TechNation Magazine September 2022 by MD Publishing

Vol. 13 1technation.com ADVANCING THE BIOMEDICAL / HTM PROFESSIONAL 12 Professional of the Month Sonali Kamalasanan, CBET 18 Department of the Month The University of Cincinnati Medical Center Clinical Engineering Department 36 Roundtable Equipment Acquisition and Disposition 50 Cybersecurity Medical Device Vulnerabilities and Failing Foward SEPTEMBER 2022 WHO’S YOUR PAGEAMENTOR?FOUNDATIONOFTRAINING42

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TechNation (Vol. 13, Issue #9) September 2022 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. ©2022 FEATURED CONTENTS 42 WHO’S YOUR MENTOR? A FOUNDATION OF TRAINING The process of sharing knowledge, skills and techniques provides a system of onthe-job learning that supplements formal classroom or book knowledge. In this article, TechNation explores how a mentor can help train someone newer to a HTM. Next month’s Feature article: Parts Availability 36 THE ROUNDTABLE: EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITION TechNation magazine recently recruited feedback from healthcare technology management (HTM) leaders regarding equipment acquisition and disposition. Next month’s Feature article: Internships, Apprenticeships and Mentorship SEPTEMBER 2022 TECHNATION 9EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

CONTENTS INSIDE Departments MD Publishing / TechNation Magazine 1015 Tyrone Rd., Ste. 120, Tyrone, GA 30290 800.906.3373 • Fax: 770.632.9090 Email: www.mdpublishing.cominfo@mdpublishing.com Proud supporters of P.12 SPOTLIGHT p.12 Professional of the Month: Sonali Kamalasanan, CBET p.14 Shifting Gears: Crafting the Perfect Brew p.18 Department of the Month: The University of Cincinnati Medical Center Clinical Engineering Department P.21 INDUSTRY UPDATES p.21 News & Notes p.24 Ribbon Cutting: PM BioMedical p.26 AAMI Update p.28 ECRI Update P.31 THE BENCH p.31 Biomed 101 p.33 Tools of the Trade p.34 Webinar Wednesday P.49 EXPERT ADVICE p.49 Career Center p.50 Cybersecurity p.52 20/20 Imaging Insights: sponsored by Innovatus Imaging p.55 The Future p.56 Sponsored Content: Capital i p.59 The Other Side P.62 BREAKROOM p.62 Did You Know? p.65 The Vault p.68 Where in the World is Ben C.? p.72 HTM Jobs p.82 HTM Strong p.78 Service Index p.81 Alphabetical Index Like us on twitter.com/TechNationMagFollowwww.facebook.com/TechNationMagFacebook,usonTwitter, 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, Service Zone Vice President Midwest Imaging - Siemens Healthineers Jennifer DeFrancesco, DHA, MS, CHTM, System Director, Clinical Engineering, Crothall Healthcare Rob Bundick, Director HTM & Biomedical Engineering, ProHealth Care PUBLISHER John M. Krieg VICE PRESIDENT Kristin Leavoy ACCOUNT Jayme McKelvey EXECUTIVES Megan Strand ART DEPARTMENT Karlee Gower Taylor KamerynPowersJohnson EDITORIAL John Wallace CONTRIBUTORS Roger Bowles K. Richard Douglas Jim Fedele Joie StevenDavidConnorMannyMarhefkaRomanWalshWittJ.Yelton DIGITAL SERVICES Cindy KennedyGalindoKrieg EVENTS Kristin Leavoy WEBINARS Linda Hasluem HTMJOBS.COM Kristen Register Sydney Krieg ACCOUNTING Diane Costea 10 TECHNATION SEPTEMBER 2022 WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

Kamalasanan says that she realized that biomedical engineering came with a broad, multidisciplinary curriculum that allows students to develop a strong framework of skills and knowledge. She also realized that it required a heavy course load of mathematics and science classes, such as chemistry, medical physiology, biology and electrical engineering.

Passion for the Job PROF I n Atlanta, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) is an important health care provider and one of the largest pediatric clinical care providers in the country. In 2022, U.S. News and World Report named the hospital one of the nation’s best children’s hospitals; mark ing 19 years with that achievement. With such an important mission, to care for the Atlanta area’s youngest patients, the hospital depends on competent biomedical services.

PROFESSIONAL OF THE MONTH: SONALI KAMALASANAN, CBET

SPOTLIGHT 12 TECHNATION SEPTEMBER 2022 WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

“My dad has always been my hero and inspiration. He’s an engineer by profession and that’s what made me inspired towards engineering at first. But as a kid, I was also fascinated by the medical profession. Once I was a senior in high school, I had to choose a career path and be focused. I came across biomedical engineering and learned how specialized this field is; where both medicine and engineering intersected,” she says.

“It was quite challenging. I stood up to the challenge, and until this date, I have never looked back. I’m proud of the decision and the career path that I chose,” she says.

Sonali Kamalasanan, CBET, is manager of HTM for CHOA. Her career track started very young when she realized the profession she would choose.

Kamalasanan has a Bachelor of Biomedical Engineering degree with six months training in the research and development department at Siemens Medical. The training and experience have paid“Atoff.present, I hold the position of manager of HTM for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and I am also a biomedical engineering consultant

“Financeleadership.management and process implementations are the two core areas for the proper functioning of the HTM department and these are my strengths,” Kamalasanan says. U.N.

Kamalasanan says that the major challenges she has faced are similar to what other managers who priori tize involvement in all facets of their team and customers have faced.

“I believe in myself and always have a positive attitude and try to get the job done in an accurate and timely manner. I am very passionate about whatever I do and consistently seek ways to improve by setting goals and working towards them,” she says.

ACHIEVING THE BEST FOR HER EMPLOYER AND THE

for the United Nations. I have been in the HTM industry for more than 25 years and have worked at differ ent levels and different positions during this tenure. I have worked as a BMET, sales and service engineer, manager of biomed, director of biomed and biomed consultant,” Kamalasanan says. Her specialty areas lean toward the non-technical skills needed in HTM

GET TO KNOWSPOTLIGHTME! SEPTEMBER 2022 TECHNATION 13EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

Always up to the job of meeting challenges and finding the best solutions, this HTM manager contributes to the health and well-being of the youngest patients in Atlanta.

“I have a lot of hobbies like jewelry making, stitching, painting, and, last but not the least, I do have a green thumb and love gardening,” she says. “I was fortunate enough to marry my engineering sweetheart and have been happily married for the past 26 years. We have been blessed with two boys, and at present, both are in their under grad programs with the University of Georgia,” she adds.

A person of few words, Kamalasanan says that attitude and self-improvement are key attributes in her life.

FAVORITE BOOK: “The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins FAVORITE MOVIE: “Inception” FAVORITE FOOD: Mexican cuisine HIDDEN TALENT: Video Editing WHAT’S ON MY BENCH? My favorite pen, laptop, writing pad, multicolored sticky notes, and my coffee mug.

FAVORITE PART OF BEING A BIOMED? Each day throws up a new challenge for the HTM department; there are emergency and regular breakdowns that need to be taken care of in a timely manner, the scheduled planned maintenance for all equipment needs to be on track and all of these must be managed with the available resources. Working through these challenges and getting the problems solved gives me immense pleasure and satisfaction by the end of the day.

“During my tenure, I have faced several challenges from setting up a biomedical department; getting the PMs under control; setting up policies and procedures; working with union workers to creating, tracking and staying on budget. I have handled various projects for OR, radiology, cardiology, ophthal mology, labs, etcetera and have been a part of the evaluation team for the purchase of capital medical equip ment in hospitals as well as the U.N.,” she Kamalasanansays. says that as a consultant with the U.N., it is always a challenge trying to draft the technical specifications and evaluate the tenders for various worldwide projects.“During this evaluation process, it is very important to consider various factors like the country’s adaptability to sustain the equipment in their present local working environment, having availability of local vendors for after sales support and working within the guidelines of international safety and regulatory standards,” she says. When not working, Kamalasanan stays busy with her many pastimes.

“All you must do is add the liquid extract to water and boil. Partial mash is the in-between process of extract and all grain brewing. You use extract, but also some grain, that gets mashed (infused into the water to extract starches that get converted into sugar). Finally, all the grain is mashed in the water to extract the starches to be converted into sugar,” Huss says. One example, within the process, that Huss says has evolved with home brewing experience, is the mashing process.“Istart out at 120 degrees when I put the grain in and wait for a few minutes to get a dissolved oxygen reading and PH. My meters for checking these stay accurate up to 120 degrees. Also, if this was to be a wheat beer, this temperature would serve as the protein rest as wheat has more pro teins in it. Putting grain into the water adds some oxygen from the grain, therefore the baker’s yeast in there will

14 TECHNATION SEPTEMBER 2022 WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

PerfectCraftingGEARSSHIFTINGtheBrew

Chad Huss, a hospital service technician 3 with Agiliti who works in Wisconsin, just needed to accumulate the required supplies to turn an interest in home brewing into a pastime.“Ihave had an interest in trying home brewing for years but wouldn’t make the choice to go out and get started due to the cost of starter kits and the uncertainty of how it would turn out. But later on, when I brought it up to my fiancée, her ex-husband had a starter kit that he didn’t use anymore. Therefore, I was able to get the basic equipment to get started for free. From there, I looked up some local home brew supply shops and purchased a recipe kit, bottles and bottle caps. After brewing my first batch I have been hooked ever since,” HussHesays.says that there is actually very little required to get started in the hobby. A new home brewer can get a starter kit that can range from about $50 to $380. Obviously, the more expensive kits come with more equipment and are a little more advanced.“Butall you really need to get started is a recipe kit ($25-$50), five-gallon stainless steel kettle ($45), a spoon for stirring, fermenting bucket ($18), air lock ($3.50), hydrometer, thermometer, siphon/bottle filler ($26), bottles ($22), caps ($6) and bottle capper ($21). I have saved money by looking for used equipment to buy or wait for a sale by one of the major suppliers. In total around $176,” Huss says.

homas Jefferson once said; “Beer, if drank with moderation, soft ens the temper, cheers the spirit and promotes health.” What a ringing endorsement from the Father of the Declaration of Independence.

He says that the steps include obtaining liquid extract from a commercial supplier, which creates “wort,” the sweet infusion of ground malt or other grain before fermenta tion. The water is then dehydrated out of it, creating a syrup.

The social drink has been a favorite of Americans since the country’s found ing. Served at sporting events, brewer ies, outdoor festivals and backyard gatherings, it has found a comfortable place in the national psyche. Independent breweries have sprung up all over the U.S. with microbrewer ies and craft beers satisfying the diverse tastes of enthusiasts. An offshoot of this love of beer is home brewing growth; as much of a craft as the methods practiced by the commercial breweries.

BY: K. RICHARD DOUGLAS

TSPOTLIGHT

Improving one’s skills comes with experience as a home brewer and Huss has seen the evolution.

“Home brew competitions are where home brewers can enter their beers to be judged. There are competi tions that are hosted by breweries or home brew clubs. Then there are AHA (American Home Brewers Association) and BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) competitions. These are competitions that are judged by judges that have been certified to give you a more professional input about your beer,” Huss says. He says home brewers can win money and other prizes at larger competitions.“Thereisgenerally a winner for each beer category and then a best of show, which is the best beer at the competition,” Huss adds.

The hobby isn’t restricted to having a few family members, friends, or even club members taste-test the finished product. There are actually competi tions within the home brew universe.

“My skills and knowledge have been evolving ever since I started. I would say the biggest changes a home brewer faces are going from extract, to partial mash, to all grain brew ing,” he Homesays.brewing clubs serve an important education component much like biomed associations.

GATHERING WITH FELLOW BREWERS AND COMPETITIONS

There are several more steps before the mixture is boiled and hops are added. A longer boiling time can result in a darker beer. After the previous steps, there is still fermentation. Huss’s process includes many other steps that all impact the final product. He has added some more sophisticated equipment to make the process more high-tech and still has a few items on his wish list.

“Some clubs host home brew competitions and have a professional looking website, and have positions within the club like president, treasur er, etcetera. Our club is very laid back. It’s just about getting together to try each other’s beers and provide input. Mostly talking about beer and tech niques and life in general,” Huss says.

“There are also Facebook groups you can join to learn more and go to a home brew competition. There are usually samples given out to attend ees. If anyone wants to reach out to me on LinkedIn, I would be willing to talk to them and answer ques tions,” Huss says. When not mixing up the perfect brew, Huss stays busy as an HTM professional.“Ihaveworked for Agiliti for 12 years and I am currently a hospital service technician 3. I work at one of our on-site programs where I mostly work on Alaris infusion pumps and a variety of hospital beds. In addition, I help manage our inventory levels, training staff, as well as, cleaning and distribution of equipment,” he says.

Attention to detail is in everything this biomed does. Chad Huss enjoys being a home brewer and visiting craft breweries.

How can readers become involved in this“Theypastime?canget a starter kit and recipe kit from a local home brew supply shop or online supplier. Some of the biggest suppliers are Northern Brewer and More Beer. I also like to shop on Amazon, and there are two local homebrew shops that sell online, such as Wind River Brew in Barron, Wisconsin, and RiteBrew in Little Chute, Wisconsin,” Huss says. He says that if you’re not sure, you can find information by searching online, or contacting a local home brew club and attend a meeting.

SEPTEMBER 2022 TECHNATION 15EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

SPOTLIGHT eat the oxygen. Then I turn it up to 144 degrees for 30 minutes, which is the beta-amylase starch conversion. Then to 155 degrees for one hour, which is the alpha-amylase start conversion. Then to 162 degrees for 30 minutes, this will increase the body of beer,” Huss says.

Huss already has one certification for serious home brewers and is working on others. On the job, or practicing a pastime, Huss is deter mined to do things to perfection.

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TAKING COMMUNICATIONS UP A NOTCH

The team’s “tiered huddles” approach caught the attention of AAMI in a News & Media article published in June of this year. The story examined previous communication procedures between medical equipment users and the biomed Crothall’sdepartment.ISO13485:2016 certified quality management system and customer satisfaction survey process positioned the team well to discover minor communication issues that left unchecked could have become a larger problem. The biomed team decided that it needed to first address communica tions between team members and instituted a tiered huddle system of meetings each day. “Tiered huddles help significantly,

18 TECHNATION SEPTEMBER 2022 WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

And, although we don’t handle every thing throughout the hospital, we are more than capable of providing service to the majority of the equipment as outside service contracts expire,” Tarik Zecevic, unit director of Clinical Engineering with Crothall Healthcare Technology Solutions, says.

BY: K. RICHARD DOUGLAS

eflected in the Ohio River are the many tall buildings that make up Cincinnati. The city sits in the southernmost part of Ohio across the river from Kentucky. The city is known for its zoo, botanical gardens and the Cincinnati Museum. The city dates back to its incorporation in 1819. The city’s name has roots all the way back to the Roman Empire. The first governor of the Northwest Territory, General Arthur St. Clair, was a member of the Society of Cincinnati, named after the Roman statesman Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus. He didn’t like the former name of the settlement called Losantiville, and he renamed it after the society he belonged to; Losantiville became exceeding 302,000, the city depends on good health care. One of the health care sources in the city goes back to nearly the time that Cincinnati wasTheincorporated.University of Cincinnati Medical Center was established in 1823 and became the country’s first teaching hospital. It currently serves patients in the city and from across the region. Managing medical equipment at the 726-bed flagship campus and two other facilities within the system is the clinical engineering department. The depart ment is run by Crothall Healthcare. The department consists of a full complement of dedicated on-site biomedical equipment technicians (BMET I-III), imaging engineers (ISE I-III) and a team of clinical engineering/ information technology (CE/IT) technicians. Theteam provides healthcare technology management services to 235-bed West Chester Hospital and the 241-bed Daniel Drake Center for Post-Acute Care. It also services medical equipment for other buildings on the main“Wecampus.area one-stop shop for healthcare technology management.

DEPARTMENT OF THE MONTH:

The University of Cincinnati Medical Center Clinical Engineering Department

WithCincinnati.apopulation

RSPOTLIGHT

At 9:30 a.m., on Tuesday, Wednes day and Friday, there are huddles between the techs and management. These huddles cover planning, updates and percentages of KPIs.

SPOTLIGHT and the process is exactly how they sound.

“We are an academic facility and we get a lot of students. Things don’t always go as planned and our industry in general is very reactive no matter how much we would like to be proactive,” ZecevicZecevicsays. says that at 8:30 a.m., following the first two huddles, they are ready for the hospital’s huddle.

Because the strategy was initiated just before the start of the pandemic, it proved to be beneficial in keeping everything running more smoothly during that period. The huddles will also prove benefi cial to the rigors inherent with the addition of a new/expanded emergency department.“Withthe addition of over 1,000 pieces of equipment (mainly Philips), and update of other departments that hold outdated Philips software/ hardware, our focus has been on that project. Scheduling, staging and applying adequate resources will be a challenge,” Zecevic says. With this project and others, the team also has input into equipment procurement.“Wedohave other departments that we are engaged with on capital purchas es. Crothall’s database provides the analytics and guidance to support capital purchase decisions based on numerous factors. UC Health just started a new fiscal year and the data shared on capital equipment purchases came from the database,” Zecevic says.

“This is a common practice between the business managers and department managers before they request any additional capital equipment,” he says.

He says that the team has helped numerous departments along the same lines to justify their needs.

“Should there be any escalations, we are aware of anything that might have happened from the previous day or night. It’s important to share the information as much as possible should a question pop up from the hospital,” he says.

“We helped put the data together in front of the capital committee that clearly stated why it was necessary to replace the current equipment. The com bination of factors within the database has a weighted average of 100. These indicators help us put those numbers in front of UC Health leadership, coupled with the clinical justification to help them secure a more favorable outcome during the committee meeting,” Zecevic says.

To continue the strategy, Zecevic says that at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays, there’s a meeting between system-wide directors that’s driven by the resident regional“Theremanager.wediscuss KPIs, wins, recog nitions, suggestions, projects and anything that can be shared system wide. For example, if there are any incoming inspections or projects that will affect the whole system and/or changes throughout the system,” he says.

He says that factors considered when sharing the recommendations include the age of the equipment, AHA useful life, OEM support (manufactured), OEM service (parts provided), and serviceOnehistory.example where the biomed team was able to help justify an equipment purchase was for the NICU.

“Additionally, we have helped a local university implement their on-site visits with their students as they are develop ing a new clinical engineering program. They will be making our facility a scheduled visit throughout the semester while they do their rounds,” he says. Meeting challenges and finding solutions has kept this Crothall team successfully managing the medical equipment inventory at a historic medical center. It’s all in the huddle.

The University of Cincinnati Medical Center Clinical Engineering Department maintains a variety of medical devices to ensure quality health care for patients from throughout the region.

The CE team currently has members who are CBETs and Zecevic says that AAMI is ever-present in discussions.

SEPTEMBER 2022 TECHNATION 19EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

At 7 a.m., a morning huddle starts with the tech on call with the assistant director. Shortly afterwards is the huddle with the directors sys tem-wide, as well as the project manag er and CE/IT. Between these two meetings, it sets the tone for the rest of the day on where our focus needs to be,” Zecevic says. He says that the focus can be on whether to prioritize preventative maintenance or corrective maintenance, or something totally unexpected.

Clinical Equipment Capital Planning Can Be Simple Learn more and schedule a demo at Nuvolo.com Connect Your Data and Ditch the Spreadsheets Nuvolo Capital Planning–part of Nuvolo Connected Workplace for Healthcare solution–enables healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals to easily and accurately prioritize and forecast your clinical equipment replacement needs. What used to take weeks of analysis using multiple datasources and spreadsheets can now be done instantly and presented professionally.

NORTHEASTERN TECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM SET FOR OCTOBER

service seminars,

INDUSTRY UPDATES NEWS & NOTES Updates from the HTM Industry

booths, and social events. Program track highlights include: • Clinical Engineering (CE) and Information Technology (IT) • HTM Program Management • Risk Management & Compliance • Clinical Engineering and Clinical Stakeholder Hot Topics • EHRM • Point-of-Care Ultrasound • Telehealth

AMERICAN MEDICAL IMAGING TAPS NEW PRESIDENT, CEO Upon the announcement of Steve Cannon’s retirement as president and CEO of American Medical Imaging (AMI), the company engaged in a search for the right successor.

“It’s truly an honor to return to an industry with significant growth opportunity, while also creating long-term value for customers in need,” said Jim Spearman. “Industry consolida tion has left the door wide-open for AMI’s vast new and used imaging equipment, PACS, field service, and accessories offerings, along with value-added imaging solutions of all kinds, including equipment relocations and upgrades.”

SEPTEMBER 2022 TECHNATION 21EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

The New England Society of Clinical Engineering (NESCE) will sponsor the Northeastern Healthcare Technology Symposium at the Mystic Marriott at 625 North Road in Groton, Connecticut, on October 18-19.

The program will include technical and management classes, discussions, an exhibit hall with space for more than 45 vendor

“It is with great pleasure that we announce that Jim Spearman has joined AMI as president and CEO,” a news release

“Jimstates.isaseasoned leader in diagnostic imaging, with decades of experience in operations, leadership, quality, corporate governance, M&A and commercial growth. His career in imaging began after a decade in the industrial chemicals and coatings industries when he started at GE Healthcare in 2001. In 2012 he joined private equity backed Unisyn Medical Technolo gies prior to an asset sale of its ultrasound probe division to GE Healthcare in 2013. He then rebranded and relocated Unisyn’s service division from Denver to Chicago under the new name Consensys Imaging Service. Jim served as Consensys’ president and CEO until its acquisition by Merry X-Ray in 2017. After several years in the biopharma space, we are pleased to welcome him back to diagnostic imaging,” the release adds.

• Investing in Yourself and Your Team

If you have any dietary restrictions or concerns, please contact Registration Co-Chairs Sam Moriarty and Erin Koser.

“We are excited to have Jim lead AMI into its next phase of growth after having acquired seven businesses between 2020 and 2021 to form AMI,” said Joe Randolph – president and CEO of The Innovation Institute LLC, the parent company of AMI. “With core competence in integrations post-close, we look forward to Jim’s leadership in not only smoothing-out all current internal initiatives but also in accelerating a host of other improvements and growth initiatives.”

As an early bird special, the first 30 people to register for a two-day symposium pass will receive free entry to the special event. After those 30 tickets have been claimed, the tickets will be $25 to attend.

roundtable

This year, NESCE’s Symposium Planning Committee invites attendees to a special event hosted by Best Trivia Ever on Tuesday, October 18, at 6 p.m. Enjoy a sit-down Italian dinner buffet under the event tent at the Mystic Marriott followed by an engaging show hosted by energetic personalities, filled with questions about topics people want to talk about. Team up with those at your table to compete for the three team-based grand prizes.

The Mystic Marriott has reserved a block of hotel rooms and will offer a special group rate. The last day to book is September 26, 2022.

Check out what’s NEW in our BD Line 22 TECHNATION SEPTEMBER 2022 WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM INDUSTRY UPDATES

The ISO 13485:2016 specifies requirements for a quality management system where an organization needs to demon strate its ability to provide medical devices and related services that consistently meet customer and applicable regulatory requirements, which aligns with MMS’s role in maintaining diagnostic and therapeutic medical equipment and devices at clinical system partners.

MULTIMEDICAL SYSTEMS EARNS ISO CERTIFICATION

The independent International Organization for Standard ization, based in Geneva, Switzerland and founded in 1947, develops standards across traditional industries – including manufacturing – as well as for best practices and services that align with those standards.

“This certification further strengthens our commitment to our customers and our company quality policy” said Daren Kneeland, CEO of MMS. “As an organization, we strive to understand, meet, and exceed our customers’ needs and expectations by providing medical device service of the highest possible standards, quality, safety and reliability. We are committed to the continual improvement of our services and processes, and this will be the ongoing responsibility of all MMS team members.”

The MultiMedical Systems LLC (MMS) quality management system has earned ISO 13485:2016 certification from Orion. The three-year certification verifies that MMS, which provides medical device sales, service and repair, developed and implemented a quality management system that conforms to the international requirements for medical devices.

“MMS already had proven service delivery processes in place, and certification confirms our efforts on formalizing our best practices into procedures that are aligned with the ISO 13485:2016,” said Raymond Reid, quality director for MMS. “This effort resulted in elevating what was already high-quality work to the next level across the MMS organization.”

MMS’s certification comes after rigorous process reviews by ISO auditors, who observed that the fundamental daily processes met the MMS quality management system which complies with the requirements of the ISO 13485:2016 standard.

“The TSI Certifier Plus Flow Analyzer enables biomedical professionals, device manufacturers and service organizations to test respiratory medical equipment quickly and easily to verify proper equipment operation and ensure patient safety,” according to a press release.

TSI Incorporated has announced the global release of the new Certifier Plus Interface Display Module 4089 for use with the Certifier Plus Flow Analyzer Test System.

INDUSTRY UPDATES Operate Efficiently, Perform Real Time, Simplify Compliance

The new Certifier Plus Interface Display Module 4089 replaces the previous Certifier Interface Module 4088 and works with existing Certifier Flow Modules 4081 and 4082. Current TSI Certifier Flow Analyzer users will recognize the familiar display interface with its intuitive touchscreen operation and easy data viewing. sales@truasset.com214-276-1280www.truasset.com

The new Certifier Plus test system is easier to setup and operate due to its unique auto-trig gering feature which automatically detects the inspirato ry and expiratory phases of the breath. User configura tions can be created to save test setups and recall at a later time, and configurations can be exported and transferred between Certifier Plus instruments. The new snapshot feature saves screen captures of the Certifier Plus instrument which can quickly be exported via USB and attached to test reports.”

“With this new interface display module, the Certifier Plus Test System maintains its portability, reliability and ease-of-use while adding upgraded features that make conducting biomedical equipment testing faster and easier, such as a large touchscreen display, more powerful Li-ion battery and multiple mounting options.

TSI LAUNCHES NEXT GENERATION CERTIFIER PLUS FLOW ANALYZER

Users can optimize their test setups and efficiently use their space with the new RAM Mount mounting options for the Certifier Plus test system. With the RAM Mount, the Certifier Plus test system can be securely attached to your device under test (DUT) to save space and more easily compare test readings. The new Certifier Plus test system can quickly and easily be mounted to ventilator rails, mobile carts, IV poles, a benchtop, and more.

• Automatic Reporting • Security, RTLS, Test Equipment Program Integrations • Reporting on Recalls, Operator Error, and More • AI Data Clean-Up Tools • Automatic Notification Set-Up Let’s discuss if TruAsset can save you time without sacrificing simplicity or features! Let Your CMMS Work For You: Call us to learn more about our newest features! SEPTEMBER 2022 TECHNATION 23EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

INDUSTRY UPDATES

Q: HOW DOES YOUR COMPANY STAND OUT IN THE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT FIELD?

The module our biomedical engineer repairs today could be the one a loved one is using tomorrow, which is important to think about when choosing a vendor to trust with your equipment repairs.

A: We strive on taking care of the equipment that takes care of us. Quality is our number one priority!

A: We specialize in repairing, renting and selling patient monitoring equipment and buying hospital surplus – like a one-stop shop! We are especially excited to be offering our repair services, with it being no secret how the pandemic has affected hospitals over the past couple of years. Whether it be supply chain issues or turn times with their vendors, we are happy to be able to assist these hospitals and companies to perform at their highest standards of quality for medical equipment.

P M BioMedical partners with top industry leaders and hospitals across the nation to provide the highest quality medical equipment for hospitals, clinics and companies.

Q: IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE OUR READERS TO KNOW?

A: A huge goal of ours is to be able to fully integrate with the biomed shops that need our services. We want it to be easy for them to use us and always be well informed with what is going on with their equipment.

Located in Southern California, PM BioMedical is a depot to assist in all industry needs and strives to provide a common ground for end users of biomedical equipment. It is a source to purchase hospital equipment surplus. PM Bio M edical offers medical equipment for sale and rent, as well as service repair, maintenance and asset management solutions.

PM BioMedical

Ali Marwan Youssef COO of PM BioMedical

TechNation recently interviewed CEO Pranil Singh and COO Ali Marwan Youssef to find out more about the company.

CUTTING

RIBBON

24 TECHNATION SEPTEMBER 2022 WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

Q: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SERVICES AND PRODUCTS YOU OFFER?

Q: WHAT IS ON THE HORIZON FOR YOUR COMPANY?

A: We just want to thank the industry for having us and being so welcoming. Although we have been in the industry for 25-plus years, branching out on your own isn’t always easy. It is with the support we have had along the way that has made it possible for us to be the company we are!

For more information, visit pmbiomedical.com.

Pranil Singh CEO of PM BioMedical

27751 LA PAZ RD. STE A LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA • 92677 (844) 433-SAKO • INFO@SAKOMED.COM www.sakomed.com REFURBISHED MEDICAL EQUIPMENT SALES AND SERVICES SakoMed is here to help, offering 2-3 days turn around time on all repairs. Anesthesia Machines Respiratory Ventilators Electro Surgical Units Patient Monitors & Telemetries Defibrillators and AEDs Parts and Accessories Need evaluation?FREEFREEaloanerandVisit us at MDExpo | Booth #506

AAMIUPDATES

Research, Standards, More A AMI has launched a new online platform to bring together its many resources for the health technology, medical device and ster ilization communities. That platform, called AAMI ARRAY, functions as a “one-stop shop” for accessing AAMI’s journal content, industry news, and association updates, as well as the most up-to-date standards, guidance documents, and books. AAMI ARRAY launched on Monday, July 18.

According to Gavin Stern, editor in chief and director of publications for AAMI, the development of AAMI ARRAY was driven by the need to prepare AAMI’s development and delivery of publications for the future. With more than 10,000 members and tens of thousands of weekly readers, AAMI has sought a new way to efficiently deliver the resources that health technology professionals use to enrich their careers, their customers’ experience and their patients’ safety.

•

AAMI Introduces

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“With the launch of our own training program last year, this opportunity only seemed fitting,” said Amy Ward, director of customer support services at Elite. “We look forward to helping the next genera tion of AAMI’sBMETs.”BMET Apprenticeship Program, recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor as a registered apprenticeship program (RAP), combines traditional education with up to 6,000 hours of on-the-job learning. Prospective BMETs are hired by program partners in their area, who then provide them with training and paid work experience, as well as cover expenses for the requisite educational courses. Based out of Cincinnati, Ohio, with three depot repair facilities in the Midwest, Elite supports hospital biomed departments with new replacement parts, re-certified parts and repairs that keep clinical equip ment performing at optimal levels. Through their Elite Training Program, Elite offers targeted device coursework, continued tech support, and the kind of hands-on experience that is crucial for building confidence and a career in the HTM field. Now,

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“Medical device manufacturers, health tech professionals and steriliza tion professionals look to AAMI as an authoritative source of practical information, support and guidance. But, until now, accessing those resources hasn’t always been intui tive,” Stern said. “We built AAMI ARRAY to deliver the resources these folks need to advance the safety of health technology – whether that’s through healthcare technology management, industrial sterilization, healthcare-focused AI, cybersecurity andARRAYmore.” visitors in need of assis tance should contact array@aami.org.

“An ‘array’ is defined as an impres sive display of a particular type of thing, and we want AAMI ARRAY to be that impressive display for our resources on health technology and medical device safety,” said Stephanie Rizk, vice president of brand and technology at AAMI. “AAMI ARRAY is the new backbone of our digital library of content and allows AAMI members and customers to access the best resources we have to offer in one single platform.”

New Hub for AAMI

Specifically, AAMI ARRAY serves as a hub for: Standards, technical information reports and consensus reports AAMI news articles and features Books and specialty publications Scholarly from BI&T, AAMI’sarticles peer-reviewed journal of health technology and sterilization AAMI blog and multimedia content

ELITE BIOMEDICAL SOLUTIONS SEEKS BMET APPRENTICES WITH AAMI RAP

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INDUSTRY

UPDATE 26 TECHNATION SEPTEMBER 2022 WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

A U.S. national BMET Apprentice ship Program organized by AAMI has gained a valuable new employer partner. Elite Biomedical Solutions (Elite), a leading healthcare technolo gy management (HTM) service provider based in the U.S. Midwest, will be expanding its training opportunities with program support. Elite expects to take on two apprentices within the year, with plans to train additional talent as needed.

INDUSTRY UPDATES as a BMET Apprenticeship Program employer partner, Elite’s offerings are expanded to include valuable formal learning (including a robust IT/cybersecurity track) and three, industry-recognized credentials.

“It sets a bar of excellence for our industry, and that’s what we all Employerswant!” whotake part in the program benefit from having entry-level workers on their payroll they can train to their particular equipment and service specialties. “If an employer wants someone to stay after the apprentice ship ends, they’ll already be up to speed – they won’t need retraining,” said AAMI Vice President of HTM DanielleEmployerMcGeary.partners have access to free and discounted training curriculum and may qualify for special tax breaks. Apprentices gain valuable hands-on and tui tion-free education for an in-demand profession.

Apprentices will study and acquire AAMI’s premiere CABT certification for professionals entering the BMET field, a certification in IT fundamentals, and finally become a Certified Biomedical Equipment Technician.

“An apprentice could be someone who’s ready for a career change, has an interest in the field but doesn’t have the means or life flexibility to go to college at this point in their life, or it could be someone just out of high school or in high school,” McGeary added. “This program is intended to bridge that gap to get them the training they need to be successful while concurrently helping to facilitate the strong healthcare technology management pipeline the field so desperately needs right now.”

“With the certification being built right in, you know that this person has at least this minimum knowledge base, that they’re teachable, and they have a broad understanding of what their job is and what their responsibilities are,” explained senior BMET Maggie Berkey, co-creator of the RAP and member of the AAMI Technology Management Council executive committee.

INDUSTRY

T h e steps taken immediately after a med ical device-related incident can make or break an investigation. Thus, it’s critical that staff know how to respond when an incident occurs. Over its 50-year history, ECRI has conducted thousands of investigations to uncover and document facts, determine causes, and prevent recurrence of medical device-related incidents. ECRI’s guidance for establishing an effective response plan derives from the lessons learned investigating cases like the one outlined below. With no hint of imminent trouble, surgical staff began wrapping up a cardiac cryoabla tion procedure. They deflated the balloon at the tip of the cryoablation catheter, withdrew it back into its sheath, and began removing the catheter from the patient’s heart. That’s when the patient’s blood pressure dropped precipitously. Within seconds, a successful procedure became a fatal incident. Fluoroscopy revealed an extremely large volume of gas in the left ventricle and the aorta. Perhaps the balloon had become damaged: a ruptured balloon could allow nitrous oxide coolant gas to be pumped into the heart. Staff tried resuscitating the patient, but to no avail. The massive gas embolism proved fatal. Tragically, this patient could not be saved. But some clear thinking by the clinicians who were present, and later by the facility’s clinical engineering and risk management teams, helped investigators identify the cause – it wasn’t the balloon – and implement measures to prevent a recurrence.

UPDATE

• D = Disposables. Save disposables, including the packaging if possible. (The product’s serial number or lot number may be an important detail.) This may require carefully retrieving items from the trash or a sharps container. With respect to the environment, investigators may want to consider aspects such as temperature, lighting, electrical power, medical gas supply or unusual odors where the incident occurred. In some cases, environmental factors can play a pivotal role.

• E = Equipment. Preserve equip ment in its state at the time of the incident until the equipment can be examined and tested by qualified personnel.

• V = Valuable Data. Save paper printouts that may have been generated during the procedure, and print or download data that is stored by the equipment as soon as possible. Be aware that stored data may be lost when the equipment is powered down or overwritten if the equipment remains in use.

• A = Accessories. When possible, leave accessories and components assembled as they were at the time of the incident.

Does Your Team Know How to Respond to a Medical Device-Related Incident?

4. Sequester Equipment Devices or equipment suspected to have caused or contributed to an incident should be set aside in a secure area. Sequestration serves two key purposes: it prevents devices that may be defective from being used on

“Knowing how to respond when an incident occurs is critical,” advises Chris Schabowsky, Ph.D., CCE, director of Accident & Forensic Investigation (AFI) Services for ECRI. “It can be the difference between preventing future incidents and remaining vulnerable to repeat occurrenc es.” A thorough incident response will incorporate the following steps.

1. Attend to the Injured The first step is to attend to the injured, which could be the patient, clinicians, other hospital staff or visitors.

3. Report the Incident Report incidents in a timely manner to the investigation coordinator, risk manager or other appropriate person within your facility.

28 TECHNATION SEPTEMBER 2022 WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

WHEN AN INCIDENT OCCURS

ECRIUPDATES

• S = Settings. Document the equipment settings at the time of the incident and whether any error codes were displayed.

2. Preserve the Equipment and the Environment Staff should be educated and periodical ly reminded about the importance of preserving anything that may have caused or contributed to the incident. This applies to any devices, items or information that could facilitate an incident investigation. The acrostic S.A.V.E.D. may help staff remember what to preserve:

COMPLETING THE PUZZLE

TO LEARN MORE . . .

other patients, and it secures devices and data until such a time that they can be examined and tested by qualified individuals. It also helps prevent spoliation-of-evidence claims, if there is subsequent legal action.

INDUSTRY UPDATES SEPTEMBER 2022 TECHNATION 29EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

After learning about an incident and initiating a response, the health care organization needs to methodically work through the investigation process. “Investi gating an incident is like completing a puzzle,” explains Bruce C. Hansel, Ph.D., CCE, chief scientist for ECRI’s AFI Services. “Each piece of evidence is a piece of the puzzle. The investigator’s job is to fit the pieces together to form the big picture.”

Health care organizations may wish to tackle this process on their own, or they may determine that it’s best to engage an independent third party to manage and perform the investigation. Either way, they can reference ECRI’s Incident Management and Investigation (IMI) plan to help navigate the process. (Details about an e-learning training course that introduces this plan and shows you how to apply it are provided below.)Toidentify the cause of the cryoablation incident described above, the hospital worked with ECRI and the device manufac turer to examine the equipment involved and to assess the evidence collected. Testing showed that the cryoablation balloon was undamaged and had functioned normally –thus, the hospital’s initial assumptions were incorrect. Investigators would need to look elsewhere for the cause. Fortunately, the clinical team preserved all of the accessories and supplies that had been in use. This allowed ECRI investiga tors to examine everything that was used during the incident (see the figure). A careful examination of each component allowed the investigators to identify which IV line contained air and trace it to its source.The likely source of the gas embolism in this case was determined to be air that had not previously been purged from a heparin-saline bag; the delivery of air to the patient was facilitated by the use of an inflatable pressure infuser to deliver the contents of the bag through the sheath flush line. (These infusers lack an air-inline alarm, which would have been available if an infusion pump instead had been used; and the presence of air in the bag can be difficult to see once the bag is placed in the pressure infuser.) With the cause identified, ECRI was able to provide recommendations to avoid similar incidents.ForBarb Malanga, investigator and program manager for ECRI’s AFI Services, this case emphasizes the importance of verifying staff readiness: “It’s not enough to have a plan – your staff need to be trained to use it.”

5. Gather Evidence Gather and preserve other evidence. This may include collecting data stored on the devices that were in use; taking photographs of the location, equipment settings and identifiers, and any injuries that were sustained; reviewing docu mentation from pertinent medical records (which might shed light on the circumstances that led up to the incident); obtaining exemplars of the devices or disposables involved (i.e., samples identical to those that were used during the incident); and compiling relevant instructions for use or policies and procedures related to the equipment involved.

Technology managers and other health care professionals can learn about ECRI’s sev en-step IMI methodology through a new e-Learning course. For details, management-investigation-course.https://www.ecri.org/healthcare-incident-see:Tolearn more about the six-module course or to inquire about ECRI’s AFI Services, you can contact ECRI by telephone at 610-825-6000, ext. 5891, or by email at clientservices@ecri.org.

END-TIDALAUTOMATEDCO2TESTING mdexposhow.com SoCal • October 11-13, 2022 WWW.1TECHNATION.COM30 TECHNATION SEPTEMBER 2022

SEPTEMBER 2022 TECHNATION 31EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

V acancies in HTM d epartments are becoming more common and more frequent than ever. There are no expectations of this slowing down either. Recent polls show that nearly 50% of individuals in the field are older than 50 with an estimation of 35% of the field retiring by 2028. Despite the growing need of the field for fresh talent, very few students graduate from programs designed to fill this need. This will create staffing shortages with cascading conse quences. Compliance with regulatory requirements and repair turnaround times become more challenging to meet within normal operating conditions. This leads to an increase in overtime costs and supplemental labor expenses to mitigate impacting compliance or patient care because of unavailable equipment. Staff burnout becomes a strong possibility that could lead to additional vacancies creating a cascading effect. This makes it all the more important to fill these openings as fast as possible. It is difficult to fill the openings because the job market is extremely competitive with many institutions in the same position and a limited number of candidates exist. Unfortunately, there appears to be limited consistency in job titles across the country based on a limited review of open HTM positions in February of 2022. This review consisted of open positions across the AAMI recom mended titles of Biomedical Equipment Technician (BMET) I, II, III, Specialist and Clinical Engineer. In each of the BMET titles some consistent words were seen such as technician or tech, biomedical or biomed, and the appropriate skill level. The Radiology Specialist appeared to favor Imaging Engineer over the AAMI title while Clinical Engineer had a variety of titles used. This data was a sample in time and certainly could be influ enced by national employers posting far more jobs across the country with the same name as opposed to individual employers posting under one off titles. Despite this flaw, some lessons can still be learned as some positions were posted with very specific titles that were different from the majority or were non-descript in their title requiring the applicant to open and read the posting to determine if they were interested in it. This makes it less likely for that posting to have the proper candidates apply than other postings. One example would be the job posting of Biomedical Technician, but when the description is read some were intended for an AAMI equivalent BMET I, BMET II, or BMET III, while other posts specifically state Biomedical Equipment Technician II. Inconsistent job titles can not only make it difficult for the right talent to find a job posting online, but can also result in human resources compensation surveys having bad data. The sample compensation surveys that were reviewed appeared to show the same example job descrip tion for AAMI equivalent BMET I, II, III, and Radiology Specialist. This is concerning because the industry knows these roles to be far different and could have varying degrees of background, but in a market analysis they will all show the same wage data.

For more information on this topic, see the recorded MD Expo educa tional session at tinyurl.com/yckuzykn.

– Michael Heusser, BS, MS, CCE, CHTM, is a clinical engineering manager at Middlesex Health.

Michael Heusser

BY MICHAEL HEUSSER, BS, MS, CCE, CHTM, CLINICAL ENGINEERING MANAGER, MIDDLESEX HEALTH

BIOMED 101 Vacancies and the Importance of Job Titles

It is only a matter of time until all organizations experience this issue. It is important to have a strategy in place to help your organization and industry by proxy. This can be broken down into three categories of prevention, preparedness and response. Prevention efforts could be developing retention strategies and coming up with common titles with other organizations in your area. Preparedness efforts could be developing those common titles, creating strategies to mitigate a vacancy’s impact to the organization, and educating students about the field. Response efforts could be utilizing those education efforts as a pipeline and hiring a specialized recruitment service as soon as possible.

THE BENCH

Biomed D evi ce R epair s Flat Rate Prices Industry Leaders Satisﬁed Customers T M Email: biomed@repairmed net Core repairs include: Infusion Pumps, All Monitors, ESUs, Deﬁbrillators, Light Sources MultiMedical Systems offers as needed onsite biomedical support utilizing certified level 1-4 Biomedical Technicians (BMETs)/ Healthcare Technology Management ON-DEMAND ON-DEMAND BMET/SKILLED BMET/SKILLED HTM HTM TECHNICIANS TECHNICIANS s needed izing Technicians ogy LLED ANS ANS MultiMedical Systems offers as needed onsite biomedical support utilizing certified level 1 4 Biomedical Technicians (BMETs)/ Healthcare Technology Management ON-DEMAND ON-DEMAND BMET/SKILLED BMET/SKILLED HTM HTM TECHNICIANS TECHNICIANS Flexible Durations Various Skill Level BMET/Skill d HTM MultiMedical Systems offers as needed onsite biomedical support utilizing certified level 1 4 Biomedical Technicians (BMETs)/ Healthcare Technology Management ON-DEMAND ON-DEMAND BMET/SKILLED BMET/SKILLED HTM HTM TECHNICIANS TECHNICIANS Flexible Durations Various Skill LevelsBMET/Skilled HTM Manufacture Remediations/ Recall Support Support with IT Security Projects Inventory Verifications Infusion Pump Projects as needed ilizing Technicians ogy ND ND LLED LLED ANS ANS Contact Us: www.multimedicalsystems.com 1.888.492.3400 salessupport@multimedicalsystems.com Flexible Durations Various Skill Levels BMET/Skilled HTM Manufacture Remediations/ Recall Support Support with IT Security Projects Inventory Verifications Infusion Pump Projects MMS can provide you with skilled BMET staffing – BMET I – BMET II – BMET III – BMET IV multimedicalsystems.com • salessupport@multimedicalsystems.com • 1.888.492.3400 CALL US TODAY FOR MORE INFORMATION!

For more information, visit: flukebiomedical.com/oneqa.

Fluke Biomedical OneQA

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

THE BENCH SEPTEMBER 2022 TECHNATION 33EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

luke Biomedical has announced that the OneQA test and workflow automation software now supports the top-selling ProSim 8 multifunction patient simulator. Fluke Biomedical OneQA is a quality assurance software platform that helps hospitals, independent service organizations and OEM service teams increase the safety, efficiency and accuracy of medical equipment testing and quality assurance workflows. “OneQA interoperability with ProSim8 saves time and reduces error by automatically setting up the simulation to be sent to the monitor,” explained Gerald Zion, global training manager for Fluke Biomedical. “The observed display and strip chart information that must be manually entered is automatically evaluat ed by OneQA using the pre-determined testing limits for the information that has been entered. This results in the objective pass/fail.” Fluke Biomedical OneQA automates a selection of Fluke Biomedical tools which now includes the ProSim8. OneQA can be used as a stand-alone workflow and documentation application or can be connected to a CMMS system .

Another attendee asked about how one can prioritize the spectrum of risk.

The Webinar Wednesday series is averaging 70 attendees per session with 1,602 attendees this far in 2022. For more information, including a calendar of upcoming webinars and an archive of on-de mand sessions, visit WebinarWednesday.live.

WEBINAR WEDNESDAY Session Addresses Cybersecurity in Small Hospitals STAFF REPORT

The presenters discussed how to make security achievable via peer collaboration, focused discussion, plan response actions and emerging bestAttendeespractices.were able to gain more knowledge by asking the presenters questions after the webinar. One attendee asked, “How do you see rural hospital finding the right skill set and people to improve cybersecurity?”

attendincludedafterregardingWebinarWednesday.live.Attendeesprovidedfeedbackthewebinarviaasurveythepresentation.Thesurveythequestion,“Whydidyoutoday’swebinar?”“Tolearnmoreaboutransom

ware attack prevention and cyberse curity,” Clinical Engineering Manager Paul Graham said. “I am interested in the subject how to protect medical devices against cyberattacks,” Instructor Dina Georgescu said.

Winthers fielded the question and said, “So, how do small facilities find the talent? Unfortunately, there is a reality where, especially in what I’m going to say as rural cities or establishments, that talent just, quite frankly, doesn’t exist. So, if that is the case, again, reach out. This is exactly the need that we are filling in the market with Spotlight.”

Thank you sponsors:

THE BENCH 34 TECHNATION SEPTEMBER 2022 WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

The increase in ransomware attacks on health care facilities has intro duced several new attack tactics not seen in other industries. One of the most damaging is the wide-ranging focus on providers regardless of their size, revenue or location. To help the 70% of hospitals that identify as small, new technologies and provider offerings are being created with a dual focus of improving cybersecuri ty with the traditionally tight budgets of small hospitals. Cynerio Security Evangelist Chad Holmes and HSS Network and Cybersecurity Analyst Dylan Winthers discussed the unique challenges of securing health care, new approaches that are improving the security postures of small hospitals and steps healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals can take now to start making progress.

The complete webinar, including the question-and-answer session, is available for on-demand viewing at

T he Webinar Wednesday presen tation “Improving Cybersecurity in Small Hospitals (Despite Tight Budgets and Short Staffing)” was sponsored by Cynerio. It was eligible for 1 credit from the ACI.

Better Health Care Starts with withthatDevicesHealthyandStartsYou! Join our team to advance your biomedical technician career and make a difference by providing patient-ready medical devices. n National Traveling and Regional Positions n Competitive Pay and Sign-On Bonus n Generous Paid Time Off n On-the-Job and Online Training n Tuition Assistance n Paid Parental Leave infusystem.com/careers ContrastTrainingInjector • 100s of Error Codes not found in OEM Lit • Online and Onsite Training Available • Training BMETs since 2008 • Up to $5,500 in FREE Parts, PM Kits and Service • Massive Troubleshooting WWW.MAULLBIOMEDICAL.COMLibrary | 440-724-7511 | STEVE@MAULLBIOMEDICAL.COM ON-SITEAVAILABLE TROUBLESHOOTINGCONTRASTINJECTORCHANNEL www .M a ullB io me d ic a l. com | 440-724- 75 11 | st ev e @m au llbi om edical .com ON-SITE TRAINING AVAILABLE •Up to $5,500 in FREE Parts, PM Kits and Service •Massive Troubleshooting Library •100s of Error Codes not found in OEM Lit •Online and Onsite Training Available •Training BMETs since 2008 CONTRAST INJECTOR TRAINING O PE RATION, SE RV IC E, TROUBLESHOOTING Contrast TroubleshootingInjectorChannel SEPTEMBER 2022 TECHNATION 35EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

T echNation magazine recently recruited feedback from health care technology management (HTM) leaders regarding equipment acquisition and disposition. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed supply chain issues across several industries, including health care. HTM profes sionals continue to play an important role when it comes to purchasing new devices, installing new equipment, maintaining these devices and retiring them when the time comes.

The individuals who agreed to share their insights with TechNation readers on equipment acquisition and disposi tion are Medical Equipment Doctor Vice President of Sales and Procure ment Sean Armstrong; ReNew Biomedical Assistant Biomedical Manager Jamie Cagle; Eagle Medical Inc. Global Service and Maintenance Manager Fred Culver; Capital i, Chief Executive Officer Tony Danko, CHTM; and SAKOMED LLC Biomed Matin Kondori.

ARMSTRONG: Typically, you would determine if the unit is at the end of life and if there are any parts or support from third-party organiza tions that would facilitate a longer parameter of sustainability. Now, with the use of integration, it is important to also look at the security of the device from a cyber perspec tive. Does this unit store or transmit patient information and is the operating system still protected? If it is not, capital planning should be initiated.

Sean Armstrong Medical Equipment Doctor

EquipmentROUNDTABLEAcquisitionand Disposition ROUNDTABLE 36 TECHNATION SEPTEMBER 2022 WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

CAGLE: Many factors go into deciding when to retire a medical device. In my experience, there are three reasons an HTM professional would retire a medical device. These reasons are scarcity of parts, lack of OEM support, and cost of repair exceeding the unit’s value. Medical device value depreciates as it ages. Since the cost of repairs and service is a significant factor in equipment retirement, consider alternative ways to keep costs down. Whether this means increasing internal efficiency or sending equipment out for repairs, explore your options to save on costs while keeping your units operating correctly.

HOW CAN AN HTM PROFESSIONAL HELP DECIDE WHEN IT IS TIME TO RETIRE A MEDICAL DEVICE?

DANKO: By removing medical equip ment from service, you are reducing patient care capacity and access to care. You must consider the clinical requirement and balance those requirements with the potential safety implications and long tail cost of maintenance. Your organization should be better off when it removes medical equipment from service.

Jamie Cagle Renew Biomedical Fred Culver Eagle Medical Inc.

ARMSTRONG: HTM professionals should always be a part of capital planning and prepared to replace an item if it is time to remove it from service. This includes establishing a service delivery plan for the new capital which can include technical training, service agreements or taking on risk. The next step is determining the value of the device being removed from service. Is there trade-in value or value from selling it on the third-party market?

SEPTEMBER 2022 TECHNATION 37EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

KONDORI: Many factors are involved in retiring a medical device. The most important one will be when manufacturers are not supporting device repair and parts/accessories are not available. Also, in many cases, usage and age of the equip ment are factors to consider especial ly in regards to lifesaving equipment such as respiratory ventilators.

CULVER: This decision is frequently based on a simple cost analysis: is the device more expensive to repair and maintain than the acquisition cost of a new device? Even if the mainte nance costs are 75% of the acquisi tion cost, there is a case to be made for replacement.

DANKO: When deciding to retire a medical device, there are three major factors to consider, clinical need, patient safety, and financial steward ship. An HTM professional captures and maintains a historical record of medical devices. These data generate objective information for patient safety and financial stewardship. A good HTM professional continues to monitor technology advancements and clinical requirements to provide subject matter expertise to the clinical need factor.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN REMOVING MEDICAL EQUIPMENT FROM SERVICE?

CAGLE: I believe communication is the most important thing to remember. It is necessary to inform and warn the medical staff that the unit will be removed from service so they can consider replacement options.

WHAT ARE KEY STEPS HTM PROFESSIONALS MUST TAKE WHEN IT IS TIME TO REMOVE A MEDICAL DEVICE FROM SERVICE?

ARMSTRONG: This might be a bad analogy, but when someone is born, they have a birth certificate; when someone dies, they have a death certificate. The same applies to medical devices. When a device arrives at a facility, an incoming inspection is performed and documented. When a device is removed from service, a work order should be documenting the removal from service. It’s crucial to remove and document PHI/hard drives, asset/biomed labels, etc. Furthermore, if it is a capital item, the facility is required to pay taxes on the device. Removing it from the asset inventory reduces the tax liability and saves money for the health care organization.

KONDORI: When removing equipment from service, you need to make sure devices are fully sanitized and all the hospital tags and data are removed. Removing patient data is the most important step.

CULVER: The device still has value and it doesn’t belong in a landfill so don’t throw it away! The device can be disassembled for parts, traded in, sold to a refurbisher, or best of all it can be donated to a program like Project C.U.R.E. which sends medical equipment and supplies to developing countries.

For an informative video, visit 1TechNation.com/roundtable and select this month’s article! ROUNDTABLE

ARMSTRONG: A lot of manufactures lower their acquisition cost but later make up for it on the future service of the device. A biomed’s role is to develop a service delivery plan that is efficient and effective; the easiest way to do this successfully is to be part of the purchase. There is a lot of information from organizations like ECRI that will give an idea of the medical device’s reliability as well as whether or not there are any negative service trends with equip ment. Biomeds should be educators from a technical perspective when it comes to addressing a capital acquisition committee.

ROUNDTABLE 38 TECHNATION SEPTEMBER 2022 WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

CAGLE: The biggest reason why HTMs should be involved in the device acquisition process is that they inquire about training and mainte nance requirements. It would be a shame if a facility purchased a device on which no one can repair or perform annual maintenance.

Bottom line: there is much to consider other than cost and func tionality.

DANKO: The HTM department must be included in the acquisition process to build a sustainment plan and provide input to the total cost of ownership. A mature HTM depart ment will be able to conduct a business case analysis for sup portability, which includes warranty/ service contract strategy, BMET training requirements, consumable material support requirements, test equipment and specialty tool require ments, and start-up planning.

WHY SHOULD THE HTM DEPARTMENT BE INCLUDED IN A HEALTH CARE FACILITY’S MEDICAL DEVICE ACQUISITION PROCESS?

KONDORI: Make sure to plan for the new replacement and schedule all the necessary operation and technical training from the manufacturer.

CAGLE: The role biomeds should take when acquiring medical devices is to be a source of information. They Tony Danko, CHTM Capital i, LLC

The device should be properly tagged “not safe for patient use” and disposed of according to OEM standards.

CAGLE: A few key steps would be to inform the facility that the unit will be retired so they can remove it from their financial books and their inventory. If the device retains any information related to patient care, then the information must be wiped.

DANKO: Once that decision is made to remove equipment from service, you should have a clear procedure to execute the transactional portion of removal or decommissioning. The procedural steps should include the handling of electronic personal health information (ePHI), hazard ous medical waste, hazardous environmental material, physical removal from the clinical care area, and updating the CMMS record.

But the one often-ignored key step that could have profound adverse implications if skipped: calibration. The EOL calibration confirms that the device was in good working order when decommissioned, thereby removing any potential liability to the hospital.

ARMSTRONG: It is extremely important for HTM professionals to be a part of the device acquisition process especially with integration. Can this device integrate with our current network and be cybersecurity safe? Can we negotiate technical training upon acquisition? What is the reliability factor in regard to recalls, alerts and adverse events? All of those technical factors will impact how the HTM department will service the devices for years to come.

CULVER: Decontamination, removal of patient data, documentation within inventory management system, and following proper waste management procedures are all important steps.

CULVER: Device acquisition outcomes improve when all angles are strategi cally contemplated and all stakehold ers collaborate on the decision. For instance:•HTM professionals are intimately familiar with device reliability as well device compat ibility within the facility. • GUI’s and/or operating systems can be dramatically different and require unforeseen training.

KONDORI: The HTM department is one of the most important depart ments in the acquisition process. HTM will make sure functional requirements are met and it’s the right device for that department.

• Right to repair may be usurped by the manufacturer’s exclusive service contract requirements.

WHAT ROLE SHOULD BIOMEDS TAKE WHEN IT COMES TO THE ACQUISITION OF MEDICAL DEVICES/EQUIPMENT?

ARMSTRONG: The most important tip is to do your homework on medical devices. Examine the technology and focus on risk. The more knowledge you have, the better direction you can give to your health care organi zation. Look at new risks like cybersecurity and establish service delivery plans before the device arrives at your facility. The majority of the time, technical training can be negotiated before purchase.

CAGLE: An important tip for biomeds to remember is that the choice to purchase a device ultimately belongs to the facility. Always ask the OEM questions about training, software updates, a list of what types of repairs will void the warranty, and unit storage guidelines.

Matin

CULVER: Most biomeds can provide valuable information that leads to a better decision-making process. Biomeds can provide an assessment of the quality of internal components and can compare/contrast the projected average life span of competing devices.

DANKO: Biomeds should support the acquisition process by providing reports and insights on manufacturer and model consideration. The biomed should research training requirements to support new medical equipment coming into the facility. The biomed will also execute the transactional on-boarding when the devices come to the organization.

CAGLE: As a healthcare technology manager, we may not always be involved in procurement choices however, we work hard to satisfy all OEM, FDA and employer guidelines to ensure that patients are always receiving the best care possible from the equipment chosen.

ARMSTRONG: HTM professionals are the technical experts when it comes to medical devices. Their knowledge and direction when it comes to acquisitions can provide reliability and cost reduction. When it comes to disposition, regulatory compliance and tax liability should be considered by the HTM team. These two topics have a direct impact on how the HTM department performs and in turn have consequences for the whole health care organization that the HTM department supports.

WHAT ELSE DO YOU THINK TECHNATION READERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITION?

should be available to answer ques tions about the devices, such as what kind of maintenance it requires.

KONDORI: Biomeds’ role in the acquisition process is really import ant. They need to make sure the new equipment is meeting the require ments for that department, that the technology of the new equipment is matching with the rest of the current equipment, and that they are com patible. Same for the accessories and disposables.

WHAT ARE SOME IMPORTANT TIPS FOR BIOMEDS TO CONSIDER DURING THE MEDICAL DEVICE ACQUISITION PROCESS?

DANKO: It is important for the biomeds to manage clinical expecta tion during the acquisition process. Biomeds should talk to clinical staff about their requirements and come to an agreement on the best charac teristics for new or replacement devices. Biomeds should create an objective process to develop total cost of ownership and a maintenance strategy to support acquisition decisions. This should be provided during acquisition planning through out your organization.

Kondori SAKOMED LLC ROUNDTABLE SEPTEMBER 2022 TECHNATION 39EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

Biomeds should also be available to the OEM to help bring the devices into the facility by guiding the OEM around the departments and provid ing adequate space to work in. Bio meds should also be a point-of-con tact for finding out if the OEM offers HTM training, repairs, or ability to purchase parts.

DANKO: Acquisition and disposition activities are the bookends of medical equipment data management. HTM organizations must have clear and standardized processes for capturing new equipment data and decommis sioning/removing equipment from service. These processes will ensure they have an accurate inventory and are able to perform advanced data analytics for decision support, predictive modeling, audit readiness, and regulatory compliance.

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“Whenskills.presenting an issue or a problem, be prepared to recommend solutions, options and recommendations. Be humble – do not be too proud to ask for assistance. Strive for continuous personal and professional growth and be hungry; seek additional responsibilities, continue education, and develop skills,” Gonzales says. He also suggests that, if given the opportunity; get certified. He says that it adds credibility that an individual is seriously vested in the profession and knows what they are doing.

The concept of a mentor training someone newer to a profession can be a structured and defined program or it can happen more organically. In some professions, such as plumb ing, masonry or musical instrument repair, the use of a mentor as part of an apprenticeship program is an industry standard. There is no substitute for experience. The training, tips and insights from a mentor can provide lifelong lessons and benefits to the trainee. It often comes with fond memories, respect and appreciation for the Thementor.HTM profession has relied on several different training approaches to educate biomeds and prepare them for the rigors of repairing, calibrating or maintaining medical equipment. Some biomeds enter the field from another profession that may have required electrical skills or working with tools and have been simply trained on-the-job. Others have gone through electronics curriculums in technical schools and then made the transition to HTM with that base knowledge. Many other biomeds have completed dedicated college or technical school coursework that is specific to HTM. Once on the job, the training continues through shadowing more senior col league as well as OEM training, webi nars and courses offered at conferences.

SEPTEMBER 2022 TECHNATION 43EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

formin“Mentorshipitsmostbasicisapositive,guidinginfluenceinanotherperson’slife.”–JosephBeaudoin

He says that the “do” component means to “welcome each problem as an opportunity to learn. So much can be learned from hands-on experience with the equipment. You’d be surprised of what you’d pick up from actually doing the work compared to what’s in the manuals.”

He recommends that newer biomeds develop creativity and analytical thinking

A co mmon thread runs among almost every occupation, whether that be policing, teaching, plumbing, food service or selling. There are tips and tricks, procedures and best practices that are all learned through time on the job or through facing a large array of different situations and challenges. All of this on-the-job knowledge supplements formal training, book knowledge and continuing education. This storehouse of knowledge is obtained through years of working in a vocation. This lifetime of experience might be wasted if it were only used for perform ing a job and not shared. In the occupa tions mentioned above, along with many others, the experienced worker often shares knowledge with colleagues new to the Thisprofession.process of sharing knowledge, skills and techniques provides a system of on-the-job learning that supplements formal classroom or book knowledge.

Gonzales says: “Don’t be afraid of equipment you’re not familiar with. There are plenty of resources for free to learn from such as manuals, videos and websites. If available, attend service schools, seminars, webinars, training, etcetera.”

The keys to effective learning are “study, do, write and teach,” says Jojo Gonzales, BSHA, CBET, CHTM, area manager of Clinical Technology Market Operations Services for Kaiser Perma nente in Honolulu, Hawaii. He says this is the approach that he has suggested to juniorUndertechnicians.“study,”

A mentor’s role in the early development and training of a biomed cannot be overstated.“Mentorship in its most basic form is a positive, guiding influence in another person’s life. Most often implied as an older, experienced employee mentoring a younger employee. The successful mentor has much to do with the character of the individual,” says Joseph Beaudoin, CBET, senior biomedical technician in

SPOTLIGHTCOVERSTORY

In mentoring junior colleagues, he also suggests that they take time to teach others.“Teaching others reinforces the lessons learned from the experience. Always be willing to share with your teammates or customers. It helps build camaraderie and boost morale within the team, and you’ll get the good reputation of someone who’s willing to assist and teach others,” Gonzales adds.

A MENTOR MAKES A DIFFERENCE

The net impact of all this training is a competent professional, familiar with most medical equipment or skilled enough to tackle a new piece of equip ment with some instruction or guidance.

“Writing down the experience along with tips and tricks help accentuate the experience. Become excellent in docu mentation. It’s very important to keep good maintenance history of the equipment. It’s comparable to a person’s medical record where we document signs and symptoms, then the corresponding diagnosis and treatment,” Gonzales says. He says to create lessons-learned and how-to guides, especially for unusual and complicated services or repairs. He says that they can be very useful when you encounter the same issue years later and can be shared with co-workers and fellow BMETs.

“Fast forward a few years and I was recruited by Dave Mann to work as a BMET 3. I only stayed in this position a short time before I was asked to step into my current role as HTM supervisor at University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center. Dave and I had many encounters prior to him recruiting me. I knew him from association meetings he hosted and also mutual acquaintances. We often reached out to each other for assistance even prior to working together officially,” Liszeski says. He says that he had exposure to many of the job aspects from his prior job, but still had growing pains ahead.

“My first year on the job, this new thing called COVID erupted. Dave constantly helped me navigate the new job and all the extra responsibilities. Many projects, recalls, new meetings; Dave has mentored me in my leadership skills and style, helping me avoid all the minefields of this position,” Liszeski adds. It was also a mentor that helped Matt Yates, tech manager at The InterMed Group in Alachua, Florida, kick off a new biomed department.

– Tony Cody

introducedbiomed.afterHTMhaveRonworkHTMpickwhatengrainedassociation.programCenterDepartmentHealthcareClinicalLarryandawouldthelookfewwaschangedwhodevelopingcareernetworkfeedback,mental,perspectives,board,good(ASHA)Speech-Language-HearingAmericanAssociationdefinesthecharacteristicsofamentorasagoodlistener/soundingflexible,valuesdiversityofknowledgeable,nonjudgabletogiveconstructivehonestandcandid,abletoandfindresources,successfulinandwilling/abletodevotetimetoothers,aswellasapersoniseagertolearn.“Ihavehadtwomenthathavemycareerandmentoredme.Inotinthebiomedfield,andafterastintsofunemployment,Idecidedtointobeingabiomed.IhadfamilyinhospitalsettingandtheyallfeltIbeanaturalfit. IwasabletolandPRNpositiontotestthefield.IloveditsoonwasonmyHTMpath,”saysLiszeski,CBET,supervisorofEngineeringEMCintheTechnologyManagementatUHElyriaMedicalinElyria,Ohio.Liszeskienrolledinalocalbiomedandjoinedthelocalbiomed“Iwasgoingtonetworkandgetintomynewcareerpath.Withmycontactstoldme;Iwasabletomychoicehospitalswiththebestmanagers.IhadtwoIwantedtofor,basedontheirreputations;SnodgrassandDaveMann.Bothbeeninstrumentalinmypathasanprofessional,”Liszeskisays.HefirstworkedforSnodgrassrightgraduatingandgoingtoworkasaLiszeskisaysthatSnodgrasshimtobiomedandintro

“I have tried to pass along to my employees over the years. I have given the same encouragement and seen growth and confidence respond in my employees.

“I was an electrician in the engineering department at my hospital. I decided to go for more of a challenge and go into the biomedical field. I went to my vice president and said I was leaving to go to school for that. He told me that the hospital was considering starting an in-house biomedical program and would I consider helping to start the program. My mentor was Henry Fawcett, who pushed me to learn all I could and be the best I could be. I have never forgotten the opportunity to be in that position. It changed my life. Thank you, Mr. Henry Fawcett,” Yates says.

“In addition, Ron often had me in meetings way above my pay grade. Then, he had me sit in on meetings when he could not attend – environment of care, capital, joint commission, to name a few. It was great to dip my toes into higher-level work. He gave me the best possible beginner biomed experiencepossible,” he adds.

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Clinical Engineering at St. Peter’s Health Partners in Albany, New York. He says that the duced him to several good habits for a biomed to have.

“Every person has different things that motivates their behaviors. Some are motivated by money, others with achievements and others may be motivated by impact.”

“I had some great mentors that helped me grow as a person as well as a tech. When I needed a pat on the back, I got it and when I needed a kick in the pants; I got that too. I once had a manager take the time to ‘coach’ me for three-hours straight. Best lesson I ever had and it helped me to mature as an individual as well as it helped improve

“He made sure I had training, sup port, and sometimes guidance, to save me from myself. He was also the one who encouraged me to get my CBET certification,” Liszeski says.

Yates says that he will never forget this introduction to the profession and has tried to live up to the expectations that Fawcett had for him.

Mentors don’t always limit their feedback to encouragement. Sometimes, bad habits are pointed out.

The lessons Yates learned from his mentor have been duplicated during his career.“Irecognized that one of my young employees was nervous while at work. We sat down and I told him that I did not expect him to know how to do everything. If he wasn’t sure to ask me. If I didn’t know, we would find out together. I slowly saw him begin to relax and his confidence to grow,” he says.

Eternally grateful to this man,” he says.

The investment in time and knowledge, made by those who came before in the profession, will be passed along to a new generation in the quest for excellence.

In addition to mentors and on-thejob learning opportunities, there are a number of other avenues that allow HTM professionals to grow their careers and expand their knowledge. Those can include OEM training and training through an independent service organization (ISO).

Another source that offers a lot of variety as well as continuing educa tion credits are conferences. Both the AAMI eXchange and the MD Expo offer a number of educational sessions.Therecent AAMI eXchange in San Antonio, Texas, featured educational sessions all three days. The 2023 eXchange event will be in Long Beach, California in June. The next MD Expo will be in sunny Southern California in the city of Temecula later this year. The event will take place at the Pechanga Casino & Resort. The dates are October 11-13. Educational sessions will be offered on October 12 and 13, interspersed with a reception, food and drinks, keynote address, exhibit hall and live music.

“In an effort to start that process, I have asked my team to attend a communication course as one of their development items. I had them sign up for work-related courses, discussing humor in the workplace as well as more personal courses for ham radio and working with kids in bowling,” Drake says. She says that this gives them guidelines, but allowing the choice of what they wanted, has given them the freedom to grow in the areas they find “Everybeneficial.personhas different things that motivates their behav iors. Some are motivated by money, others with achievements and others may be motivated by impact. It is important to understand each individual when you want to help them develop to meet their poten tial,” Cody says.

COVER STORY SEPTEMBER 2022 TECHNATION 45EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

He says that he likes to give everyone an opportunity to attend training and seek opportunities to better their skill set.

“HTM technicians and leaders are naturally problem-solvers and under stand what it takes to meet the demands of our everchanging environment. Sometimes we just need a little remind er. If someone isn’t excited by a learning opportunity, then I like to talk with them about how this opportunity can impact them and the patients we serve,” Cody says.

How does HTM management challenge senior and junior techni cians to maintain motivation and drive in the field or within personnel development plans? “We do quarterly check-ins where the technician is able to share their successes and then discuss develop ment items. I encourage them to select items that they believe will be beneficial in their growth rather than something to just check a box. This varies depending on their level. Some are looking at attending whatever manufacturer training they can get to that makes sense in their role. Others are working on passing on the knowledge they have to reduce the loss when they retire,” says Stephanie Drake, clinical engineering manager with Intermountain Healthcare IMC/ TOSH in Salt Lake City, Utah. She says that even within the health care system, they find oppor tunities to send techs out or bring others in to share information on new items or old ones where they can develop“Motivationbest-practices.canbe a struggle, but I believe seeing their accomplishments and having those recognized either one-on-one or in a group meeting, seems to be an encouragement,” Drake says. She says that in the area of improvement, she is hoping to be able to send her technicians to some of the leadership courses she has taken.“Such things as communication are amazing for everyone at every level in their career. Knowing the ‘why’ behind something helps a person to be more willing to commit to improvements. Attending these courses would allow them to see that better,” Drake adds.

OTHER SOURCES OF CONTINUAL LEARNING

my professionalism,” says Tony Cody, CHTM, Tech Management/ENTECH director at Banner Health in Colorado. Beaudoin says that a consistent approachable friendly manner and disposition is key for a good mentor to be effective. He says a mentor should be available.“Maintaining motivation among the individuals on the team requires consistent mentorship. Know your mentee. A mentor with good mentorship skills brings drive and enthusiasm to the team. A mentor who is ‘eager to learn’ fosters trust in the relationship by being ‘honest and candid’ with the mentee. ‘Eager to learn’ is an admission, by the mentor to the mentee, of limited knowledge and humble character,” Beaudoin says. He says that as a mentor, “I should acknowledge my own limita tions and approach new learning opportunities with enthusiasm.”

MANAGEMENT’S ROLE IN DEVELOPMENT

State and regional biomedical associations also offer opportunities to gain knowledge from peers as well as through educational sessions at theirWithconferences.newbiomeds coming into the profession to back-fill a need for staffing, the opportunities to grow and flourish have been made possible by experienced HTM pros, biomed leadership and learning opportuni ties through other sources.

The educational sessions are in addition to TechNation’s Podcast and Webinar Wednesdays that offer continuous learning experiences for HTM professionals and the chance to earn CE credits.

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• Is the company under-resourced?

• Will I need to outsource some of their work? And can I delegate it?

“There’s no guaranteeing that the company/supervisor won’t look out for themselves and start to recruit for this person’s replacement in the case that the side gig takes over,” Huller says. “Perhaps they can agree to revisit in three months so that the company doesn’t feel that threatened.”

“If the supervisor doesn’t know about the side gig, I would be cautious,” she says.

• How much am I asking to cut down?

“As I frequently remind students in the entrepreneurship course I teach at the University of Illinois, employment opportu nities come and go,” he says, “but the window of opportunity to turn a budding small business into a mature one doesn’t stay open long.”

– 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.

recently spoke with someone whose side gig is growing and taking up more time than it had in the past – but it isn’t at the point where this entrepreneur can quit his full-time job, which he really en joys. He gets great reviews, is close to his supervisor and is wondering if he should talk to her about his situation to see if there is a way to adjust his schedule.

If you do decide to move forward with the conversation, Huller says now is the time.“Most companies in this climate would rather accommodate a valued employee than lose them and have to replace them. It’s an interesting job market, especially with talks of a looming recession,” she says. “If this person is going to approach his/her/ their boss, it’s probably best to do it now than to wait.” But do realize the risk, she adds.

• Can I get done what needs to get done in fewer hours?

I reached out to career search professionals and entrepreneurs, who all said essentially the same thing: Don’t let your full-time job get in the way of pursuing your dream, and approach the situation in an honest way with a dose of caution.

Kathleen Furore

SEPTEMBER 2022 TECHNATION 49EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

“You only live once! If your side gig is starting to take off and you fail to give it a fair shot to succeed, you’re going to wind up resenting your ‘day job’ – no matter how much you think you love it,” says Terry Kasdan, founder of and creative director for atCommunications LLC, and an adjunct professor who teaches entrepreneurship in the University of Illinois’ Department of Advertising. “Ten or 20 years from now, you’re going to regret not taking a chance.”

Don’t Let Job Stop Dream

• Is the company historically friendly to flexible reporting?

In the end, it’s really about how much risk you’re willing to take to pursue your dream, Kasdan says.

• What accommodations will the company have to make in order to oblige?

However, Anderson does add one caveat.

“It’s exciting when a side gig starts to grow, and you can see it being your full-time employment. I know because that’s exactly how I started my career services business,” says Anderson, who believes that approaching the subject with a supervisor is a good idea – provided that supervisor knows about the side gig and supports it.

“Instead of asking for a different schedule, I would set a time limit and/or revenue goal to help you boost your confidence in the side gig, and then think about asking for a different schedule or eventually leaving full-time employment. That could be as simple as [saying to yourself], ‘I’ll see where I am in six months,’ or ‘I’ll see how long it takes me to match my full salary with my side-gig.’

EXPERT ADVICE CAREER CENTER

BY KATHLEEN FURORE

Anna Kate Anderson, an executive resume writer and outplacement services provider, understands the desire to grow a business from scratch.

“You may be able to ask for an adjusted schedule based on completing your work and showing that the side gig is not cutting into your regular, full-time job,” Anderson says. “If you can have an open, honest discussion – and if you can answer whether you will be leaving to support your side-gig full time, without worrying that you’ll lose your job – I say go for it. These kinds of supervisors are rare!” Kasdan agrees, and notes that someone who loves their existing job likely has a supervisor who cares about them. “If that’s the case, he or she should recognize the fact that you’re not just an employee but also a human being with your own dreams and aspirations,” Kasdan says.

“Don’t be afraid to ask for reasonable accommodations that allow you to continue performing your current role but also enable you to pursue your passion. This might involve working from home a few days a week or adjusting your hours to arrive earlier or leave later in the day.”

Leadership” brand and career strategist Karen Huller, founder of Epic Careering, also cautions that the right approach depends on the supervisor and organization. She says anyone wondering if they should discuss the situation with a supervisor should ask themselves a few questions before scheduling that meeting with the boss:

andMedicalCYBERSECURITYDeviceVulnerabilitiesFailingFoward BY

INVENTORY Knowing what you have makes it easier to patch and manage your current and future vulnerabilities. This could be a simple spreadsheet of your inventory or an integrated system with your CMMS that scans your network traffic and sniffs packets to determine system OS, latest patch installed, antivirus version with latest update, third-party COTS software with version, etc. All of this is important to keep track of in case something needs to be patched or upgraded to circumvent a new known vulnerability. If possible, work with your MDM and see if they allow credentialed scanning and approve the installation of agents to automatically track operating system and software updates as well as provide an inventory of your networked medical devices and give a “heartbeat” of information of the “current status” of the medical device. This provides a huge improve ment in automating your inventory. If agents can’t be installed there are several solutions available that can integrate with your current networking equipment and/or IT software to analyze network traffic and provide this information.

EVALUATE Perform a security risk assessment of your current vulnerability manage ment program and look for areas for improvement that will reap the most ROI of that change with minimal effort or it may even be maximal effort if the “juice is worth the squeeze” which creates huge, monumental change and improve ment. Look at what devices require the most work to maintain/update, have the highest risk to patient safety, devices that are no longer supported, etc. and formulate a game plan to address these issues and bring it up to senior management. Make sure you document this plan and ensure everyone is aware of the risk of what the current state is and where it could be. Some organizations use a plan of action and milestones (PoA&M) to track these risks with a plan to rectify the issue given, known circumstances and accepting the current risk of using the device. Always isolate your devices with VLANs, ACLs and/or firewalls with rulesets allowing only minimal allowed traffic (given by your MDM) in and out of medical devices on the network to mitigate and reduce risk. Keep track of EOS and EOL dates of your devices, operating systems, software, etc. to compare with your current inventory STEVEN HUGHES,

Medical devices in addition to waiting for operating system or software patches must also wait for medical device manufacturer (MDM) testing and approval of some patches or the creation of a mitigation strategy to a vulnerability before remediating thus increasing their risk. Many MDMs are designing and allowing for real time patching of the underlining OS and third-party software via information given in Manufacturer Disclosure Statement for Medical Device Security (MDS2) and Software Bill of Materials (SBOMs), but even then, builds of operating systems and software can creep into an unsupported state if not monitored. For example, there are several different builds of Windows 10 – some are supported, and some aren’t. Many MDMs aren’t aware of end of life (EOL)/end of service (EOS) dates for software and operating systems in their own products due to unforeseen changes made later in the software/operating system design and life cycle and that risk is passed onto the HDO.

A lways fail forward not backward. Failure is not a negative thing, but a place for improvement and an opportunity to learn. Failure is a part of life. We all learn by failing. You are constantly making iterative changes in everything you do from the last time you performed it. Failing forward forces improvement on how things are currently d one, provides transparency of processes, takes responsibility of situations, and creates new workflows and processes that makes things better by reducing time, money and resources. In health care the margin for error is very small and any critical mistake can literally mean life or death.

FAC-COR FACP/PM VHA-CM, VISN 21 BIOMEDICAL ENGINEER, VA SIERRA PACIFIC NETWORK Steven Hughes 50 TECHNATION SEPTEMBER 2022 WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

One area where all healthcare delivery organizations (HDOs) have a signifi cant failure is vulnerability manage ment, which is mostly due to no fault of their own. HDOs all have inherited risks and vulnerabilities, and you can never reach the elusive “zero vulnera bilities” because a new one is always arriving or has already arrived as you are reading this sentence.

EXPERT ADVICE

Subscribe to CISA updates of known vulnerabilities and remediate as soon as approved by your MDM. Reach out to your MDM for patching information, upgrades and updates about your current inventory as well as new and future products. Commu nicating what you have in your inventory helps your MDM help you create an equipment replacement/ upgrade strategy as well as allow time to request any necessary funds before a device reaches EOL/EOS. Be sure to establish a good working relationship and communication pathway to ensure information can readily be obtained when needed.

– Steven Hughes, FAC-COR FACP/PM VHA-CM, is a VISN 21 Biomedical Engineer at the VA Sierra Pacific Network. our

COMMUNICATION

Create a regularly updated list of points of contact (POC) for your MDM and links to sites for your system support. This is also great to have during after-hours support as well, which can also start out as a simple shared spreadsheet and eventually grow into full blown hosted web-based database. At the VA we have implemented a national patch database where HTM staff can look up POCs and share the latest patching approvals, disapprovals and information by MDMs for the systems they maintain with direct links to their vendor/service portal, product security updates, bulletins, security advisories, product software download center, validated patches, etc.

Check out what’s NEW in

Most organizations set reachable thresholds as a goal or key performance indicator (KPI) for an improvement in something that needs drastic change and through the implementation of process improvement it becomes a regular state of being rather than an unattainable goal. This goal or KPI can be as simple as say patching and or upgrading/replacing half of all net worked devices and slowly increment each month, quarter, year, or timeframe you deem reasonable to achieve. The next goal could be 75% or even 100% given new processes in place, time, money, and resources, but remember this must be achievable and temper expectations as well as communicate that there may not even be path forward for an upgrade or replacement for some medicalRealizedevices.that if you don’t fail, you may not be taking enough risks to make progress. We must change our current culture and recognize that failure is a stepping stone to your next opportunity. In order to learn from mistakes, correct them, im prove and succeed.

EXPERT ADVICE on a reoccurring basis and formulate strategies accordingly.

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REFLECTION Keep track of where you are and where you have been. This benchmark helps to measure if your efforts are paying off and how much more work lies ahead.

EXPERT ADVICE SPONSORED CONTENT

BY TED LUCIDI, CBET Ted Lucidi

L ast month, we presented some background content on leak age testing of TEE probes. The process can seem overwhelming and confusing, and it definitely continues to challenge even the most well-expe rienced HTM professionals. Allow me to begin by firmly stating that routine TEE probe leakage testing is NOT the responsibility of the HTM team. That being said, they should have a clear understanding of the process, the equipment needed to perform the test, and how to help end-users troubleshoot leakage test failures.

IZED.Whether your end-users are using a Fluke ULT800 or BC Group ULT2020 (the two most common meters in-use), it’s possible for them to encounter false-positive leakage test failures. TEE leakage meters perform two tests as part of the full testing protocol: a bath (or conduc tivity) test and the leakage test. A bath (or conductivity) test confirms that 1) the proper test lead of the leakage meter is immersed in a test liquid and 2) that the test liquid has enough particulates to adequate ly conduct electricity. If this test fails, or an error message occurs during this test, the issue IS NOT PROBE-RELATED.Tosuccessfullypass the leakage test, the value of leakage, in micro

52 TECHNATION SEPTEMBER 2022 WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

Simply put, TEE probe leakage testing involves assessing IF a break in the probe’s physical integrity exists (on the distal tip, bending section, or insertion tube).

Unlike flexible endoscopes, TEE probe leakage testing REQUIRES the probe be immersed in a test liquid, typically tap/sterile water or a chemical disinfectant. This poses a challenge, especially if there actually IS a break or opening somewhere on the probe. As soon as the probe would be immersed in the test liquid, the liquid would enter, and begin flooding, the probe. Even though facilities and end-users may be performing TEE leakage testing, they may not be following a process that yields the best outcomes. It’s crucial for end-users to perform a thorough visual inspection of the probe PRIOR TO performing a leakage test. Think of it this way … if a hole or opening can be visualized, then there’s no need to perform a leakage test. Departments need to have a comprehensive process for perform ing TEE leakage testing, answering the questions, “What if I see an area of concern?”, and “What if the leakage test fails?” Merely following the same process every time despite changes in a probe’s physical condition is what leads to costly catastrophicAdditionally,failures.ifthe probe fails the visual inspection, or the leakage test, it is going to be removed from service. In this scenario, there is no need to immerse the probe in high-level disinfectant. Ideally, upon seeing an area of concern, an end-user would perform a low-level disinfection (cleaning the probe with an approved disinfectant wipe) and remove it from service. From a comprehensive perspec tive, TEE leakage testing is designed to identify holes or openings on the probe that CANNOT BE VISUAL

20/20 LeakageTroubleshootingINSIGHTSIMAGINGTEEProbeFailures

The Fluke ULT800 uses an upper limit of 185 uA, while the BC Group ULT2020 can be programed with a user-defined value. If end-users encounter a “Leakage Too High” error message, the issue MAY be probe related. As of 2018 GE, along with requiring the second probe adaptor, raised their allowable leakage current limit to 350uA. Most GE 6VT-D probes have nominal leakage at or above 185uA. Using the Fluke meter or setting the BC Group meter’s user-defined limit to less than 350uA could result in false positive test routineTypically,results.thoseperformingTEEprobeleakagetesting are following a documented proce dure. They may not have a good, or solid, understanding of the science behind the leakage testing process or how best to troubleshoot error messages or failures. HTM profes sionals can assist their customers by not only helping them understand the testing process, but also poten tially eliminating having to remove a probe from service that has falsely failed a leakage test.

EXPERT ADVICE amps (uA), must be both, above a lower threshold and below an upper threshold. The lower threshold confirms that 1) the probe is PROP ERLY connected to the meter’s test adaptor(s), and 2) that the probe is immersed deeply enough in the test liquid. If end-users encounter a “Leakage Too Low” error message, while using the BC Group meter, the issue IS NOT PROBE-RELATED.

Innovatus provides technical support on the products that we service (ultrasound probes and MRI coils), and many tech support calls are related to TEE probe leakage testing. We’re here to assist you and your customers with this topic and others. We have visual inspection guides on our website that can be posted or used for training end-users. We can also assist with troubleshoot ing leakage test failures. For ques tions, assistance, or more informa tion, please reach out to info@ innovatusimaging.com If you have a TEE probe that has failed the leakage test, we can help! We have compre hensive repair capabilities on stan dard and 3D TEE probe models. For more information, email TedL@innovatusimaging.comator www.innovatusimaging.com/ultrasound.visit – Ted Lucidi, CBET, is a clinical, technical and commercial specialist at Innovatus Imaging.

The Fluke meter uses a very slowly flashing red “fail” LED to indicate the Insame.this scenario, problems with the set up or connectivity are indicated. Possible sources could be failed or intermittent lead wires, poor connectivity between the probe and the meter’s test adaptors, as well as the probe not being immersed, or immersed deeply enough, in the test liquid. Recently, we’ve seen a rise in false positives from customers who use GE TEE probes. Typically, TEE probes are connected to the leakage meter using a single connection. In 2018, GE began requiring the use of two probe adaptors, versus one. Without the use of the additional adaptor, users WILL intermittently encounter “Leakage Too Low” messages.Thehigher threshold is maximum leakage current permissible (as defined by the meter, not interna tional standards).

TEE Leakage Test Best Practice SEPTEMBER 2022 TECHNATION 53EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

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– Joie N. Marhefka, Ph.D. , is the biomedi cal engineering technology program coordi nator at Penn State New Kensington. Is the Future Here?

EXPERT ADVICE

Our campus recently opened The Corner, an entrepreneurial center that provides support and programming to those looking to start a business or develop entrepreneurial skills, and the Digital Foundry, which offers access to digital technologies as well as workforce training. The faculty is working to include a more fu ture-ready focus, including highlight ing digital technologies, in the curriculum of all majors, including biomedical engineering technology.

Over the past few years, Penn State New Kensington, where I teach, has been working to prepare our students for careers in the future. We have placed a focus on future-ready skills, including an entrepre neurial mindset and technologies related to Industry 4.0. Industry 4.0 is a term used to describe the fourth industrial revolution, or the digital transformation of manufacturing. Industry 4.0 technologies include automation, cloud computing, robotics, artificial intelligence, data analytics, Internet of things (IoT), additive manufacturing (3D printing), cybersecurity, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). In addition to technology fluency, future ready skills include human conscious citizenship and an entrepreneurial mindset. Many of the technologies associated with Industry 4.0 and future ready skills are applicable in fields outside of manufacturing, including healthcare technology management (HTM). Therefore, we are working to make sure that students have these skills and are familiar with these technologies by the time they graduate and are ready to start a career in their chosen field.

THE FUTURE

T he future is … here?

IoT and cybersecurity are two other Industry 4.0 technologies that were highlighted at the conference and are applicable throughout the medical device field. Medical IoT involves interconnected “things,” such as devices, monitors and sensors, that share data through the Internet. Today, this involves devices within and outside of the hospital, as telehealth becomes more common. Managing medical IoT and addressing cybersecurity issues that come with interconnectivity were the focus of many presentations and vendor technologies at the conference. It is certainly important for students to be familiar with these challenges and associated technologies as they will be essential skills in their future careers. The entrepreneurial mindset was also on full display during the AAMI Gator Tank, where several contestants pitched innovative ideas. The importance of an entrepreneurial mindset – which includes creativity, flexibility and problem-solving – extends beyond those trying to start companies or commercialize innova tions. This mindset is beneficial in any type of career, including one in HTM, so we aim to help our students to develop entrepreneurial skills, which will prepare them well for their future careers. In my classes, I plan to have my students partic ipate in an innovation challenge to complement the problem-solving focus that is already such a large component of theseOtherclasses.conference presentations discussed Industry 4.0 technologies such as 3D printing, robotics and artificial intelligence and their applications in HTM. These are additional technologies that will be integrated into jobs in the future. I will strive to make sure that my students are familiar with them upon graduation.Seeingall of these technologies and skills on display at the AAMI eXchange reinforced my belief that, not only are they essential for HTM careers in the future, but that they are already impact ing the HTM field in big ways. I’m glad that our school is embracing Industry 4.0 and future-readiness and will do my part to best prepare our students for the HTM careers of the future – a future which, in some ways, is already here.

Joie N. Marhefka, Ph.D.

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL SEPTEMBER 2022 TECHNATION 55

BY JOIE N. MARHEFKA, P h. D.

I recently attended the 2022 AAMI eXchange conference. As I was attending presentations and walking around the exhibit hall, I couldn’t help but notice the presence of many of these Industry 4.0 technologies in HTM. VR and AR seemed to be everywhere at the conference and currently have some applications in training for medical device operation and servicing. I anticipate this to become more common in the future. Several presentations and demonstrations at the conference focused on different uses of VR and AR. In my classes this past year, I had the students use VR viewers to watch 360-degree videos that I had recorded in various work locations. This gave them a chance to see equipment and experience situations that we aren’t able to replicate on campus. Moving forward, I believe that VR and AR will provide students opportunities to interact with equipment that we aren’t able to have on campus and to learn to work with devices without the fear of breaking them.

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Capital i is dedicated to supporting the three pillars of health care with support from a first-class team of leaders, experts and analysts. Together, we strive to reduce the cost of health care, increase quality of care and increase access to care. While many health care organiza tions have been picking two among affordability, quality and universality, our goal at Capital i is to help clients optimize their operations and capital spending to achieve all three.

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HTM DATA We all have seen what bad data can do to an organization for decision-making. Your HTM data is the key to ensuring patient safety and optimizing your operation. We can assist you with being brilliant at the basics and maturing your HTM program’s data. Once your data is normalized and clean, your organization can advance to building robust AEM programs and develop predictive models to better support your decision making.

Capital i’s founders have over 70 years of experience in HTM spanning medical device life cycle management, inventory management, data normaliza tion and analysis, Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), HTM compliance and supply chain management.

Connected medical devices are becom ing more prevalent. The benefits of connected medical devices are plentiful, but so are the vulnerabilities. We are here to assist your organization with supporting your IoMT. This support can be as basic as establishing a base line or as advanced as bringing us in to conduct health and wellness monitoring of all your connected devices.

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All HTM programs begin with inventory management. We will work with your team to determine what your inventory needs through an administrative review and physical inventory. Our team will also assist with on-going inventory management and innovative solutions to manage your organization’s management of mobile medical devices. Having good processes in place to maintain an accurate inventory is key to supporting patient safety and access to care.

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– Jim Fedele, CBET, is the senior director of clinical engineering for UPMC. He manages six Susquehanna Health hospitals. He has 30 years of HTM experience and has worked for multiple service organizations.

THE OTHER SIDE Is the Biomed Labor Shortage Creating Partnerships?

EXPERT ADVICE

I am certainly feeling the impact of the biomed labor shortage, recruiting has become a rather large part of my job these days. This is affecting all aspects of health care. Third-party servicers, in-house departments and even OEMs are struggling to keep positions filled. Recently, I got to enjoy some justice on an OEM who would not sell us a part to allow us to make a very simple repair. However, thanks to a staffing issue, we were able to prove what coopera tion looks like in our new world. I got a call from my lead imaging technician asking for help with a vendor that would not sell us parts. The outside case of the unit was damaged and needed to be replaced. My tech explained that the case can be replaced easily by removing a few screws and would only take a few minutes to complete. The company said that only their tech could replace the case and the cost would be an additional $6,000 for the labor. Because our supply chain people are exceptionally good at influencing our vendors, I told him it would not be a problem to solve this issue. I called my supply chain contact who manages the business category and explained the situation. She said she would get to work on solving this for us. It was not long before I got a call back from her with unwelcome news. She explained to me that because my tech wasn’t trained on the unit, they would not sell us the parts. However, my tech is trained on the unit, before we hired him, he worked for the vendor. The negotiation went back and forth between us and the vendor, ultimately the vendor discounted the labor for the installation but would not sell us the parts. Their reason was the tech had received the training five years ago and the units were now quite a bit different. An argument that I would have under stood for any other situation but not for a cracked case. We cut them a purchase order and scheduled the replacement.Asweall are aware COVID-19 has also challenged the ability to get things done in a prompt fashion. The lengthy quarantining and infectious nature of the disease can quickly cut a department’s staff in half. Factor in the labor shortage, and it feels like all of us are struggling to get things done. I am also witnessing the OEMs struggling to meet their own service contract requirements on time. As luck would have it, a few days after the OEM declared they weren’t selling us parts, one of their units failed that was under contract with us. The unit was in high demand and our customer needed it fixed immediately. We called the OEM, requested urgent service and waited for the call back. The service tech called and explained that he had COVID and would not be able to get to us for eight days. He explained that his back up would not be able to get to us for a couple of days as well. They then asked if my tech, whose training was not adequate to put covers on, could check out the unit. My mind was blown on how fast they pivoted knowing what they just did to us a few days earlier. Howev er, because of the urgency of the situation my tech checked it out and was able to fix it. Thanks to this situation our negotiation position has changed with this company. I am now using this story when working with OEMs that have not been willing to sell us parts or train our people. I do not see an end to the labor shortage we are currently experiencing. I know in our company alone 18% are age 60 and older. I have been having conversations with our more cooper ative OEM and they are experiencing the same issue. I am hopeful that this forces some long awaited coopera tion with OEMs in regards to servicing equipment.

BY JIM FEDELE Jim Fedele

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Company Info PAGEAD PARTS SERVICE TRAINING Company Info PAGEAD PARTS SERVICE TRAINING SERVICE INDEX Patient Monitors PM Biomedical pmbiomedical.com • 800-777-6467 7 P P Siella Medical siellamedical.com • 888.688.6822 67 Power System Components Interpower www.interpower.com • 800-662-2290 83 P HERORecruiting herobiz.com • 800-834-1122 64 HTM Jobs www.htmjobs.com • 72-73 AIVRefurbish aiv-inc.com • 888-656-0755 54 EliteRental/LeasingBiomedicalSolutions elitebiomedicalsolutions.com • 855-291-6703 22, 51 P Infusystem infusystem.com • (800) 658-5582 27, 35, 63 P ALCORepairSales & Service Co. www.alcosales.com • 800-323-4282 66 Elite Biomedical Solutions elitebiomedicalsolutions.com • 855-291-6701 22, 51 P P PM Biomedical pmbiomedical.com • 800-777-6467 7 P P ReNew Biomedical www.ReNewBiomedical.com • 844-425-0987 70 P P Replacement Parts Clinical Technology Solutions ctsbiomedical.com • (877) 643-6134 17,63 P Elite Biomedical Solutions elitebiomedicalsolutions.com • 855-291-6701 22, 51 P P Engineering Services, KCS Inc www.eng-services.com • 888-364-7782x11 6 P PM Biomedical pmbiomedical.com • 800-777-6467 7 P P A.M.RespiratoryBickford www.ambickford.com • 800-795-3062 66 P ReNew Biomedical www.ReNewBiomedical.com • 844-425-0987 70 P P MedigateSoftware www.medigate.io • 5 Nuvolo nuvolo.com • 844-468-8656 20 TruAsset, LLC www.truasset.com • 214-276-1280 23 SPBS,SterilizersInc www.spbs.com/ • (800) 713-2396 35 P HealthmarkSurgical Industries hmark.com • 800-521-6224 48 PM Biomedical pmbiomedical.com • 800-777-6467 7 P P AIVTelemetry aiv-inc.com • 888-656-0755 54 P P Clinical Technology Solutions ctsbiomedical.com • (877) 643-6134 17,63 P P Elite Biomedical Solutions elitebiomedicalsolutions.com • 855-291-6701 22, 51 P P Multimedical Systems www.multimedicalsystems.com • 888-532-8056 32 P PM Biomedical pmbiomedical.com • 800-777-6467 7 P P RepairMED www.repairmed.net • 855-813-8100 32 P P Siella Medical siellamedical.com • 888.688.6822 67 USOC Bio-Medical Services www.usocmedical.com • 855-888-8762 3 P P Test Equipment A.M. Bickford www.ambickford.com • 800-795-3062 66 BC Group International, Inc www.BCGroupStore.com • 314-638-3800 BC P P Life Spark Medical smarttanktester.com • 30 Pronk Technologies, Inc. www.pronktech.com • 800-609-9802 2,70 Radcal Corporation www.radcal.com • 800-423-7169 17 Southeastern Biomedical, Inc sebiomedical.com/ • 828-396-6010 57 P P CollegeTrainingofBiomedical Equipment Technology www.cbet.edu • 866-866-9027 11 P ECRI Institute www.ecri.org • 1-610-825-6000. 60 P Probo Medical www.probomedical.com • 3174947872 40-41 80 TECHNATION SEPTEMBER 2022 WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

ALPHABETICAL INDEX ReNew Biomedical www.ReNewBiomedical.com • 844-425-0987 70 P P Tri-Imaging Solutions www.triimaging.com • 855-401-4888 58 P CadmetTubes/Bulbs www.cadmet.com • 800-543-7282 54 P Tri-Imaging Solutions www.triimaging.com • 855-401-4888 58 P P InnovatusUltrasoundImaging www.innovatusimaging.com • 844-687-5100 8 Probo Medical www.probomedical.com • 3174947872 40-41 P P ReNewVentilatorsBiomedical www.ReNewBiomedical.com • 844-425-0987 70 P P SakoMED sakomed.com • (844) 433-7256 25 P P SPBS, Inc www.spbs.com/ • (800) 713-2396 35 P EngineeringX-Ray Services, KCS Inc www.eng-services.com • 888-364-7782x11 6 P Innovatus Imaging www.innovatusimaging.com • 844-687-5100 8 Tri-Imaging Solutions www.triimaging.com • 855-401-4888 58 P P P Company Info PAGEAD PARTS SERVICE TRAINING Company Info PAGEAD PARTS SERVICE TRAINING SERVICE INDEX A.M. Bickford 66 Adepto Medical 4 AIV 54 ALCO Sales & Service Co. 66 Asset Services ……………………… 76 BC Group International, Inc BC Cadmet 54 Capital i 27 CEAI Clinical Engineering Association of Illinois 71 Clinical Technology Solutions 17,63 College of Biomedical Equipment Technology 11 ECRI Institute 60 Elite Biomedical Solutions 22, 51 Engineering Services, KCS Inc 6 Healthmark Industries 48 HERO 64 HTM Jobs 72-73 Infusion Pump Repair 16 Infusystem 27, 35, 63 Injector Support and Service ……… 77 Innovatus Imaging 8 Interpower 83 Lexicon 57 Life Spark Medical 30 Mammo.com 47 Maull Biomedical Training 35 Medical Equipment Doctor, INC. 61 Medigate 5 MedWrench 46 Multimedical Systems 32 Nuvolo 20 PM Biomedical 7 Probo Medical 40-41 Pronk Technologies, Inc. 2,70 Radcal Corporation 17 ReNew Biomedical ………………… 70 RepairMED 32 SakoMED 25 SalesMaker Carts 76 Siella Medical 67 Southeastern Biomedical, Inc 57 SPBS, Inc 35 Tri-Imaging Solutions 58 TruAsset, LLC 23 USOC Bio-Medical Services 3 Webinar Wednesday 74 SEPTEMBER 2022 TECHNATION 81EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

E ach month, TechNation magazine will feature photos from throughout the industry on this page. Be sure to tag your posts with #HTMStrong and check the magazine each month to see which photos are included and what is happening in the HTM community.

an acceptance test, preventative maintenance cycle or repair.Personally I

test after every 6 months.” BREAKROOM 82 TECHNATION SEPTEMBER 2022 WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

BMET & HTM student “There is still more to learn, but fornow I’m happy to

Roman Catholic Hospital “Performance tests are typically executed using calibrated simulators across several vital sign parameters and are all

thedefibrillator works.” Jacob Burney, biomedical I at Ultimate Biomedical Solutions Jacob Burney had the opportunity to fix an Alaris 8015! FOLLOW TECHNATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA! /company/technation-magazine@TechNationMag@TechNationMag

Leevi Immanuel, biomedical engineering technician at part of prefer carrying out this

Annette Sm, know how

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TechNation Magazine September 2022

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