of IV management tools and analytics to inform care and advance clinical and operational efficiency. Ivenix selected Tritan MXF for the pump exterior because of its chemical resistance and durability in the face of the aggressive disinfection protocols needed to prevent the spread of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). “The Ivenix Infusion System has several key advantages over our competition – one being its durability in real-world clinical environments,” said Josh North, director of sales at Ivenix. “The ability to stand up to the short kill-time disinfectants like quaternary ammonium and ammonium chloride resonates with infection prevention and patient safety teams. Also, our pumps successfully endure the ‘tough love’

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experienced in day-to-day clinical use, and this has a real impact on repair costs and downtime for our customers.” Because Tritan MXF is resistant to a larger number of disinfectants, infection preventionists can rest easy knowing that they can choose from a variety of cleaners and wipes that won’t adversely impact their devices. This simplifies cleaning protocols and alleviates worries about voiding warranties because the wrong cleaner was used. Among hospital patients, 90% require the use of infusion pumps, critical medical devices that deliver fluids such as essential nutrients and medications into a patient’s body in controlled amounts. They are also the number one medical device plagued with significant safety issues related to failures. Infusion pump failures – such as broken components, corrosion of electric pins and even cracks, no matter the size – can compromise the safe use of pumps and lead to catastrophic outcomes for patients.

Infusion pumps, like many medical devices, are constantly handled by multiple people, are moved across many environments, and can get dropped or bumped on hard surfaces. Frequent cleaning, like that endured by medical devices (often on an hourly basis), can weaken typical polymers used in device housings, making them brittle and more likely to crack. Recognizing the link between chemical resistance, impact and device failure, Ivenix needed a polymer for the pump’s exterior housing that would address all these issues. The company selected Tritan MXF early in the design process, because it demonstrates the right combination of properties to provide lightweight durability and chemical resistance. Eastman’s medical polymers enable Ivenix to deliver an infusion pump that is stronger and more disinfectant ready, contributing to more consistent device performance, longevity and, ultimately, patient safety.

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AUS ANNOUNCES 20TH ANNIVERSARY Advanced Ultrasound Systems (AUS) – a provider of ultrasound equipment, parts, service, and training – has announced its 20th anniversary celebration with reflections on what the organization has accomplished over the past two decades. “Since 2001, AUS has grown into the most comprehensive resource for ultrasound purchasers, servicers, dealers and sonographers,” according to a news release. “Over two decades the company has provided a full spectrum of ultrasound products and services to thousands of customers.” “I am proud that AUS is not only a viable alternative to the manufacturer but also provides a ‘white-glove’ level of service in everything we do,” said John Hryshchuk, AUS president and founder. “Every service and order is treated delicately and delivered with precision. Our trusted, experienced and professional team members are experts at ultrasound and adhere to strict quality standards at every step of the process. In simple terms, our ‘whiteglove’ is a premium VIP service that is delivered to all our customers through everything we do. It’s what makes AUS unique and valuable to human and veterinary medical facilities nationwide.”

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PREFERRED ANESTHESIA, CE-TECH TEAM UP Preferred Anesthesia and CE-Tech have joined forces to offer quality anesthesia, biomedical, life safety and facility management services. Preferred Anesthesia is an anesthesia maintenance company and through this agreement it now offers much more. CE-Tech, a leader in the industry with more than 37 years in healthcare technology management, brings a robust portfolio of services, 70-plus employees and a first-rate reputation in the state of Florida to the partnership. This partnership combines the two companies’ strengths of providing quality anesthesia maintenance with an assortment of high-end services customers may be interested in. Combined the duo offers anesthesia maintenance services, medical gas maintenance, vacuum pump maintenance, life safety compliance and facilities management, clinical engineering support, biomedical services, new and quality pre-owned medical equipment sales, medical equipment loaner, leasing and rental programs and more. “We don’t anticipate a lot of changes outside of increased capabilities and additional resources for you. This new workforce will greatly improve efficiencies and provide a multitude of value-added services for you to consider,” a joint news release from Preferred Anesthesia Service Inc. President Wayne Newville and CE-Tech Inc. President Scott Long states. “In the coming months you will see more communication explaining all the new programs and opportunities we have to offer,” the release adds. “We look forward to continuing to provide you with the stellar service you have been used to. Together we can make the health care environment a better and safer place!”

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INDUSTRY UPDATES FDA, ECRI PARTNER ON MATERIALS SAFETY IN MEDICAL DEVICES ECRI has announced a new partnership with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to improve the safety of medical devices through the use of safer materials. Through an ongoing, multi-year endeavor, ECRI, an independent nonprofit health services organization, is developing safety summaries for materials commonly used in implantable medical devices and assessing the possible effects of those materials on patients over time. ECRI’s evaluations are part of the FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health’s (CDRH) broader initiative to improve the safety of medical devices through the use of safer materials and to help prevent at-risk patients from receiving devices that contain materials which may harm them. In an online statement, Ed Margerrison, PhD., director of the office of science and engineering laboratories in the FDA’s CDRH, said the FDA believes this information will be a useful tool to guide innovators in selecting materials and components for future medical products, resulting in patients and doctors having better access to more effective and safer medical devices. Additionally, this work will help increase transparency, minimize patient risk, and have a profound impact on patient health. “ECRI’s groundbreaking work involves systematic evidence review, underpinned by robust methodology, and evaluation of adverse event reports from a wide range of sources,” says ECRI’s

Michael Argentieri, vice president of technology and safety. “We applaud the FDA for their commitment to advancing innovation and working to reduce harm from implantable and inserted devices. The scope of this work has never before been undertaken and it should significantly reduce risks to patients.” For each study, ECRI performs a comprehensive literature search and systematic review to identify the current state of knowledge about medical device material performance after implantation. In addition, ECRI analyzes data derived from its Patient Safety Organization, accident investigations, Problem Reporting Network (PRN) and healthcare technology alerts. In compiling and analyzing this information, ECRI and FDA team members work collaboratively to answer key questions about local and systemic responses to materials commonly used in medical devices. Specifically, the team has compiled a unique view of the effects that materials may have on a patient’s body over time and the effects of the patient’s body on the materials. The first four reports are available now on FDA.gov: magnesium, polypropylene (often used in surgical meshes), polyurethanes, and siloxanes (often used in breast implants). The FDA will release new reports as they become available. For more information, visit www.ecri.org.

THE JOINT COMMISSION ISSUES SAFETY ADVISORY ON CULTURE OF CYBERSECURITY Health care requires an all-hands approach to cybersecurity, including the establishment of a data safety culture that permeates an entire organization and its operations. Instituting a cybersecurity program can be challenging as the digital transition in health care means more information from across an organization is stored online. The operational needs of a facility, as well as interoperability regulations, often prioritize speed and accessibility of information over information security. Additionally, many facilities use a common network that integrates multiple aspects of clinical systems, medical systems, business systems, physical security and building management. A new Quick Safety advisory from The Joint Commission, “Organization-wide cybersecurity: Creating a culture of defense,” provides safety actions and resources to help health care organizations prepare for and repel a cybersecurity event. Building a culture of cybersecurity, or a human firewall, requires shared awareness of cybersecurity threats, including evaluation of the types of threats that exist, and incorporation of preventive strategies at all levels of a health care organization. Recommended safety actions in the advisory include: Leadership’s role in a culture of cybersecurity • Create a culture of cybersecurity that is top down. • Make sensitivity to cybersecurity threats and organizational preparedness part of the way the organization performs its work. 26

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• Build a human firewall by requiring staff awareness of cybersecurity vulnerabilities at all levels of an organization. Staff education and training • E stablish training programs for all staff and not just for clinicians. Include frequent refresher courses. • Periodically evaluate staff to ascertain whether they appropriately respond to “test” cyber challenges. • Train staff to anticipate non-conventional intrusions. Emergency management • Adopt the preparedness perspective of “when” not “if” a cybersecurity incident will occur. • I ncorporate responses to cybersecurity attacks into an organization’s emergency preparedness plan. • Communicate necessary reporting and disclosure for any data breach. IT security team resources • Utilize available free resources from reputable sources. • Invest in security tools and resources when needed. Several resources from government security agencies and other organizations are included in the advisory – providing an initial checklist to measure cybersecurity preparedness within health care organizations. The full Quick Safety advisory is available on The Joint Commission website.

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INDUSTRY UPDATES ‘BETTER BIOMED’ JOINS FOBI MEDICAL FOBI Medical has announced the addition of Justin Barbour aka “Better Biomed” as the vice president of business development. Barbour worked the last two years as biomed team leader at Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center in Houston. He spent almost a decade in the United States Air Force where he learned the biomed trade. After leaving the Air Force, Barbour worked for almost eight years in health care facilities in Texas and South Carolina. Barbour explained his decision to join the FOBI Medical team. “FOBI has a vision for the future of clinical engineering that I strongly share and we’re going to do what HTM professionals do best, solve problems,” he said. “There are better ways of doing business and we’re going to do our absolute best to identify those needs and help our customers fulfill their goals.” FOBI is excited to have Barbour join their team. “Bringing Justin on board expands FOBI Medical’s ability to understand the challenges facing the HTM community and generate solutions,” FOBI President Keith Przybyla said. For 25 years FOBI Medical has focused on offering the best value to the healthcare technology management professional, according a news release. “Whether it is replacement parts, new products or outstanding service, FOBI Medical strives to assist HTM professionals throughout the problem-solving process. FOBI Medical is an ISO 13485:2016 company,” the release stated.

MEDTEN USA INC. OPENS CALIFORNIA WAREHOUSE Medten USA Inc. has announced that it is fully operational and is now shipping repair parts to North and South America from its new Irvine, California location. Medten USA Inc. was created to warehouse biomedical repair parts for rapid deployment to biomedical repair companies, provide technical support and world-class customer service for the market. “We have essentially extended every biomedical repair company’s spare parts inventory by having parts here in Irvine,” said Matt Haley, sales director for Medten USA Inc. “Now you can order biomedical repair parts and receive them in a matter of days. Our repair parts are guaranteed to meet or exceed the OEM, but offer significant savings without sacrificing quality.” Medten USA Inc. warehouse is located at 1 Technology Drive, Suite B115, Irvine, CA 92618. Medten was created to serve the North and South American biomedical repair communities. The staff consists of experienced professionals ready for the challenge of delivering total customer service and satisfaction. The company currently carries parts in four medical device categories: infusion pump, telemetry, monitor/modules and fetal transducers. Medten’s products meet all the international standards for medical equipment manufacturing and quality assurance including TUV ISO 13485:2016. The products are FDA registered with 510K clearance, as well as all corresponding CE.

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COMPANY SHOWCASE

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COMPANY SHOWCASE Southeastern Biomedical

reg Johnson, CBET, CFHM, and Boyd Campbell, CBET, CRES, CHTM, spent over 20 years in the hospital environment as biomedical technicians and managers. After seeing the need for demand in the alternate care market, Johnson and Campbell decided to capitalize on that opportunity. Southeastern Biomedical started as a part-time company, but as the demand kept increasing, so did this grassroots start-up. The duo is now in a 16,000-square-foot facility with a full team in Granite Falls, North Carolina.

Since 1996, Southeastern Biomedical has been providing customers with a broad range of equipment-related services, including asset liquidation, on-site test equipment calibration, maintenance, repair and light/bili-meter calibration. TechNation learned more about the company in a question-and-answer session with Johnson and Campbell.

hat are some advantages that your W company has over the competition?

A: We provide quality. We hold not one but two ISO certifications – ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 17025 – which means we have four inspections every

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year that we have to go through. To quantify the actual inspections, two of the inspections are from an ISO auditor, but we also hire a consultant to do our internal inspections. We don’t want to sugarcoat with our own internal people, and we feel strongly about that. Additionally, you’re always going to have personalized service and a live person to talk to.

: What are some challenges that your company faced last year? How were you able to overcome them? A: One of the things were supply chain issues. With things slowing down and getting longer lead times, we tried to stock up to predict what’s coming in the future, so we could service our customers and get what they need all the time.

: What are your company’s core competencies and unique selling points?

A: Our motto is, “Biomeds Helping Biomeds.TM ” We focus on the biomed market completely, selling test equipment in the southeast. We have a calibration service where we go in and calibrate that equipment, as well. We don’t just make a sale and leave it. We support and guide our customers through the entire purchase process.

Boyd Campbell CBET, CRES, CHTM Owner

: What product or service that your company offers are you most excited about right now?

A: We are expanding our calibration service offering into Texas. In the past we sent technicians there, but we are now locating someone there permanently.

: What is on the horizon for your company? How will it evolve in the coming years?

A: By adding an employee in Texas, we are continuing to expand our calibration portion of our company. We are already performing services there now, but this will allow us to have faster service for our customers and build on what we’ve already been developing.

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COMPANY SHOWCASE

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“ Our motto is, ‘Biomeds Helping Biomeds. ’ We focus on the biomed market completely, selling time Reduce down test equipment, calibration services and parts.” TM

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: Please share some company success stories with our readers – one time that you “saved the day” for a customer.

: Is there anyone on your team you want to recognize?

Greg Johnson CBET, CHFM Owner

: What is your company’s mission statement, or if you don’t have a specific one, what is most important to you about the way you do business?

www.sebiomedical.com

A: During COVID-19, we loaned out vent testers to our customers at no charge. We could’ve rented them very easily, but we knew this was a situation no one wanted to be in, so we tried to do our part to contribute. We also tried to keep spare calibration test equipment, so when hospitals ordered new equipment, they didn’t have a fourweek backlog. We tried to get everything up and running as soon as we could, and most of the time that was the next day. It was expensive to do, but we wanted to do it.

A: Simon Mejia is a gentleman who immigrated here from Mexico with a sixth-grade education. The only phrase he knew how to say in English was “Do you speak Spanish?” He volunteered to help us one day when we were moving into our new facility. He now works in our warehouse and shipping department and is one semester away from becoming a biomedical technician. He has been taking all of his classes in English. He just recently won a scholarship from the North Carolina Biomedical Association (NCBA). He’s a hard worker and truly amazing.

A: Our mission is to provide healthcare facilities with a viable option to acquire and maintain medical equipment in a cost effective manner while delivering superior quality. Our reputation and character are the most important. We stand behind every service and sale that we do. If we make a mistake, we own it and do our best to resolve the issue. We do whatever necessary to make things right with the customer. To learn more about Southeastern Biomedical visit sebiomedical.com

MEDICAL EQUIPMENT SALES AND SERVICE DECEMBER 2021

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Chris Nowak presented a session on customer service.

MD EXPO ENJOYS ‘OUTSTANDING’ SUCCESS IN VIVA LAS VEGAS! BY ERIN REGISTER

D Expo, MD Publishing’s signature healthcare technology management (HTM) event, welcomed more than 700 HTM professionals in Las Vegas at the M Resort Casino & Spa.

The event kicked off with a TN20 dinner, sponsored by Mammo.com, where HTM leaders from across the country were able to connect. The dinner, combined with the TN20 leadership summit, received wonderful feedback from those in attendance. “It was outstanding,” said Shawn Molloy, system director with Trimedx at the University of Chicago. “I reconnected with a friend who I was an entry-level biomed with 20 years ago, and now we’re both at the top of academic clinical engineering. Reconnecting in this small community is always great.” The reverse expo, which involved the TN20 leaders speaking to several

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vendors in a “speed dating” format, also received positive comments. “It’s awesome,” said John Muir Health Biomedical Engineering Manager Nader Hammoud. “It’s totally different, and I really liked it. For me, it was extremely efficient. The time dedicated was enough for me to decide ‘Is this something of interest for me, so I can spend more time with them at the booth or no?’ I was able to collect some information that was really useful. It’s the best practice.” “There was no time wasted,” added Gideon Nyakundi of Denver Health. “I had the opportunity to meet with about 17 manufacturers and innovation companies. It was very fast. A lot of information was shared in terms of technology. One thing that I picked up was that cybersecurity is a big threat and an evolving challenge that we are having. I was very impressed that so many companies were coming up with solutions to help us as health

care leaders.” Educational sessions began Monday, and attendees were able to earn up to eight continuing education credits. Two of the presentations were Texoma Medical Center Director of HTM Ryan Harris’s “Maintaining Hospital Beds and Nurse Call Systems” and “HTM Emergency Prep and Business Continuity,” presented by Carol Davis-Smith of Carol Davis-Smith & Associates LLC. “The ability to put a program together that focuses on relevant topics in a short period of time is what makes MD Expo stand out from other industry conferences,” said Izabella Gieras, director of clinical technology at Huntington Hospital. “Everyone is busy, and taking time away from day- to-day operations isn’t always as easy. I feel like MD Expo is able to condense everything but still give you the value you’re looking for.” After the educational sessions, attendees were able to enjoy compli-

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Las Vegas • November 1-2, 2021 mentary food and drink in the exhibit hall, where vendors from all over the country came to exhibit. The exhibit hall was filled with a variety of new technologies and solutions, as well as some showgirls and Elvis Presley! The Young Professionals of MD Expo (YP at MD) held its annual event Monday night at the Raiders Tavern & Grill, sponsored by Pioneer Biomedical and Adepto Medical. A large group of young professionals attended in their favorite sports team’s jersey to network and watch Monday Night Football. The exhibit hall and education sessions continued on Tuesday. Also, attendees were able to win several prizes from vendors during a raffle prize drawing. When asked why they enjoyed attending MD Expo, attendees shared a variety of reasons. “I love MD Expo,” FOBI Vice President of Business Development and Owner of the Better Biomed YouTube channel Justin Barbour said. “The reason I love it is because of the people – the retailers and the intermingling and the business-to-business operations that we’re able to do here. Already today, I’ve done so many business deals. I get to do a lot of stuff really quickly. Everyone I need to talk to is in one spot.” “Multiple reasons,” added Hammoud. “One off the top of my mind is that it’s free for me. I don’t have to spend closer to a thousand dollars to come here. The staff are amazing. The organization is awesome. It’s straightforward.” MD Expo Las Vegas concluded with a finale party, sponsored by

AIV, at the Ravello Lounge. All in attendance enjoyed live entertainment from Status the Band. MD Publishing President John Krieg shared his thoughts about the conference. “When we decided to return to Las Vegas, we knew it would be the perfect opportunity to return back to normal,” Krieg said. “It certainly didn’t disappoint! Pre-COV ID numbers, attendees from all over the country and the incredible vendor support lead to one of the most special and rewarding shows we’ve ever held. We will continue this momentum and look forward to seeing you all at MD Expo Atlanta in April!”

“The ability to put a program together that focuses on relevant topics in a short period of time is what makes MD Expo stand out from other industry conferences.” –Izabella Gieras, director of clinical technology at Huntington Hospital

Elvis helped give out prizes during the door prize raffle.

For more information, visit mdexposhow.com.

More than 700 HTM professionals enjoyed a successful MD Expo.

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DECEMBER 2021

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AAMI UPDATE 1st-of-its-kind Guidance Document for Cloud Technologies in Medical Devices

new and rapidly growing technology, cloud computing is changing how medical device developers think about data and computational costs. However, for medical devices and quality systems, the significant benefits of cloud computing also come bundled with a new set of risks. That’s why experts from industry, medical device software development and regulatory consulting recently pooled their knowledge to develop a new consensus report (CR) with the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI).

Titled CR510, Appropriate use of public cloud computing for quality systems and medical devices, the new document provides guidance regarding the appropriate use of public cloud computing both as a component of medical devices and in support of quality systems. One important consideration with public cloud computing is that service providers regularly make changes to their platforms that can affect computing or functions. “Those changes can occur without your prior consent, sometimes without prior notice, and perhaps even without notifying you after the changes have been made,” said Randy Horton, vice

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president of solutions and partnerships at Orthogonal, who co-chaired CR510’s task group under the auspices of the AAMI Application of Quality Systems to Medical Devices Working Group. “When medical devices are approved, they are under strict ‘change control.’ That is, any change they undergo must be assessed to determine if it requires resubmission for approval by regulators like the U.S. FDA,” explained Joe Lewelling, senior advisor on content and strategy at AAMI. “That’s fine when you control everything, but when you are using cloud computing, you’re working with a service provider. CR510 is the first document that really addresses how to use third-party computing platforms to operate a medical device safely and effectively.” The task group, including co-chair Pat Baird, head of global software standards at Philips, assembled a team of industry experts to determine how cloud computing is different than other technologies that have made their way into regulated medical devices over the last several decades. “The key insight we arrived at was that public cloud computing has challenged the traditional notion of control in a validated state – that I as a medical device manufacturer control every aspect of this device or system,”

Horton said. “By introducing a modern, distributed and abstracted model of computing, you’re trading away some control for increased reliability, richer feature sets, enhanced security and a far more flexible model for infrastructure scaling.” “The bottom line is that with the cloud, your medical device is living in a wonderful, but more chaotic world,” he added. “And that’s OK, so long as you understand and explicitly acknowledge this change, gather the necessary knowledge, incorporate that into your risk analysis and then make thoughtful design decisions.” Following the success of CR510, the AAMI Standards Board has approved development of a new technical information report (TIR) that will further explore best practices on this important subject by providing additional conceptual and practical guidance. Parties interested in participating in the TIR subcommittee should contact standards@aami.org.

AAMI RESPONDS TO FDA DISCUSSION PAPER ON CYBERSECURITY AND SERVICING How can organizations and healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals who service medical devices protect these assets from hacking, malware, ransomware and other

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cyberattacks? The Center for Devices and Radiological Health at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sought input on this question in a discussion paper, Strengthening Cybersecurity Practices Associated with Servicing of Medical Devices: Challenges and Opportunities, which was released in June. The paper focused on four issues that are unique to the servicing of medical devices: 1. Privileged access, which means that user authentication and appropriate controls are required to access operating systems and applications. 2. Identification of cybersecurity vulnerabilities and incidents, which can help detect, respond to and mitigate risks early. 3. Prevention and mitigation of cybersecurity vulnerabilities, which is often a software update or upgrade. 4. Product life cycle challenges and opportunities, particularly related to legacy devices in rural and underserved communities. With input from AAMI’s Technology Management Council and Healthcare Technology Leadership Committee (HTLC), AAMI responded to the FDA discussion paper in September. Cory Brennan, an HTLC member and cybersecurity attorney, helped craft the response. The AAMI community identified three overarching challenges vis-à-vis cybersecurity and servicing medical devices: 1. The knowledge and training gap. “Few individuals fully understand the cybersecurity needs surrounding medical devices and formal training is not readily available,” reads the AAMI response, which was signed by AAMI Acting President and CEO Steve Campbell. 2. The legacy device problem. “Devices designed 15-20 years ago were generally not designed to be upgraded or patched and have limited memory or onboard storage. Cyberattack-

ers are aware that vulnerabilities corrected years ago in new operative systems remain in these legacy devices.” 3. The simplest problem – inventory management. “With more than 10,000 medical device manufacturers operating globally, health care organizations find themselves struggling to develop and maintain an accurate network-connected medical device inventory and, more importantly, acknowledging which operating system each device is running and what vulnerabilities exist.” “One of the biggest solutions to addressing cybersecurity issues is spreading awareness about it and how to combat it,” said AAMI’s Danielle McGeary, vice president of healthcare technology management. “The pandemic has opened up a gap. Medical devices and hospitals are at the forefront of hackers’ interest because they have a lot of proprietary information.”

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AAMI offered four recommendations for how entities servicing medical devices can help strengthen cybersecurity: • Advocate for formal cybersecurity training for independent service organizations and HTM professionals. • Develop industry best practices/ standards for medical device cybersecurity management. • Create and share network security standards for medical device implementation. • Further clinician/device end-user education on cybersecurity risks and requirements. “We applaud the FDA for taking a conservative approach in requesting information to help it assess the questions asked in the discussion paper,” Campbell said. “No matter the outcome, the entire health care industry will be better informed and have much more to think about simply from reading the perspectives that are offered by these diverse stakeholders.”

DECEMBER 2021

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ECRI UPDATE

Ventilators and COVID-19 Cross-Contamination Considerations

o ventilators that are used to treat COVID-19 patients need to be disinfected after use – and if so, how, and how often? Surprisingly, this late in the pandemic the answers still are not clear cut. Guidance from device manufacturers is inconsistent from one vendor to the next; and recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are not completely clear about which ventilator components, if any, are covered. ECRI offers its guidance to help reduce the confusion.

COVID-19 patients who have difficulty breathing or maintaining adequate blood oxygen levels may need to be placed on mechanical ventilation. Ventilating such patients raises infection control concerns, however: Droplets and aerosols in the patient’s exhaled air travel through, and are exhausted from, the ventilator, potentially allowing the SARS-CoV2 virus to contact device components (e.g., the exhalation valve, the expiratory flow sensor) and be spread into the room. This raises two key questions: 1. How can health care facilities minimize the risk of contaminating ventilator components and the surrounding environment? The

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use of filters in the breathing circuit can help. ECRI cautions, however, that filters are not a cure-all. 2. What steps are required to clean and disinfect the ventilator before using the device on another patient? Unfortunately, recommendations from ventilator vendors vary. ECRI offers its guidance to help clarify the issue for health care facilities. THE USE OF FILTERS IN THE BREATHING CIRCUIT When ventilating a patient with a known or suspected airborne pathogen, ECRI recommends using a filter in the breathing circuit between the patient and the exhalation valve of the ventilator – either at the patient wye or between the circuit and the exhalation valve. The exact type of filter needed for a given patient depends on the known or suspected pathogen, as well as other factors. The primary purpose of this filter is to limit the spread of the disease through the atmosphere. As for protecting the ventilator: “Using a filter is not sufficient to prevent cross-contamination,” warns Brad Bonnette, a senior project officer in ECRI’s Device Evaluation group. “But it can help.”

Placing the filter upstream of the exhalation valve can help limit contamination of the valve and other reusable ventilator components. Generally, if a heated humidifier is in use, the filter should be located between the breathing circuit and exhalation valve. If a heat/moisture exchanger (HME) is being used for humidification, using one with a filter (i.e., a heat/moisture-exchanging filter [HMEF]) precludes the need for an additional filter. When a filter is to be used, ECRI recommends: • Checking the filter before use and replacing it when necessary, such as if the filter has become saturated with condensate or if the manufacturer-recommended replacement interval has been reached. • Verifying that the filter is correctly and securely installed so that it does not contribute to any risk of disconnection of any portion of the breathing circuit or misconnection of components. • Installing the filter before performing manual pre-use checks and automatic ventilator breathing-circuit compliance tests. • Following manufacturer recommendations and hospital policies

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for emptying water traps to minimize infection risks while ensuring that the trap does not overfill into the filter. • Using care in handling and disposing of the contaminated filter. • During ventilation, watching for signs of obstruction or increased exhalation resistance. One way to do this is to monitor the peak expiratory flow and the duration and slope of the exhaled breath on the waveform display. Alternatively, if no waveform display is available, exhalation pressure can be checked during an expiratory hold maneuver. • Considering the use of a heated-wire circuit or an HME, if appropriate, to minimize the moisture in the breathing circuit and therefore the moisture load on the filter. “It’s important to note that adding any new component in a ventilator breathing circuit can introduce new risks,” cautions ECRI’s Bonnette. With filters, the greatest risk is that moisture accumulating in the filter could cause increased exhalation resistance or an obstruction, possibly resulting in decreased ventilation effectiveness or pneumothorax. Misconnection or disconnection of breathing-circuit components may also be possible. THE CASE FOR DISINFECTION Whenever possible, single-use items should be used to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. But for reusable ventilator components, health care organizations require guidance about whether and how such components are to be disinfected. Unfortunately, ventilator vendors are inconsistent in their recommendations. For example: Some vendors – but not all – explicitly recommend that, after every patient, facilities perform high-level disinfection on the exhalation valve and

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any other components that are in the path of exhaled gases. Some vendors provide detailed cleaning and disinfecting information but make no specific recommendations on how often these tasks should be performed. Some vendors informally instruct clients that a filter in the breathing circuit, either at the patient wye or between the circuit and the exhalation valve, will be sufficient to prevent pathogens from finding their way onto reusable components and thereby becoming a potential source of cross-contamination. (But to ECRI’s knowledge, no vendor has included such a recommendation in their user manuals.) This can cause confusion about what measures are necessary to keep patients safe, especially in facilities that have a mixed fleet of ventilators. CDC’s Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities (2008) states, in recommendation 3.b., “Provide, at a minimum, high-level disinfection for semicritical patient-care equipment (e.g., gastrointestinal endoscopes, endotracheal tubes, anesthesia breathing circuits, and respiratory therapy equipment) that touches either mucous membranes or nonintact skin.” However, it is not completely clear which ventilator components, if any, are covered by this recommendation. While the endotracheal tube clearly touches mucous membranes, the ventilator components do not touch them directly. On the other hand, airway secretions (and ventilator condensate, which contains secretions) are a possible vector by which the patient’s mucous membranes could contaminate ventilator components. As Bonnette explains: ECRI believes that airway secretions, and ventilator condensate that contains secretions, “should be considered to be just as potentially infectious as mucous

membranes.” Therefore, ECRI recommends that facilities generally treat any reusable ventilator components that may come into contact with exhaled patient gas as semicritical equipment and perform high-level disinfection or greater on those components between patients. “This applies regardless of whether a filter is used.” Components to disinfect include internal exhalation valves on most intensive care ventilators, many subacute ventilators and some transport ventilators. External exhalation valves, which are present on the majority of transport ventilators, should also be given this level of reprocessing, if they are reusable (most aren’t). For most intensive care ventilators, this means the exhalation valve or cartridge should be removed between patients and sent for processing as described in the user manual. For convenience, consider keeping two exhalation valves or cartridges for each device to minimize turnover time between patients. Additionally, the external surface of the ventilator should receive at least low-level disinfection between patients. If reusable breathing circuits are used, they should receive at least high-level disinfection between patients. To Learn More This article is adapted from ECRI’s “Safe Cleaning and Disinfection of Ventilators: ECRI’s Recommendations” (Device Evaluation 2021 Oct 6). The complete article is available to members of ECRI’s Capital Guide, Device Evaluation, and associated programs. To learn more about membership, visit www.ecri.org/ solutions/evaluation-and-comparison, or contact ECRI by telephone at (610) 825-6000, ext. 5891, or by e-mail at clientservices@ecri.org.

DECEMBER 2021

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BIOMED 101

What is Productivity and How Do you Find It? BY JOE FISHEL, CBET

he task of measuring productivity in the HTM world has been a cause for discussion over the years and continues even today. How it should be calculated is often a lively topic of discussion? Some questions that come up are, “Do you document everything you do? How do you account for lunch and breaks? What is the benchmark — 70%, 80%, 90% or 100%?” These questions hold up the true explanation of productivity which is, “How can you tell if a technician is productive?”

For years, the accepted calculation was to compare hours available to hours worked. This is an accounting of time, not productivity. In the HTM world, we have various tasks that pull us in different directions. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t really tell if a technician was productive or not. Early in my career, I oriented with a tech at another facility prior to his vacation. I was going to be covering the infusion pump desk in his absence. He instructed me to only fix eight pumps a day. His justification was there are only eight work hours in a day and it takes an hour to work on one. He stated that was his standard and not to screw it up for him. When I showed up on Monday, there were so many broken infusion pumps in the office that I could not get to the desk. I started the day by assessing a pump. Fifteen minutes later I had identified the malfunction, cleared the error and set it up to run for volume testing. I now had 45 minutes to burn. I could not take the inactivity and commenced to plug in pumps to charge and see what was going on. I was able to set up four calibration stations to verify pump accuracy. By the end of the day, I had put 16 pumps back in service. By the end of the week, I had touched 102 pumps and returned 96 to service. I could now get to the desk. We both worked a 40-hour week and documented our work, but the number of repaired devices was 40 to 96. Over the

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same time span, I was about 141% more productive. What rules should we make or consider when setting up a productivity assessment? What time should we include in a work order? • Do you count 15-minute breaks and lunch breaks? • What are the true available hours to work in a day? • Do we document all our time and what we do including the time to retrieve a device as well as return it? • Do we include the time used to research for a part? • Do we include the time it takes to get a purchase order? • Do we include the time needed to pack a device for shipping? • Do we include the time needed to arrange for a loaner? Be sure to identify clearly what is administrative time, project time, rounding and each specific classification. All of this standardizes the documentation so that everyone is doing it the same way. This is important so that you can compare apples to apples. You are documenting what you do in eight hours. The easiest way to start looking at productivity is to pick one model of a device that most of the techs do PMs on. IV pumps would be high on my list to start with. I would compare PMs as the steps are standardized by the manufacturer. There are two benchmarks you should incorporate in your computations. The first benchmark is the manufacturer’s estimated PM time. The second is to take a year or two of the total average of all PMs for that model. This will create an average PM time. Next, separate each technician’s average PM time for the same device model and put the data on a graph. This will create a picture of where everyone is in their productivity when it comes to that model of device. When you

look at the chart below you can see that Techs 1, 2, 6 and 7 are performing the PM in a time shorter than both the facility average and the manufacturer’s estimate. From the chart above, we can see which one of our techs are the most efficient doing pump PMs. Also, if there is a step (such as a volume infused test) that takes a minimum of 15 minutes then I would question the quality of the PM by Tech 1. Once you have completed one device productivity analysis, I would determine your top 10 devices and do a chart for each of those devices. Do a chart for the top 10 devices and then score each tech for each device. For example, if they were third on an ESU then give them a 3. Then, total up each technician’s score to see where each stands compared to their colleagues. After you have done the PM numbers for each of the devices you can start on correctives. You can also look at administrative time, travel time, project time and other categories. You will only have an average benchmark from your facility, but it will assist you in seeing where time is being spent. No one is 100 percent productive, but they can document 100% their time. No matter what calculation is used, it still comes down to the need for accurate documentation. I welcome suggestions, but I believe the HTM community needs to develop standards that work. Joseph Fishel, CBET, is a Nuvolo business process consultant/ HTM.

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WEBINAR WEDNESDAY

Presenters Deliver ‘Informative’ Sessions STAFF REPORT

he 2021 TechNation Webinar Wednesday series continues to provide top-notch educational experiences and credits from the ACI. In mid-October the series had recorded 4,715 registrations with an average of 152 registrations per webinar. Positive feedback continues to pour in from participants.

EXPLORING RTLS The recent Webinar Wednesday session “Exploring the Role of RTLS-enabled Hand Hygiene Automation in Healthcare” was sponsored by Sonitor and eligible for 1 credit from the ACI. The informative session was co-presented by Sandra Rasmussen, senior vice president of global marketing and America sales, Sonitor, and Pamela Wagner, clinical specialist of GOJO Industries Inc. Infection prevention and control have always been an important part of public health and safety. As the fight against COVID-19 continues, it is clear that diligence and focus will always be required in this area. In this 60-minute webinar, and in honor of Infection Prevention Week, the presenters explored the role RTLS-enabled hand hygiene can play in helping health care facilities get a real-time understanding of hand hygiene compliance. The webinar also featured a question-and-answer session. One question was, “Can the solution track compliance by individual, by department, by facility? What are the capabilities?” Rasmussen said, “The solution can track by individual, department, facility or unit, and at what level the facility wants to be able to monitor compliance, can be defined by the facility. There’s some

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interest in not doing it at the individual level, but really to ensure that it’s being used as a training, an educational tool. Many places will do it by unit, and see how they’re doing compared to other units. And, if there are differences, leveraging the units that are doing well, to help train those units that maybe need a little more help.” Another question was, “How are health care facilities using the data from the automated solution?” Wagner replied, “Health care facilities are using it to drive improvement. Most of the time, you can drill down and look shift by shift. You can look unit by unit as Sandra said. So, they’re looking at it and whatever increment they want to, or date they need to. And the beauty of an automated hand hygiene monitoring system is that if you make an improvement and the improvement works, you will be able to see it in the data in near real time.” The presenters provided additional information in their answers to more questions. Attendees provided valuable feedback regarding the webinar via a survey that included the question, “Give us 3 words to describe today’s webinar.” “Interesting, informative, issue-specific,” said E. Hammond, BMET 3. “Informative, easy flow, interesting,” Cardiac Sonographer C. Parlette said. “Hygiene, technology, standards,” Senior Site Manager K. Lawrence added. OT SECURITY The recent Webinar Wednesday session “Five Lessons Learned to Implement OT Security” was presented by Nuvolo Director of Product Marketing OT Security Tony Bailey and First Health Advisory Chief Executive Officer Carter Groome. The webinar was sponsored by

Nuvolo and eligible for 1 credit from the ACI. In this 60-minute webinar, Groome and Bailey shared the top five things that First Health Advisory and Nuvolo have learned so that individuals can implement an effective OT security program. If a security exploit impacts one’s operational technology (OT) – such as medical devices or health care facilities systems – you need to quickly dispatch the right person with the right remediation steps. Yet, approaches such as only using an OT discovery and monitoring tool lack the maturity needed for OT security. Groome and Bailey explained why detailed content such as maintenance history, device owner’s name and what the device is used for are critical. Then, they shared how this content can be integrated with security monitoring tools plus a system of action are the only effective way to respond and mitigate security events. The duo provided additional insights during an informative question-and-answer session following the presentation. One attendee asked, “When a device is connected to a network, how long does it take a monitoring tool to discover the new device and bring the information to you?” Groome said that once everything is set up the information should be available instantly. “You’re going to get that information instantaneously, that’s the intent,” he explained. “And that’s the power behind using these technologies to feed information to the people that need to actually go out there and touch these devices, have hands on these assets and reduce risk.” This specially focused topic drew interest from a select group of HTM professionals with almost 100 individuals registering for the live webinar. A recording of the webinar is available for on-de-

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mand viewing. Attendees shared feedback via a survey that included the question, “How will today’s webinar help you improve in your role?” “It helps me with securing OT and identifing the difference between IT and OT devices on the network and how to take care of medical devices monitoring,” said T. Botros, BMET. “It provided content which aligned to our current strategy and some new perspectives on certain topics,” Cybersecurity Manager L. Fowler said. “Better asset management and countermeasure cyber threats,” said T. Koh, BMET. HTM SERVICE EXPANSION The presentation “Request Management: New Opportunities for HTM Service Expansion” was sponsored by Accruent and eligible for 1 credit from the ACI. Presented by Al Gresch, vice president of healthcare strategy and Rick Joslin, senior advisor, healthcare strategy, the webinar discussed healthcare technology management and how it extends well beyond just the typical break/fix function. The expert presenters discussed why equipment availability is a key component of efficient delivery of patient care and how ensuring clinical staff has what they need when they need it optimizes productivity and patient satisfaction. Gresch and Joslin also shared how to increase the value an HTM department brings to its organization by supporting equipment availability over and above just repairing it. During a question-and-answer session, attendees asked about finding time to implement the process discussed and if the concept results in more strain on medical devices. Gresch answered the question, “I understand the logic and potential cost savings associated with higher equipment utilization, but would that not also reduce the lifespan of that equipment and increase the number of repairs?”

Gresch explained that the devices are designed for heavy use. “Equipment wasn’t designed to operate just 40 percent of the time,” he said. The presenters fielded more questions and shared insightful answers with attendees. The webinar was popular with about 100 live attendees. An on-demand recording of the webinar is also available for viewing. Attendees were asked to provide feedback via a survey that included the question, “How will today’s webinar help you improve in your role?” “It encourages me to be more forward thinking. We get overwhelmed with the daily tasks and sometimes forget other options would help,” Senior Technician E. Petrea, CBET, said. “The suggestions on how to improve the CE department’s value will help us stand out, so departments are able to recognize who we are/the work we do rather than blending in with the other support staff,” Senior Site Manager K. Lawrence said. “Gave insights on some improvements we were considering and made me more aware of some pitfalls,” Clinical Engineering Manager M. Woods said. MAMMOGRAPHY QA The webinar “Mammography QA Demystified” was sponsored by RTI Group and presented by RTI Training Manager for Product Management and Customer Success Erik Wikström. It was eligible for 1 credit from the ACI. In the webinar, Wikström discussed the development of mammography units and how they have gone through a dramatic evolution with ever-increasing demands on image quality and reduced dosage. Wikström fielded questions during the webinar. One question asked, “Apart from ACR, EUREF and IAEA are there any other quality standards in use in the world?” He answered yes but also said that unfortunately some places do not have quality standards.

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

Another question was, “How can you ensure that the specific calibration in your instrument includes proper energy correction?” He started his answer by stating that they tailor the calibrations to the target filter combinations that appear on the market. The complete answer is available in the recorded webinar available for on-demand viewing. The webinar drew 126 attendees for the live presentation. Attendees provided feedback via a survey that included the question, “Why did you attend today’s webinar? And, was it worth your time?” “I manage people that maintain mammography systems and used to work on them long ago. It was a good refresher and very informative,” HTM Imaging Manager L. McCluskey said. “I attended the webinar because I deal with a lot of mammo units. The information was very informative,” Area Manager L. Clifford said. “The topic of today was really interesting, and it was a good way to use the software with this application,” Engineer F. Mercado Zamora aid. For more information, including a list of upcoming webinars, visit WebinarWednesday.live. Thank you to our sponsors:

DECEMBER 2021

TECHNATION

THE BENCH

SHOP TALK POWERED BY

SIEMENS SONOLINE G50

BAXTER FLO-GARD 6201

PHILIPS IE33 ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

I need help to fix date and time problems on Siemens g50. Even if I set the date and time from preset (F4), if I power off the system and then restart it goes back to the old default date/time. Please help me out on how to rectify this problem. Replace the 3V battery on the motherboard, because it feeds the bios IC.

I have a Baxter Flo-Gard 6201 pump that is constantly showing check loading set error/alarm after loading, despite the set being loaded correctly and multiple attempts. Any suggestions or ideas? Change the FSR (both of them). Don’t forget to remove all the glue properly. TOSHIBA AQUILION 64

Reply: Thanks for your reply, the 3V battery on the host module is reading 3.4v, indicating OK. Any further advice is highly appreciated.

Maybe the battery doesn’t provide voltage under load, change it and try again.

There was a power failure and communication with the couch was lost. The error message reads, “The system has failed to obtain coach position information. Select Confirm to retry.” The couch with buttons on the computer tamograph works without problems. Before the power failure, the computer tamograph worked fine. Perhaps some controller is out of order, but which one?

Check the GTS board. It is on the right side of the gantry. You can teraterm into it to check for errors. You could also check under the plate that is in between the gantry and couch. There is a small power supply under it that I have had fail.

I am facing a monitor screen blinking error. When I turned on the complete system was booted up but the screen display was still black. When I press the monitor adjustment buttons back on the monitor, the notification panel shows while blinking the screen. I judge that when the backside of monitor light blinks the screen also blinks. I changed the DVI cable but the system status is still the same. Please guide me on how to solve this problem.

Depending on your cart revision. The video cards (GPU) fail often along with the LCD. You could try to plug an external monitor on the back of the unit to see if you get an image. If so, then the LCD is bad. I have had some luck pulling the video cards out, cleaning and swapping them in some cases. Some cart levels have the same card for the main LCD and the touchscreens. If you can swap the card and the touchscreen display is bad now then you know you have a bad video card.

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.

TECHNATION

DECEMBER 2021

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Clinical Dashboard

ROUNDTABLE

ROUNDTABLE TEST EQUIPMENT

good biomed never blames his tools, but a good biomed also needs to have the correct tools to be able to perform the many duties and functions of the job. TechNation recently quizzed several test equipment insiders to find out the latest about the “tools” available to healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals.

Participants in this roundtable article on test equipment are Pronk Technologies Vice President of Sales and Marketing Greg Alkire, Radcal President and CEO Curt Harkless, RTI Group Vice President of Sales North America Steve Holmes, Datrend Systems Inc. Director of Business Development Owen Liu and BC Group International National Sales and Marketing Manager Tim Welby. Q: WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF TEST EQUIPMENT EVERY HTM PROFESSIONAL NEEDS AND WHY? ALKIRE: In our decades of experience serving the HTM community, we have found that virtually every medical device in a hospital requires electrical safety testing at some frequency. This can range from a couple of different safety checks up

TECHNATION

DECEMBER 2021

machine settings under study. As such, the basic measurements include dose, dose rate, kV and HVL. In this field, integrated sensors are now available that provide these metrics in a single exposure and for a range of diagnostic systems including radiography, mammography, fluoroscopy and dental. Other basic equipment might include ion chambers tailored for basic measurements such as CT or mammography.

to a dozen or more at a time, which is time-consuming. A small, portable electrical safety analyzer that not only easily conducts short tests, but also quickly automates longer sequences of tests that start with a simple press is a tool every HTM professional should have.

HOLMES: RTI recognized in the 1990s that X-ray quality assurance test tools also required software advancements that streamline performance and productivity. Since that time, RTI has released multiple iterations of its original software named Ortigo. In January 2021, we released our most advanced software solution to date, Ocean Next. HTM professionals recognize the need for improved traceability, compliance and workflow that Ocean Next delivers.

HARKLESS: In X-ray imaging, basic measurements are aimed at assessing the beam spectral characteristics for appropriateness to the applications and

LIU: Quite often, test equipment used by HTM professionals is based on the assets installed within their organization and what portion of those assets

Greg Alkire Pronk Technologies Vice President of Sales and Marketing

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ROUNDTABLE

the team needs to manage. Therefore, no matter what test equipment is being used, it is a tool to improve user efficiency and accuracy. I believe having test equipment with the ability to run user programmable auto-sequences is at the top of the list so that everyone on the team can consistently carry out the same set of automated tests day in and day out. The one test device that is most universally required by standards and manufacturers safety and performance test is the electrical safety tester, which can be well suited to provide this automation capability.

Tim Welby BC Group International National Sales and Marketing Manager WELBY: The safety analyzer this is a very versatile piece of equipment for testing electrical leakage and is used on a wide variety of medical devices throughout the hospital or medical facility. Q: HOW DOES NEW TECHNOLOGY CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE TEST EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY? ALKIRE: The technologies available to the HTM community have evolved tremendously over recent years. Twenty years ago, test equipment was mainly designed for laboratory-type test environments – large, expensive and overly complex. We at Pronk recognized

the industry was ready for change, and the path forward was test equipment designed exclusively for the HTM community. We have been laser-focused on designing products that are portable, durable, incredibly intuitive and that fit in the palm of your hand, while being affordable enough for every engineer in a shop to acquire. We continue to expand upon this philosophy by providing even more flexibility, features and multi-purpose functionality.

tablets being used at all levels of the health care system. Until virtual-reality glasses become de facto, tablets are probably the best way to go.

HARKLESS: In recent years, there are two significant trends in diagnostic imaging that are shaping the evolution of quality measurement on these systems. Simultaneously, systems are becoming more complex (i.e. combination modes for mammography) and certain subsystems are becoming increasingly stable and reliable (i.e. kV generation). These changes make some measurements more routine and others more important, Dose Area Product (DAP) for instance. As a result, HTM professionals should consider planning for expanded DAP requirements and choose instruments that support these measurements.

Q: WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN A TEST EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER?

HOLMES: RTI has been a leader in R&D for 40 years, introducing new solutions to improve accuracy and efficiencies within X-ray QA. In spite of COVID, RTI released a new scatter and leakage probe and will soon release Cloud for Ocean Next software. As a result, RTI’s solutions fully integrate with our software, meeting the increased demands for reporting and automation. LIU: Technology should always improve the user experience and make their job easier. When we started shipping our tablet-based test equipment back in 2013, there was a slow adoption of using tablets as a primary user interface. Over the past eight years, however, we have seen a dramatic increase in adoption and certainly more and more

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

WELBY: As technology continues to evolve, the ability to deliver more accurate results in a timely manner along with increasing use of Bluetooth, allows the HTM professional to be effective in increasing the delivery of patient care.

ALKIRE: There are important factors that should always be in the forefront when deciding on a test equipment manufacturer. Products should have durability, reliability, ease of use and a warranty that shows the manufacturer is serious about standing behind its designs. Above and beyond that, ensure the manufacturer doesn’t have a history of taking an “end of life” approach to force you to throw out 10-year-old devices and buy new designs that are more expensive. Ideally, the 10- or 15-year-old product you trust can be upgraded to integrate the latest technological advancements. HARKLESS: Since your test equipment represents a major investment that is critical to your business for many years to come, one should look for a partner who is proven, stable, reliable and established. Consider the life cycle of the relationship including service, repair and calibration that are critical to operating and maintaining test equipment over the long run. As diagnostic imaging continues to grow and evolve, the requirements of your test equipment may grow and will likely evolve as well. One should select test equipment from a line that is modular, interchangeable, and extensible to meet changing needs.

DECEMBER 2021

TECHNATION

ROUNDTABLE

manufacturer make those improvements without having the test equipment shipped out to a service center? Manufacturers who can offer remote upgrades will reduce overall downtime for their customers.

Steve Holmes RTI Group Vice President of Sales North America HOLMES: There’s something to be said for knowledge and experience and after 40 years of development and the delivery of complete QA solutions, RTI has built a trusted name and brand in the global market. RTI also takes pride in our post-sale support whether it’s training via the RTI Academy or our standard two-year warranty and calibration cycle and fast turnaround times from our New Jersey office. LIU: No two businesses are alike, understanding the user’s needs and being able to make changes quickly is very important in our ever-changing world. If you feel a new feature could improve your efficiency, could the

Owen Liu Datrend Systems Inc. Director of Business Development

TECHNATION

DECEMBER 2021

WELBY: The cost of ownership versus acquisition cost. The availability of upgrade pathways versus having to purchase new equipment. The ability to not overspend by purchasing features not necessary (one size does not fit all). Q: CAN YOU TELL READERS ABOUT ONE PRODUCT OR UPDATE YOUR COMPANY OFFERS HTM PROFESSIONALS? ALKIRE: We introduced our Mobilize wireless solution and it has been a very exciting product launch. Mobilize provides wireless communication capabilities to our safety analyzer, patient simulators SimCube and OxSim Flex, and our FlowTrax IV Pump Analyzer. Mobilize wirelessly connects Pronk products to a user’s smart device to provide complete and single-point control of several test devices, dramatically reducing overall test time. The platform on which we have designed this solution enables us to continually expand its features and capabilities. Since its introduction, we have added over 25 customer-driven ideas/features onto the platform. We continue to tailor the Mobilize solution to grow with the evolving needs of the HTM professionals to improve how service and PMs are performed including automating the documentation process all the way up to integration with a CMMS/database. HARKLESS: Radcal recently revamped its flagship product line to include a stand-alone instrument, the AccuGold Touch Series. Sporting the largest touchscreen in the industry, these systems support all Accu-Gold Series

sensors including a dual radiography/ mammography multi-sensor and the largest selection of ion chambers in the industry. Recent updates to the sensor family are two DAP solutions, the 10x60 DAP and the DAPCheck Plus. The 10x60 DAP is aimed at small beam systems such as CBCT while the DAPCheck Plus is aimed at satisfying the new JHACO fluoroscopy requirement. HOLMES: Ocean Next software is scalable, depending on your departmental requirements. Offering multiple license levels, Ocean Next Professional is the most advanced level, providing trend analysis and full traceability of your measurements. As a result, you can build a holistic solution for your X-ray QA, storing measurements in a searchable database, available for quick and intuitive retrieval, and structured based on your needs. Of course, free software updates can be downloaded from RTI’s website and support is a phone call or email away. LIU: In 2021, Datrend released the vPad-IV, our latest infusion pump analyzer. Based on the success of past product designs, we have made vPad-IV completely modular where it can be configured between 1 to 6 independent channels for testing. Whether it is because of budget or space limitations, the modular design allows users to change their configuration to meet their needs within minutes. Of course, being a vPad product it adds a 10-inch tablet to allow for intuitive and easy-to-use automation features. WELBY: As technology evolves, the implementation of Bluetooth is growing steadily. BC Group has been increasing the Bluetooth capabilities as we move forward with new products.

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ROUNDTABLE

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WELBY: Obviously there are several choices when choosing new equipment. Looking at the life cycle of equipment and the years of interactions; having confidence in the company, its reputation, new product development and user friendliness are important factors to consider.

/ HTM

Service

LIU: Medical equipment installed in hospitals is quite often different from each other, even when they are the same make and model as some units could have more optional modules installed. I believe we will continue to see more test equipment manufacturers offer customizable automation as a standard feature in the future so that tests carried out can match exactly the testing standard used as well as matching the functional modules installed in those assets.

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HOLMES: The tools you have today may not be adequate or designed with future upgrade paths in mind. The common link in RTI’s solutions continues to be the software. As we’ve learned throughout COVID, the increase of working remote or in isolated environments put a stamp on the need for automation, ease of use, access from anywhere (home laptop/PC for example) and a reliable service/support network.

Advancing the Biomedical/HTM Professional

D T ST PRSR stage . Po U.S PAID hing Publis MD

ALKIRE: We at Pronk continue to focus on solutions that will improve the ability for HTM engineers to have test equipment designed to make their jobs easier, including quick access to the proper test procedures integrated into a singular user interface (on a smart device) that can directly control all their test devices. Having the ability to document all their activities automatically as they work – a completely paperless method – will provide great dividends and help keep the focus on what is most important, namely, servicing and maintaining medical devices to provide the best outcomes for patients.

and calibration of your instrument throughout its lifetime can easily exceed the purchase price of the equipment. For this reason, joining a long-term service warranty program provides a means to establish predictable overall costs through the life of the instrument and avoid large upfront expenditures.

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DECEMBER 2021

TECHNATION

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We appreciate you. Thank you.

As this year draws to a close we wanted to take the occasion to recognize the wonderful and talented biomed technicians and staff we are so fortunate to work with on a daily basis. We've settled into our new company-owned offices, warehouse and service center and are at-the-ready for all your medical equipment needs. Enjoy this celebratory time. Wait until you see what the Doctor has in store for 2022.

COVERSTORY

Biomed Wish List

BETTER THINGS IN 2022 BY K. RICHARD DOUGLAS

TECHNATION

DECEMBER 2021

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COVERSTORY

t the end of 2020, most people agreed that they were more than happy to have the year in the rear-view-mirror. Certainly, 2021 would not be as bad. By October, more Americans had died from COVID-19 in 2021 than during all of 2020. As of October 6, 2021, the U.S. had seen more than 353,000 COVID-19 deaths compared to 352,000 for all of 2020.

The economy in 2021 remained hampered by supply chain issues and travel restrictions from the previous year and unemployment had not returned to the historically low 3.5 percent of March 2020. The October jobs numbers were dismal. By mid-October, gas prices were up $1.11 year over year. While the greatest hope for most people at the end of 2020 was that 2021 would be a better year, the jury is out. By most metrics, 2021 did not live up to hopes and expectations. Thankfully, even with the Delta variant causing a surge in 2021, the COVID-19 trend in recent months has been downward and there have been fewer hospitalizations and deaths. So, instead of bidding adieu to one bad year, it may be well worth throwing 2021 into the trash heap of bad years and move on. One thing that is much-needed in the coming holiday period and the transition to 2022 is optimism. Optimism that the United States population has finally turned a corner; that the combination of those who have acquired natural immunity from COVID-19, combined with those vaccinated, will give the nation’s people a true herd immunity. Optimism that the economy will start improving and that the inflated costs of many consumer staples will come back down in price. In that spirit, TechNation gathered end-of-year wish lists from

Perry Kirwan

many biomeds and managers at a time when many are looking to 2022 and the future. Some common trends emerged in the responses to requested wish list submissions. This is suggestive of a need for change in the field, standardizations and unshackling biomeds from restrictions. LEADERSHIP LISTS Management is very likely to have some different wish list items than technicians. One similarity though is that management’s wish list also benefits the biomeds in those departments. “Our wish list would include, first and foremost, the stabilization of COVID-19. I don’t think there will ever be an end but clearly if we can get it to a point where it can be managed like flu – then that’s a win,” says Perry Kirwan, vice president of technology management with Banner Health. Kirwan also has staffing items on his wish list.

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

“HTM is getting hit on all fronts – COVID burnout, COVID vaccine, the out-progression of people in our industry relative to new entries in, biomed schools shuttering and moving out of entire markets, and tight labor market in general,” he says. His wish list also includes fleet vehicles, test equipment and a new CMMS. Ilir Kullolli, director of clinical technology and biomedical engineering/ information services at Stanford Health’s Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Menlo Park, California has a wish list that also includes some practical requests. “Less pump recalls, more security for medical devices, medical device vendors who comprehend cybersecurity and allow biomed to scan their devices,” Kullolli says. His wish list also includes more training programs for biomeds all over the country and better-defined career paths for the biomed profession. Tony Cody, CHTM, Tech Management/ENTECH director at Banner Health in Colorado lists his wish list succinctly as a manager. “Right to repair, more BMET schools, increased training budget, more

“ Right to repair, more BMET schools, increased training budget, more recognition within our HDO, universal CMMS schemes and verbiage, nicer shop and clear paths for BMETs to imaging technicians.” - Tony Cody recognition within our HDO, universal CMMS schemes and verbiage, nicer shop and clear paths for BMETs to

DECEMBER 2021

TECHNATION

Biomed Wish List imaging technicians,” he says. “I would like to have better technical and operator manuals, OEM online training and training support capabilities. I have many more wishes, but these are some of the basic ones,” says Diego Gomez-Morales, deputy director of Policies and Analysis Directorate Army Medical Logistics Command (AMLC). MORE INSIGHTS Several former TechNation professional of the month feature subjects shared their wish list items, which most likely also make the short lists of their colleagues. Tools will always be on every biomed’s wish list for utilitarian reasons. Some tools just have a more clever or practical design and others work as multi-use so that fewer tools need to be lugged around. Former professional of the month Matt Neil agrees that you need the right tool for the job. Neil is a radiotherapy service engineer with BJC Healthcare. “I think this is always important. Being able to go get the tool you need when you need it is huge. Previously, I would often do this and eat the cost due to the rigors of trying to get it approved on an expense report, or the delays in getting a new tool approved and ordered. This isn’t saying to open it up to buying anything and everything, but providing all the tools needed to do our jobs is vital. My pet peeve is seeing guys using a pair of channel locks to remove a bolt because they don’t have the right wrench,” Neil says. A few different tools made past professional of the month Maggie Berkey’s short wish list. Berkey, CBET, is a senior BMET in the clinical engineering department for CommonSpirit Health’s Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, Nebraska and a

TECHNATION

DECEMBER 2021

Matt Neil

“ I think this is always important. Being able to go get the tool you need when you need it is huge” - Matt Neil member of AAMI’s Technology Management Council. “Easy Out – I can’t tell you how many times I could have saved a lot of time and headaches if I would have had this day-saving tool. The Grabit Pro is the one I would ask for,” Berkey says. She says that a multi-function pocket tool, like a Leatherman or a highly recommended tool that doubles as a belt buckle (the SOG Multitool Belt Buckle) for quick fixes when you’re on the go would also be on her short list. “An electric screwdriver; I am asking Santa for the Bosch IXO 6,” Berkey says. Many biomeds would just like to have more access in terms of right to repair or more dedicated space to do

their jobs. These are common needs that benefit the biomed’s customers in the end. “A hospital I’ve worked at had some dedicated HTM shop/office space, but it was designed when the hospital was much smaller. Most of the techs work in areas that other departments have moved out of and have not yet been filled back in. They are constantly shuffling around different spaces within the hospital. It seems that precedence, often understandably, goes towards the hospital’s other more pressing needs. But having a permanent dedicated HTM space for all the engineers is needed,” Neil says. Neil also has some wish list items for the entire HTM profession with the hope that some things will change within the field in the future. One of those is training. “This isn’t an issue where I’m at now, but I know too often most of the training we get on equipment is on-the-job training, and often by just trial and error. Getting the resources to send engineers to schools, even remotely, to get equipment-specific training would advance our ability to keep equipment running properly,” he says. Neil’s wish list also focuses on internships and the realities of having to replenish a shrinking workforce when other career paths are getting more attention. “HTM as a whole has an aging workforce. I’d like to see more hospitals create internship positions, partnering with local colleges and trade schools to introduce young students into the world of HTM. Most young people I’ve dealt with over the years with interest in working with technology are going into IT. Let’s introduce them to this side of the operation as well,” Neil says. Salaries that attract top talent was another of Neil’s wish list items for the

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COVERSTORY

future. “When I was a manager of a clinical engineering hospital, I found lots of fantastic applicants for positions I had open. They would have really helped our team, but I was unable to hire them due to the wage scales. If we want to compete with IT, vendors and other industries, then the HR departments need to adapt to allow us to raise salaries and attract top talent. These investments will pay off by being able to do more and better repairs in house,” Neil says. Dennis Duck, CBET, certified senior biomedical equipment technician with the healthcare technology management department at Baylor Scott and White Healthcare in Grapevine, Texas was a professional of the month in 2011. Duck put the wish list question out to his team. He says that “the biggest response was additional technical (vendor) training. Especially during COVID-19, we have seen higher usage of critical care equipment and with that, more frequent repair requests and longer turnaround time for offsite vendor PMs of this equipment.” BIOMEDS SHARE WISH LIST ITEMS Biomeds in Oregon provided their wish lists to the Oregon Biomedical Association. The comments of these biomeds from the Pacific Northwest reflect the wishes of biomeds everywhere. One of those wishes was “more training opportunities at our facility or online; detailed and specific to repairs and PMs for OEM,AMD, AEM procedures.” One biomed reflected on a wish of many for the mitigation steps to not have to be a concern anymore; “no more masks.” Another Oregon biomed voiced a wish that other biomeds can understand. “Competitive salaries should be

Maggie Berkey

re-evaluated across industry averages every two years; not when it becomes a problem for the employer because you have too much turnover. Just because people stay does not mean they feel appreciated or paid what they are worth. Pay to surpass inflation, not just keep up with it or fall behind it. Two percent or less each year will not let you succeed and feel successful in our field. Salaries are not everything although top tier benefits help, but if you don’t have top tier benefits, higher pay is a must to compensate. More than two weeks PTO each year. Minimum four weeks for work life balance,” the biomed shared. Another Pacific Northwest biomed lamented, “Comradery and relationship building with after work event-gatherings, brew pubs, go-cart racing, Top Golf, disc golf, mini golf, etcetera. We need the comradery back; not just daily grind with overworked professionals.” “A shared library of service manuals would be a great addition to help make repairs much easier,” was on another biomed’s wish list. Education and funding were on the mind of another biomed who had career enhancement goals on the wish list. “Higher employer education tuition

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

reimbursement amounts. We have $2,000 per year but with most of us having two-year AA degrees, going back for your bachelor’s can cost $25,000 plus the interest on that loan cost, and the ROI pay you would need to advance to, could take you 10 years to pay back. How about $10,000 per year tuition reimbursement for BS degrees and dollars for masters.” Although the right-to-repair laws are improving in several parts of the country, the movement still has a way to go and it is a sore point with many biomeds. It is no surprise that it makes many wish lists. “Right to repair; march/strike. Stop the insanity and over-cost to our medical system for ridiculous prices on repair/replacement parts and the restricted information to repair manuals and schematic blocking from the manufacturers,” said one Oregon biomed. That sentiment was reflected on another biomed’s wish list. “Manufacturers need to supply for free the detailed PM procedures they use in their own repair facilities for all devices. No more ridiculous $14,000 PM for a cryo unit they won’t give you info on,” the wish list read. Another biomed suggested the adoption of a trend that may get more attention nationwide in 2022. “Four-day work week. Preferably four eight-hour shifts (32-hour) paid 40 hours. Four 10-hour days. Some shops are very inflexible with working hours. (work/life balance).” And finally, another biomed’s wish was to return to normal; “in person meetings without restrictions.” Here’s hoping for a better 2022 and the fulfillment of the wishes of HTM professionals everywhere.

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EXPERT ADVICE

CAREER CENTER

Struggling to Choose a Career Path? BY KATHLEEN FURORE

recently was chatting with a young woman in her early 20s who is slowly working her way through college. “I’m not great at school and am trying to find my ‘sweet spot’ when it comes to a career,” she told me. That made me wonder how she – and other young people struggling to decide on a career direction – can find that “sweet spot” that will enable them to build a career based on more than just the salary they expect to make.

Who better to turn to than Katelyn Richards of Crafted Careers? A self-described “serial career pivoter and long-time recruiter turned career coach and strategist” who co-founded a coaching program/online course called The Sweet Spot, Richards helps job seekers identify their ideal career trajectory. “There is actually a Japanese term for your career sweet spot – it’s called your Ikigai or reason for being,” Richards say. Ikigai, she explains, is the intersection of four specific things; asking yourself questions that fall under each of those four categories is one way to find it. 1. WHAT YOU ARE MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT? What did you enjoy doing as a child or in your early adult years? What do you do now in your spare time that makes you happy?

Kathleen Furore

2. WHAT YOU ARE REALLY GOOD AT? Do you know your strengths and skills? What are they? What do people ask you to help them with? 3. WHAT DOES THE WORLD NEED MOST? What and who inspires you? What makes you annoyed or frustrated that you want to change? 4. WHAT YOU CAN BE PAID TO DO? What service or product could you sell (what would people pay you for)? What research can you do to find out about jobs you don’t even know exist in your area of interest?

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Ken Coleman, nationally syndicated radio host of The Ken Coleman Show and author of “From Paycheck To Purpose: The Clear Path to Doing Work You Love,” explains it this way: “The sweet spot is simply this: the intersection of what you do best (your talent) and what you love to do most (your passion),” he says. Like Richards, Coleman suggests asking several questions to help uncover where that sweet spot lies. He asks, “What comes easy to you? What have people complimented you on? Where have you created effective results?” Those three questions, he says, will help clarify a path forward. “Clarity is your superpower. You’ve got to think about who you are, what contribution you want to make, and why you want to make that impact,” says Coleman, who notes that The Career Clarity Guide is one resource that can help people find the sweet spot they’re seeking. “This clarity will help you identify your dream job – it will give you confidence and courage to step out on the path.” Kathleen Furore is a Chicago-based writer and editor who has covered personal finance and other business-related topics for a variety of trade and consumer publications. You can email her your career questions at kfurore@ yahoo.com.

DECEMBER 2021

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