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offers three training models, eLearning, Hybrid and Immersion, so you can choose what works best for you. Each of our learning experiences provide the same quality training and Fully Engaged Hands-on Learning™ that RSTI students expect. Our Immersion courses are offered in person at the Radiological Service Training Institute in Solon, Ohio, while our Hybrid and eLearning classes are offered either partially or entirely online.
TechNation (Vol. 14, Issue #1) January 2023 is published monthly by MD Publishing, 1015 Tyrone Rd., Ste. 120, Tyrone, GA 30290.
PUBLISHER John M. Krieg VICE PRESIDENT Kristin Leavoy
ACCOUNT Jayme McKelvey EXECUTIVES Megan Cabot
ART DEPARTMENT Karlee Gower Taylor Hayes Kameryn Johnson
Rob Bundick, Director HTM & Biomedical Engineering, ProHealth Care
Carol Davis-Smith, CCE, FACCE, AAMIF, Owner/ President of Carol Davis-Smith & Associates, LLC
Jim Fedele, CBET, Senior Director of Clinical Engineering, UPMC
Bryant Hawkins Sr., Site Manager, Children’s Hospital of New Orleans
Benjamin Scoggin, MBA, MMCi, Director, Clinical Engineering | Biomedical Operations, Equipment Distribution, Clinical IT, DHTS, Duke Health Technology Solutions
Allison Woollford, Biomedical Equipment Specialist at Duke University Health System
MD Publishing / TechNation Magazine 1015 Tyrone Rd., Ste. 120, Tyrone, GA 30290 800.906.3373 • Fax: 770.632.9090 Email: info@mdpublishing.com www.mdpublishing.com
Proud supporters of
ome people follow in a parent’s footsteps but question the decision. That was the case with Will Axon, CBET, a biomedical equipment technician I, working in the healthcare technology management (HTM) department at Baylor Scott & White in McKinney, Texas.
Axon had a positive view of HTM from early on, but had some initial doubts after college.
“My father was a major influence getting into HTM. While I was growing up, he moved through his career as a biomed, imaging technician and HTM manager. I recall near daily conversations asking about his day and receiving detailed answers about what equipment had gone down, confrontations he deescalated, and other conversations and challenges he had. I remember how enamored I was at the thought that my dad was the guy fixing hospital equipment. As a kid it sounded so urgent and necessary: with a tool kit and rolled up sleeves, my dad was behind the scenes helping to save lives,” Axon remembers.
He took a slightly different route in college and finished with an AAS in electronics and computer controls with two supplemental certifications — electronics technician and computer controls technician. After graduating, he was met with some offers in different industries, but the health care offers wanted someone with existing experience. He thought that he might have to go in another direction and miss out on biomed.
“About one month into the search, I received a call back from a dialysis provider who offered training for technical aptitude. It was my ‘in’ into health care. My interviewer, who
turned out to be the hiring manager, invited me to an in-person interview two weeks out. I spent those two weeks in the interim becoming a dialysis expert. I had a rough start getting into the industry and I was not about to fail to earn the opportunity. As luck would have it, nothing I researched was asked about in the interview. The hiring manager liked my excitement to get into the field, I understood electronic principles, and I was eager to learn,” Axon says.
His first job was working as a BMET I for Fresenius Kidney Care covering two outpatient centers.
“My role was to maintain the hemodialysis, RO and SDS equipment while overseeing facility maintenance and clinical supply inventory. After certifying and testing into their BMET II level, I was moved into a float position where I was designated to train new biomeds, proctor annual skills validations, and assist with coverage and machine PMs for clinics in the north Texas area,” Axon says.
By his third year in the position, things became more interesting since he worked with a great team in a home dialysis program, but the concentration in one limited scope of service was a downside. Axon was eager to work on a more diverse range of equipment.
“In January this year (2022), nearly five years exactly into my career in HTM, I started my current position at Baylor, Scott and White McKinney Medical Center. Stepping down to a BMET I has been a small price for the team, scope of service and avenues for advancement I currently enjoy. From my first interview, I was upfront with my manager, Scott Gillett, that I plan to dedicate another five years to absorbing everything I can as a biomed before seeking to pivot to an imaging role (after all, Dad did it),” Axon says.
Earlier this year, he also became CBET certified and completed ultrasound certification more recently.
FAVORITE BOOK: “Norse Mythology” by Neil Gaiman
FAVORITE MOVIE: “Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse”
HIDDEN TALENT: I can juggle, but only momentarily.
FAVORITE FOOD: Homemade chicken enchiladas
WHAT’S ON MY BENCH?
• Safety Analyzer
• 32-piece driver set
• Rubik’s cube (unsolved)
• Coffee mug (filled, black) Smartphone (Spotify playing)
FAVORITE PART OF BEING A BIOMED?
“No two days are the same, there is a unique challenge and something to learn waiting for me every day I come in.”
“To keep up with the apparent evolution of HTM, and further integration of network applications of equipment, I am currently working on a B.S. in computer science and preparing to re-certify for CompTIA Network+,” Axon says.
When not repairing, maintaining and calibrating equipment, Axon likes to get outdoors along with enjoying games with friends. He also has a young family.
“I have a wife of six years, a four-year-old and a one-year-old; both boys. The one-year-old is massive. He just started walking and is already taking his older brother down in wrestling. The oldest boy is taking on a lot of my own interests, always talking about Star Wars, wanting to play with the rugby ball and Legos, and asking when he can go camping. Every day, when I come home, he asks me which doctor tools I fixed today,” Axon says.
“I plan a yearly three- to four-
night backcountry backpacking trip for an annual challenge and a second weekend hike-in or drive-up trip to bring friends and family who prefer it a little more easy-going. This spring, I took two friends on a through hike of the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park and will be taking my 4-year-old on his first camping trip this October to Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose, Texas,” Axon says.
He says that he meets with a group of friends two nights a month to host game night.
“What was supposed to be a quick demo is approaching our third year playing the Star Wars tabletop RPG (Dungeons and Dragons for space wizards). I started playing with the core of this group six years ago. We have played a few dozen board and tabletop games over the years, but Dungeons and Dragons has always been at the core of our play time. We are discussing going back to it after our current Star Wars RPG game comes to a close,” Axon says.
He also loves the game of rugby, although he hasn’t played since his now one-year-old was born. Axon says that he plans to get back into rugby once he finishes his degree.
“I started when I was 17 when I walked past a team’s practice and was asked to join. I fell in love with the sport immediately. Last winter, I took my wife and oldest son to the Dallas Jackals’ inaugural game, which was special to me because the Jackal’s manager was the coach of the first team I played with,” Axon says.
He says that he is always planning for the future, whether it’s his five-year career plan, the next camping trip or getting his kids engaged in sports and STEM projects.
Motivated by his dad’s early stories, the field could use more forward-looking HTM professionals like Axon.
“I remember how enamored I was at the thought that my dad was the guy fixing hospital equipment. As a kid it sounded so urgent and necessary: with a tool kit and rolled up sleeves, my dad was behind the scenes helping to save lives.”
nited Infusion was founded in 2014 just outside of Chicago in Mt. Prospect, Illinois. Shortly after its founding, the company relocated its headquarters to the Raleigh, North Carolina area.
The headquarters is located at 1907 Keller Andrews Road in Sanford, North Carolina. It is conveniently located between Raleigh and Pinehurst. United Infusion’s warehouse is filled with thousands of pumps located on the east end building. The biomed department is in the middle of the facility.
The company has grown over the years despite some challenges along the way.
“We have always been laser focused on infusion pumps, which has helped us weather all business storms,” United Infusion Marketing Coordinator Tia Bedenbaugh said.
Bedenbaugh provided additional information about United Infusion during a recent question-and-answer session.
A: We use our core values every day to improve the customer experience, which is trust, humble and serve. Our customer service is unique because we treat each customer as if it were their birthday every day.
A: We listen carefully to learn what each customer is looking for and help them find the right solutions to
meet their needs. We work with our clients to customize equipment and systems in ways that fit them.
Our Infusion pumps are very high quality. We send them out the door in pristine shape. We carry an extensive stock of well-known brand infusion pumps for sale, offering competitive market-rate pricing, long and short-term rentals.
We offer a flat rate on our repair services which includes preventative maintenance, calibration, battery testing and much more.
Q:
A: We have thousands of Alaris, Baxter, Hospira, Medfusion and B Braun infusion pumps ready for rental or purchase. Our part supply is stocked and prepared for quick turnaround repairs. We staff trained and certified technicians to solve equipment issues.
A: New opportunities only come around once in a while, so we are always looking for new ones. We exhibit at trade shows and conferences to keep up with all new medical equipment and industry trends. At United Infusion, we know if you don’t change you eventually die. We are here to listen and learn from the customer, so we can serve their needs. We focus on the details to ensure impeccable products and services.
The number one goal of our business is customer satisfaction.
Q: PLEASE SHARE SOME COMPANY SUCCESS STORIES WITH OUR READERS – ONE TIME THAT YOU “SAVED THE DAY” FOR A CUSTOMER.
A: Earlier this year, just before we closed for the night, one of our customers called for an expedited rental for that night. Our technicians worked hard to finish the job and a high-level employee drove two hours into the night to deliver the rental. These employees live the core value, which is to serve. The customer needed the equipment rental and we did our best to serve them.
A: United Infusion is only successful because of our people. Our employees are the biggest asset we have and can offer to our customers. We hire and develop our employees by our three core values. Which are trust, humble and serve. We are only successful because of Philip, Lisa, Jason and Bob to name a few.
A: Our vision is to become the number one resource for infusion pumps. We are honored to serve hospitals, nursing homes, home care agencies, surgery centers, testing labs, veterinary hospitals and
practices, colleges, universities, and emergency medical centers.
We understand and support our customers’ commitment to improving patient outcomes and the important contributions they make to the quality of health care.
A: We strive to be the number one resource in the health care industry for the sales and service of infusion pumps. We promise to be there for them whenever they need us, providing the best possible solutions.
We focus on the details to ensure impeccable products and services. We are out to earn our customers’ trust by being unfailingly reliable, completely transparent and enjoyable to work with. United Infusion is a company that listens and cares.
Employees consider this their home away from home! We celebrate birthdays and anniversaries. We have two annual retreats where we enjoy team bonding. We take pride in our company culture and value one another.
For more information, visit UnitedInfusion.com.
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n the southern part of Alaska, just south of the city of Anchorage, is the Kenai Peninsula Borough, a peninsula that juts out into the Gulf of Alaska. There are a series of islands nearby as well.
It is a place where you can observe the northern lights dancing in the night sky, encounter a grizzly bear or fish for halibut or salmon. Kayaking and hiking are also popular activities.
The Kenai Fjords National Park takes up a good portion of the peninsula. The Kachemak Bay State Park is next door on the southern portion of the peninsula. And that portion is also intersected with bays, inlets and waterways.
In 2020, the population of the peninsula was 58,800 and the largest city was Kenai. Close to Kenai is the borough seat of Soldotna. Soldotna is home to Central Peninsula Hospital (CPH), which serves the residents of the Central Kenai Peninsula. The full-service hospital has 49-beds (all private rooms), four surgical suites, a family birth center, 24-hour emergency department, oncology/infusion center and other services. The hospital is owned by the Kenai Peninsula Borough.
A two-technician biomed team manages the 2,700-piece medical equipment inventory. They are led by Support Services Director Richard Davidson, CHFM, CHC. The two technicians are Karen Lawrence and Craig Cumbie, CompTIA A+. The team handles duties at the main hospital as well as duties at 18 clinics and a 36-bed skilled nursing facility called Heritage Place.
Cumbie has been a biomed for nine years; most of that time spent at CPH. Lawrence has worked for the
hospital since 1987 and has been a biomed since 1998. Davidson has been with the hospital since 2005.
Cumbie says that the small team primarily provides general biomedical services.
“We also provide electronics support to facilities, do some IT work with the equipment we support, perform first call for some radiology equipment, perform product evaluations for new equipment and assist in capital planning by doing our own internal risk assessment for end-of-life equipment,” he says.
Presently, there is not much integration with IT.
“We have no integration at all between the two departments, and it presents challenges for us. We have recently started having bi-weekly meetings to encourage collaboration and keep each other aware of current issues and future projects,” Cumbie says.
Service contracts are not managed exclusively by biomed.
“Radiology contracts are managed by the radiology director. Laboratory contracts are managed by the lab director. All other contractors are managed by biomed,” Cumbie says.
“Anesthesia, sterilizers, lab and imaging are all under contract,” he says. That is possible because of the close proximity to Anchorage.
Data is collected using MediMizer CMMS.
The team has taken on additional projects and done its share of problem-solving.
“In 2019, we opened a new obstetrics unit, helped commission a cath lab, and brought a new nurse call system online,” Cumbie says.
“We have Masimo Radicals in our med/surg rooms for SpO2 monitoring and we had an issue last year where staff were removing the faceplates and taking
them to other rooms if they had a unit that was not working. The problem is that these units connect to a central monitor, and if you move a faceplate from say room 105 to 112, the faceplate from Room 105 will connect in Room 112 and show up on the central as Room 105. If you had a patient connected to this, and they started de-sating, you would go to Room 105 and possibly find an empty room. You would have no idea where the patient actually was,” Cumbie says.
He says that the faceplates have locks on them to prevent moving, but you can still pop the faceplate out with a screwdriver or key.
“After this happened, we went through the entire floor, revalidating and labeling every unit. We reported our findings through an incident report and won a safety award for it. Nursing made it clear not to remove those faceplates and to contact biomed for any issues,” Cumbie says.
The technicians encountered another issue during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic, when there was a need to monitor more patients than the central monitoring room was capable of.
“We installed two new PC monitors in the central monitoring room. We took the central monitor at our ICU nursing station, used a video splitter, and connected a KVM (Keyboard Video Mouse) to it. We had to use a video splitter to be able to have video locally. We ran ethernet into the central monitoring room to the other end of the KVM. That KVM was cascaded into an
existing KVM in that room. We ended up with the staff having the ability to control the ICU central monitor from the central monitoring room with a keyboard/ mouse and from the ICU nurses station using the touchscreen,” Cumbie says.
He says that they ran audio from the ICU central monitoring station into the central monitoring room so that they could hear the alarms, and if they turn off the display associated with the alarm, it shuts the audio off so they don’t hear alarms if it is not in use.
“It was not an ideal solution, but it was one of those ‘make it work’ situations that were common during the height of the pandemic. We had Spacelabs on site recently to prepare for an upgrade and they were impressed with our ingenuity,” Cumbie adds.
Away from work, the biomeds are involved with the newly formed Alaska State Biomedical Association.
“We also try to attend the annual AAMI convention,” Cumbie says.
For a small biomed team on a peninsula in Alaska, the technicians represent the profession well. It is a testament to their skill sets and experience.
“We have no integration at all between the two departments, and it presents challenges for us. We have recently started having bi-weekly meetings to encourage collaboration and keep each other aware of current issues and future projects.”
– Craig Cumbie
Allison Woolford
llison Woolford is among the rising stars in the healthcare technology management (HTM) community. She is an equipment technician specialist at Duke University Hospital where she is also a team leader. Additionally, Woolford is an adjunct professor at Durham Technical Community College. She was recently featured as a TechNation Professional of the Month and is a member of the 2023 TechNation Editorial Board.
TechNation recently learned more about this up-and-coming HTM professional.
Q: WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?
A: Randallstown, Maryland
Q: WHERE DID YOU RECEIVE YOUR HTM TRAINING/ EDUCATION?
A: Durham Technical Community College
Q: HOW DID YOU FIRST DISCOVER HTM?
A: I stumbled across HTM while working for the American Red Cross as a laboratory technologist.
Q:
A: As a laboratory technologist, I would test donated blood prior to it being sent to hospitals. It was critical that the equipment functioned properly. I became interested in watching the FSEs repair or PM the machines and decided to better understand the process.
Q: WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR POSITION?
A: When I am not actually fixing equipment, I enjoy working with the other departments in the hospital to help streamline the processes to get equipment installed and/or repaired.
Q: WHAT INTERESTS YOU THE MOST ABOUT HTM?
A: The advancements in technology. It is amazing to see how a device years ago was so big and cumbersome and now it is the size of a tablet. Just think about how far we can go to improve health care by enhancing medical technology.
Q: WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN YOUR FIELD THUS FAR?
A: My greatest accomplishment is being chosen by my peers to be team lead. Even though I was new to the department, they saw my potential and have faith in me to assist them in moving forward.
Q: WHAT GOALS DO YOU HAVE FOR YOURSELF IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS?
A: Take the CHTM exam, help increase enrollment into the biomedical technology program at Durham Tech and travel more.
FAVORITE HOBBY: Being outdoors. Either working in my yard, going to the mountains/beach or checking out the stars.
FAVORITE SHOW OR MOVIE: “Grey’s Anatomy” (It is fun pointing out the old equipment or inaccuracies.)
FAVORITE MEAL: Crayfish Étouffée
WHAT WOULD YOUR SUPERPOWER BE? Flying because sitting in traffic sucks.
1 THING ON YOUR BUCKET LIST: The Ultimate World Cruise by Royal Caribbean cruise
SOMETHING YOUR CO-WORKERS DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU: I am a big kid and absolutely love Disney.
Detroit produced many great cars in the 1960 and 1970s. Many of those cars are regarded today as “muscle cars” and “classics.” Some are legendary. The raw horsepower, unique styling and iconic reputation of many of those cars is the reason so many are found at car shows and classic auto auctions today.
One of those classic muscle cars from the 1960s is the 1966 Ford Mustang. It was one of the earliest “pony cars” and had a design, as a coupe, that included a longer hood and longer doors and a shorter trunk section. The car is a prized “project car” for auto enthusiasts today.
One of those enthusiasts is Scott Gillett, BSAST, CBET, manager in the healthcare technology management department at Baylor Scott & White Health in McKinney, Texas.
Gillett wanted a “driving project” car and located his 1966 Mustang about 45 minutes away from his home. For years, he wanted to own a classic muscle car, and after a long search, found the Mustang. Gillett has been a fan of car restoration since he was a kid.
“I remember my father driving a 1965 Ford F-250 my whole childhood. He had the same vehicle as long as I could remember. With that, he had to maintain it, and I was there watching and helping. My first car was a 1977 Rabbit that I paid $100 for. It needed work and he helped with things like the motor and brakes until I learned to work on them myself,” Gillett says.
He says that he has always liked older cars, and if they needed work, he saw it as a way he could
personalize them to his own liking.
“If I worked on them, I knew what was done and I could repair it the next time. I also knew more about the car and could tell if something wasn’t right or needed to be adjusted. There is a lot of satisfaction in taking a vehicle and making it road worthy,” Gillett says.
Besides the Rabbit, one of the other vehicles Gillett owned was a 1980 GMC Sierra short bed. He says that was his first V8-powered vehicle and he got a lot of practice replacing header gaskets on it.
Of all the classic Detroit muscle cars; why did Gillett choose a 1966 Mustang?
“I think the Mustang is a good project car because there are so many available parts for it. There are plenty of parts in junk yards or for sale from local sellers. The Internet has numerous websites for aftermarket parts as well,” Gillett explains.
He says that some of the original parts are hard to find if you are looking to restore it back to factory specs, but restored modified (restomod) parts are readily available.
“There were challenges locating a set of original seats. Remanufactured frames, foam, and seat covers are available, but can run into the thousands of dollars. Looking into the restomod side of building one of these cars people have put everything from modern coyote engines to electric motors in these cars. Many of the Ford cars from that time period have parts that fit in the Mustang. The motor in my car is a 302 from a later model Maverick. Many Ford Falcon parts are almost identical as well,” Gillett adds.
The drivable project car has had a lot of restorations and modifications. It has been improved substantially.
“As far as improvements I’ve done so far, I replaced all the steering components and rebuilt the
steering box. Switched out the front springs with one-inch lowered springs as well as did the “Shelby drop.” The Shelby drop is when you lower the upper control arm and move it back slightly. The rear suspension has been replaced with new leaf springs and shocks. Tires were replaced with BF Goodrich Radial T/As wrapped around classic American racing torque thrust wheels that I got from a fellow biomed, James Jumper, who has a fastback Mustang,” Gillett says.
He says that the engine was in pretty good shape when he got the car. The original 289 was replaced with a 302.
“I’ve added an electronic ignition and replaced the carburetor with a new Edelbrock 650 cfm. A new radiator and fan cool the temps down. For the interior, I replaced the 1971 Mach 1 seats with original 1966 seats. Replaced all the dash gauges with more accurate working units. A stock shifter was located to replace the bulky aftermarket shifter. A new headliner, carpet and new weather stripping are waiting to be installed,” Gillett says.
Another improvement that awaits installation is a front disc brake set with new master cylinder.
“The body is straight with almost no rust and a very sloppy paint job. The original red paint is not in that bad of shape. I’m thinking of getting it back down to the original paint and leaving it for a while. I kind of like the patina look on older cars. A good paint job can run high in the cost department and I’d like to drive it and not worry about the paint from everyday chips and dings,” Gillett says.
When not working on his Mustang, Gillett keeps busy doing the other work he enjoys.
“I’ve been in the biomed field for about 17 years now and most of my interest comes from working on things like cars in my past. I enjoy learning how things work and having the ability to repair things with my hands. I completed biomed school when I was in the Navy. A Navy Biomeds’ rating is HM (Hospital Corpsman). We used to joke in the shop saying HM stood for hospital mechanic.”
He says that now that he is in a management role, he
does not get to work on equipment as much but enjoys sharing his knowledge with his team.
“I believe it is a lot easier to build a close team having come from the same place they are at now. I can relate to them and they relate to me as we work together keeping the equipment at the hospital safe by doing what we enjoy,” Gillett says.
During 2023, the car is likely to be found at some north Texas car shows. Gillett’s advice to others contemplating a similar project is “to pick a project you are not going to get tired of. Something that reminds you of a time in your life, or a car you had when you were younger. Know what you want when you start, it’s easy to start going down rabbit holes.”
Bon Secours leaders were joined by City of Suffolk, business and community leaders on October 26 to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Bon Secours Harbour View Hospital, which will bring enhanced health care to the communities of northern Suffolk and western Hampton Roads.
The approximately $80 million, 98,000-square-foot hospital will adjoin the existing Bon Secours Health Center at Harbour View campus, creating the new Bon Secours Harbour View Hospital. This new, surgically focused hospital will include 18 medical/surgical beds and up to four operating rooms (ORs), serving as an extension of the services currently offered on the campus. Currently, the Health Center at Harbour View includes an emergency department, outpatient imaging, outpatient lab services, an ambulatory surgery center and physician practices. These services are being expanded to include a hospital with inpatient beds and operating rooms.
Bon Secours Harbour View Hospital will be built as a three-story, 98,000-square-foot addition to the existing facility, and when combined with existing services on the campus will include:
• 18 medical/surgical beds
• Up to four operating rooms
• 15-bed emergency department
• On-site lab services
• Imaging services, including CTs, MRIs and X-rays
Healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals from throughout the country are invited to attend MD Expo in Orlando, Florida in the fall of 2023. The signature HTM conference will be held October 29-31, 2023, at Caribe Royale Orlando. The MD Expo is supported by the Florida Biomedical Society (FBS).
HTM professionals can’t afford to miss MD Expo and its top-notch continuing education, packed exhibit hall and unique networking events.
MD Expo strives to provide HTM professionals with a unique, intimate and rewarding conference second to none. Clinical engineers, biomedical technicians, directors, managers, and more will gather to network with peers while they also learn about the latest technologies and advances in HTM. Find out what everyone has been talking about; this is one event you can’t afford to miss!
Highlights include:
• Industry-leading speakers covering the hottest topics in HTM, compliance, IT, cybersecurity, management and equipment service
• The industry’s most unique networking events to connect and share best practices with other leading HTM professionals
• World-class exhibit hall with the latest technology, products and services
HTM professionals may even want to block out some time to bring the family and enjoy all that Orlando has to offer before or after the conference. The Caribe Royale Orlando is a destination that offers all the connection you could ever imagine right within reach. Located only a mile and a half from Walt Disney World Resort, this is a conveniently central location to experience Orlando.
CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS IS OPEN NOW!
Find out more at MDExpoShow.com.
reLink Medical has announced the opening of a fourth center of excellence in the St. Louis suburb of Hazelwood, Missouri.
Expanding the company’s total operations space to over 250,000-square-feet under roof, the 50,000-squarefoot state-of-the-art facility supports reLink’s mission to assist health care organizations with medical equipment disposition challenges.
“Our St. Louis Location is the third new location we have opened in the past 18 months,” explains Jeremy Dalton, chief operating officer of reLink. “While continuing to grow, reLink Medical’s mission of supporting and partnering with local health care facilities continues to be forefront in our mission. This most recent expansion play allows us to further drive down the cost of logistics and support the entire medical equipment lifecycle.”
reLink currently works with over 3,000 hospitals and health care systems across the United States processing over 10,000 devices monthly between its four national centers of excellence, according to a news release. The company operates the new location in St. Louis and three logistics facilities in Baltimore, Atlanta, and its global corporate headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio. With outbound shipments slated to start on December 1, the fourth logistics hub in St. Louis allows reLink to build on its mission to advance health care by ensuring providers have the disposition and logistics support they need.
626 Holdings LLC has announced the addition of Dale Hockel Jr. as chief operating officer (COO) and Cary Lucian as chief commercial officer (CCO).
“At each inflection point of our business we have added key players to help us level up. At this point in our corporate life cycle, it is especially important to add people whose experiences are different than our own, but who fit our culture. It is important to add players who have proven themselves in fast growth environments and who have done so through organic and acquisition growth. It is also nice when they both know and love the industry we thrive in. If we want to grow even faster and acquire even more compatible organizations, we need additional leadership muscle. I am confident we have added two solid executives in Dale Hockel Jr. as our COO and Cary Lucian as our CCO,” stated Philip Revien, CEO of 626.
“I am thrilled to be joining Phil and the 626 team to be part of one of the largest imaging service organizations in health care. The entire team at 626 is laser focused on ensuring the customer is taken care of. It is great to be part of a team that is dedicated to taking care of employees and the customers they serve” Hockel said.
“The market opportunity for 626 is now. Health care organizations continue to face financial challenges and we are poised to deliver a high-value, high-quality service to our customers. I’m excited about the opportunity to be part of a team that shares a commitment to customer service and to putting patients first,” Lucian said.
Isikel Clinical Equipment Technology (Isikel CET) recently hired Michael Tripp to serve as vice president of sales.
Isikel CET is a new division to the already successful medical supply manufacturing company. This new division provides full clinical engineering services from T&M to full asset management. Its proven leadership is headlined by Ned Bowen. Bowen has more than 25 years of experience in the biomedical and imaging industry.
“We are excited to announce and welcome Michael Tripp as our vice president of sales. He is a highly talented, engaged and trusted sales leader coming over to support our new division. We look forward to his leadership and further development at Isikel for our combined growth,” a news release states.
Tripp joins Isikel CET after seven years as the director of sales at Tri-Imaging Solutions. Prior to that, Tripp worked as a regional sales manager for Philips Healthcare.
Radcal Corporation has reached an agreement with West Physics, one of the largest and most successful Medical Physics groups in the United States, to supply quality assurance X-ray testing equipment.
As part of the agreement, West Physics will purchase 43 of Radcal’s new Touch Professional series, Accu-Gold+ Touch Pro, which includes a new software-based measuring system capable of performing multiple operations with just one exposure. The agreement also includes light and multi-sensors, CTDI and scatter ion chambers, test stands, cables and carrying cases.
The first X-ray test kits have already been delivered, with additional kits to be delivered in Q4 2022 and early 2023. The additional kits will support West Physics continued expansion and ensure it has up-to-date physics gear as older units are retired.
“Our independent business nature makes our
products an attractive option for physicists around the world and we are committed to providing the most state-of-the-art, high-quality diagnostic X-ray testing equipment to ensure accurate and fast X-ray QA test results,” stated Gustavo Tuntisi, territory director of Radcal Corporation. “The Accu-Gold+ Touch Pro is the most comprehensive system in Radcal’s product line, providing a tailored solution to reliably deliver powerful and fast X-ray quality assurance testing analytics.”
“Radcal’s Accu-Gold+ Touch Pro will be an important addition to West Physics’ scientific equipment inventory as we continue to expand,” Dr. Geoffrey West, president and chief medical physicist of West Physics, said. “These new X-ray testing kits provide accuracy, reliability, and superior operating economics, and the agreement reflects our prudent approach to deploying our capital while ensuring extremely high levels of technical capability and customer service.”
Ordr has partnered with Sodexo Healthcare Technology Management to deliver a managed HTM and cybersecurity solution that combines the strengths of Ordr’s connected device security platform with Sodexo’s healthcare technology management services expertise. The combined solution – Sodexo Managed HTM Cybersecurity services built on the Ordr platform – delivers the people, process and technology that healthcare technology management (HTM) teams need to mitigate risks and secure all connected health care devices.
The Ordr platform can discover and secure everything connected – from traditional servers, workstations, and PCs, to IoT, IoMT, and OT devices. Ordr Clinical Defender is optimized for HTM teams to automate the discovery and inventory of medical devices, accelerate day-to-day tasks, identify and prioritize medical device vulnerabilities, and drive operational efficiencies with device utilization insights.
Sodexo Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) services are tailored to specific hospitals or health care systems. Sodexo’s services help optimize medical equipment inventory, advise on equipment replacement and purchases, and provide on-site maintenance and repair.
To the hospital and health care industry, United Infusion can fill in gaps by providing shortterm and long-term rental options, preventative maintenance when it’s time, equipment repairs when needed, and a wide variety of infusion pumps.
We are out to earn our customers’ trust by being reliable and providing customers complete, accurate information about infusion pumps. We listen carefully to learn exactly what each customer is looking for and help them find the right solution for their needs.
For more information, visit unitedinfusion.com.
A&G services and sells biomedical equipment such as infusion pumps, patient monitors, modules, transmitters, etc. We also work on some surgical equipment such as endoscopes, dental handpieces, ultrasound probes, power equipment, etc.
Q:
We are a women-owned business, Gabriela runs operations and I run sales. Being a small business allows our customer experience to be very customizable. We adjust prices, reports, turnaround time and even packaging to the customers’ needs. We believe that’s what set us apart from our competitors. We started A&G 4 years ago, and we’ve been growing much faster than what we thought. As far a company culture, it’s very much like a family business because that is how we feel with our staff.
For more information, visit agbiomedical.com.
As part of its ongoing mission to ensure the safe and effective use of medical devices across the health technology industry, the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAM) has launched two new and globally reaching partnerships.
An official agreement has been signed between the Mexican Hospital Consortium (CMH), TINC, and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), creating a new Alliance for Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) in Mexico.
The Alliance’s main objective is the development of six projects related to HTM within 2023, which will be implemented in the 52 hospitals affiliated to CMH:
1. Standardization of medical device nomenclatures and identification codes
2. Development of a HTM Body of Knowledge / Body of Practice
3. Development of a HTM Levels Guide for CMH Hospitals
4. Development and implementation of a HTM Maturity Model Assessment Tool
5. Development and implementation of a HTM Maturity Model Training Program
6. Development and implementation of a HTM Benchmarking
The results of these projects will provide an operational framework for CMH to generate high-impact health technology initiatives, which include the standardization of regional service providers, medical equipment mass procurement, professional certification programs, and more.
Similar health technology resources created by AAMI have helped guide the betterment of HTM practices in North America. Now, through this international Alliance, new resources shall be developed to account for Mexico’s unique
health technology needs.
“AAMI is very excited to bring our HTM Maturity Model to Mexico,” said Danielle McGeary, vice president of HTM, AAMI. “Through this joint project with CMH and TINC, together we will be able to create a mechanism to elevate and standardize the important work of clinical engineers across the country. This will lead to better operational efficiencies and increased patient safety via the use and management of health technology for all the patients CMH serves.”
TINC CMMS was born as the first computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) focused 100% on the life cycle management of medical equipment in Latin American institutions. TINC now helps more than 600 health organizations and companies to evaluate the feasibility of medical technology, make better decisions, reduce costs and increase patient safety.
The Mexican Hospital Consortium is a private hospital group of 52 independent hospitals in the Mexican Republic. These hospitals are united in a strategic alliance to improve competitiveness, strengthen operation and business development, and take advantage of the opportunities of a globalized health sector environment.
AAMI and the Global Clinical Engineering Alliance (GCEA) have announced a partnership that will allow the organizations, which are both committed to serving the global clinical engineering (CE) and the HTM communities, to jointly improve patient care experiences through the development and distribution of content and programs for their members and other health care stakeholders worldwide.
Working together, the organizations will identify ways to make AAMI tools and resources available for the international audience, as well as identify areas where the co-development of needed tools and resources can support the growth of the
field from a worldwide perspective.
“GCEA brings together a rapidly growing community of clinical engineering practitioners. Reaching that global audience is a core element of AAMI’s mission to advance safety in health technology. Our partnership with GCEA will generate more value out of the tools and resources we are already creating and bring more stakeholders with significant expertise to the AAMI community. This is a wonderful development for everyone involved,” said Robert Burroughs, chief learning and development officer at AAMI.
“With both organizations having a commitment to CE and HTM, AAMI and GCEA are natural partners. We share in one another’s mission and, like so many around the four corners of the world, we look forward to the important outcomes from this collaboration with AAMI,” said Yadin David, interim president of the GCEA, and member of its Founders Council.
Potential areas of collaboration include the translation
of AAMI materials into multiple languages, co-distribution of content created by each organization, and the development of new tools and resources designed to help the wider CE/HTM community of professionals across the world.
“The HTM/CE professions is truly an international community. By coming together, as one global community, we can raise the bar on the practices for these professionals and improve outcomes for patients all around the world,” said McGeary.
ABOUT GCEA
GCEA’s mission is to serve the international community of Clinical Engineering professionals by promoting research and sharing best practices through collaboration with health care stakeholders. Launched in 2020, the organization’s goal is “to educate and advocate through global CE alliances by serving as One Voice, for One Field, for All Patients and staff Everywhere!”
A&G Biomedical is your one stop shop for all your Biomedical and Surgical equipment needs. We are a trusted and reliable source with certified Biomed Technicians who specialize in equipment sales, repairs, PM’s, and much more. We at A&G Biomedical, are committed to offering the best service and great savings without sacrificing quality.
Healthcare Components Group (HCG) is dedicated to the design, manufacturing, and supply of quality components and solutions for the healthcare industry. HCG offers components and solutions for a wide range of mission-critical medical and dental devices including flexible and rigid endoscopes, sterilizers, exam tables and chairs, NICU equipment, and all forms of dental equipment.
“What we are excited about is identifying new verticals that we do not yet have a hand in developing and producing,” HCG National Sales Director Matt Emerson said.
TechNation recently learned more about the company in a Q&A with Emerson.
A: I believe that what makes HCG stand out is our 100 years of combined expertise serving the medical and dental industries, robust engineering facilities and precision manufacturing across the globe. We strive to offer faster product releases as well as a more streamlined purchasing experience for our global customers. Our in-house resources, processes, systems and policies backed by thorough research and meticulous engineering culminate in products that are equivalent to the OEM or better. They are more readily available while being cost-competitive with a lower overhead. Our in-house resources, dedication to the reverse engineering process and talent across the continents
are the foundation of our success in reducing the high cost of healthcare.
A: With support from our team of senior healthcare and business professionals, we have a strong commitment to working together with our customers in response to their needs, and to the ever-expanding changes in the healthcare industry. HCG is dedicated to leveraging our combined resources, robust engineering, rigorous research and development department, precision manufacturing and product control to expand into new verticals. The desire to find and identify new initiatives and offer viable solutions to the healthcare industry is at the core of HCG.
A: Our goal at HCG is always to ease the effort of sourcing components and solutions for the healthcare industry. To HCG, quality is of the utmost importance. Our manufacturing sites are ISO certified and one of our sites is an FDA medical device establishment. This dedication to quality sets us up to succeed in developing new solutions for our current and expanding customer base.
For more information, visit healthcarecomponents.com.
LIVE:
JANUARY 4 | Medigate
Save the date for this live webinar. Participation is eligible for 1 CE credit from the ACI.
JANUARY 25 | Cynerio
Save the date for this live webinar. Participation is eligible for 1 CE credit from the ACI.
All webinars and podcast are eligible for 1 CE credit from the ACI.
sponsored by Althea “Busting Myths of Contrast Power Injectors”
sponsored by Cynerio Active Attacks on Healthcare: Examples, Protections and Lessons Learned”
sponsored by MMS “The Hospitals of the Future”
Regardless of the type of health care facility you manage – a hospital, an assisted living center or an ambulatory care establishment – incident management for patient safety should be a primary focus of your organization. By taking time to assess patient safety, produce incident reports when accidents or infections occur, and understand the causes of various accidents, you can offer a better quality of care over time. That being said, it’s important to know what you can gain by finding the proper incident reporting and management system for your organization. If you want to provide better health care for your patients and support risk managers, clinicians, and other health care professionals, consider the many benefits of an effective incident management system.
There are certain accidents that might only occur once, becoming an outlier in your organization’s medical history; however, it’s more common for specific types of incidents to occur repeatedly. An effective incident management system allows you to identify trends in common medical errors as your staff inputs incident reports. Whether you encounter medication safety issues, healthcare-associated infections, or even safety issues such as frequent falls among older adults, incident reporting and management can help you identify these trends so that you can take action.
Risk management employees are tasked with a major responsibility: identifying and mitigating risks. As such, they need to have tools at their disposal that allow them to do their jobs effectively. Otherwise, the same types of incidents
will continue to occur in your facilities. An effective incident management system provides your risk management staff with the support they need to track incidents, identify the root cause, and create protocols that help health care workers avoid these incidents in the future. You should also ensure you have a system that offers desirable features, such as a central dashboard and easy-to-understand event reports.
Patient safety incidents are problematic because of the harm done to the patient, but they can also increase the risk of lawsuits. As current data shows, lawsuits are expensive. While occasional minor incidents are expected, those who continue to have accidents at their facilities may be looking at thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars to reimburse patients. Beyond improving the quality of care, incident management helps your personnel adhere to safety best practices that allow you to avoid regular lawsuits.
When you have a central system where all of your medical staff can input incident reports and access essential information, it’s easier for staff to successfully do their jobs. This is especially true for those who have multiple patients they need to see and treat. Improved human performance relies on high-tech software solutions. If you want every member of your staff to be productive and effective in treating their patients, you need an incident management system.
Although patient injury in any form is something that you wish to avoid, it can be an excellent learning opportunity for staff training. Identifying the human errors or safety hazards
that led to problematic health care can help your personnel learn more about what they need to avoid during treatment. This allows them to provide better medical care and address the concerns of patients effectively instead of repeating the mistakes that led to severe outcomes in the past. Since issues in training can be a source of patient injury, having this information to apply to protocol and internal training is another reason to adopt an effective incident management system.
If you continuously provide care that leads to injury or infection, this will inevitably damage your facilities’ reputations. The last thing you want as an organization is to be identified by health care issues rather than successes. However, you can only reduce the number of incidents with an incident management system. The sooner you identify and stop risks to your patient population, the faster you will be able to prevent bad reviews and rumors about your health care quality.
It’s important to remember that patients aren’t the only population at risk of injury and infection. Unsafe conditions, miscommunication and other circumstances can put your staff’s health at risk as well. In fact, a staff member’s injury or infection could lead to the injury or infection of a patient in their facility. Put simply, you want to ensure that both your staff and your patients are safe and secure. With an effective incident management system, you can create a better safety culture that helps your staff thrive.
Edward Nuber is the director of marketing at ECRI. This column originally appeared as a blog post on the ECRI website.
As of the writing of this article, there are over 500 listings on HTMJobs.com. There are many contributing factors that have brought the healthcare technology management (HTM) field to this critical juncture, not the least of which was known to us at least 4 years ago.
In 2018, at an Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) meeting known as Future Forum IV, it was identified that “Over the next few years, it is estimated that about 5,000 biomedical equipment technicians (BMETs) will be needed to meet the growing demand for professionally trained and experienced service professionals. At the same time, an estimated 33 degree-producing schools have closed their healthcare technology management (HTM) related programs in recent years (24 associate-level programs and nine bachelor-level), leaving only 22 accredited colleges that graduate approximately 400 BMET students each year.” If you do the math and presume that a “few years” may be three or four, we will fall somewhere between 3,400 and 3,800 HTM professionals short of our needs. I believe we can all validate this in our own experience.
So, vacant positions most likely effect the majority of HTM shops around the country. From this I would like to formulate a discussion – What is it that creates a vacancy and/or a demand in labor? Arguably, the resignation of a technician does not necessarily mean that you need to replace them. You may have closed a facility, unit or practice that decreases your overall service commitment; you may have increased the capacity of the remainder of the team through training and/or experience resulting in increased efficiency; you may have changed operational service practices that have decreased overall workload. Or maybe not. The point is that we are not obligated to replace a body for a body, but rather we are replacing lost productivity with productivity which ultimately is a measure of time and/or labor hours, not physical head count. The required observations then become, do we need more labor to satisfy production requirements, or can we find a way to decrease our required labor needs, or can we increase the productivi-
ty of the remaining team members consequently increasing labor availability, or some combination of the latter? Ultimately, with the hiring issues indicated, you will be operating with a vacancy for a while anyway, so how do you capitalize on the resources you already have?
Industry colleagues are also hiring competitors, passing the same talent between each other with limited infusion of new talent. What should we consider when trying to do more with less? Quite simply, you don’t necessarily need the staff you have to do more work (hours), but rather we need them to do more effective work (productivity). This effectiveness can manifest itself through the successful implementation of targeted process and practice improvement that is focused on those activities that are killing productivity. How do you know where your team is spending its time, or what activities are you doing that you really don’t need to be? The key is data. We have a sign up in our shop that simply reads, “If you’re not measuring, you’re not succeeding.” Success in something implies the possibility of failure. This would need to be determined by some sort of quantitative measurement.
We all measure some of the same stuff, like preventive maintenance (PM) completion rate at various times during the month, but do you know the average time it takes to complete a particular PM? Could an outlier technician benefit from training to increase efficiency? Are you investing time in performing PMs on devices whose risk and failure rate do not warrant it? Are you routinely evaluating equipment service history and making recommendations to move equipment to an alternative equipment maintenance (AEM) program? Are you developing written policy and/or procedures for those administrative or technical tasks that are particularly time consuming? Does the time required vary widely depending on the technician performing the work?
I’m certain that all the ideas above are familiar to everyone reading this article, but familiarity does not necessarily translate into practice. At various presentations around the country, I’ve had department leaders tell me that they, “Can’t get my people to do that” when referring to the implementation of new metrics and monitoring practices. Unfortunately, given the current economic state of the county and the number of eligible candidates in the industry, something will have to give – either we figure out
how to do more with less or we actually do less, and overall patient safety will suffer. With reference to the items above, here are some real-world examples of the benefit of investing in yourselves.
This topic has been getting a lot of press the past few years, but many organizations are still hesitant to implement one. I suppose there is a lot of security in the perceived limitation of liability associated with performing preventive maintenance on everything and the kitchen sink “in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations” but is there actual benefit to the time invested? TJC and CMS were nice enough to make alternative maintenance plans an option, it would be worthwhile to see if it could benefit your team.
As an example, some organizations out there still preform “preventive maintenance” on electronic thermometers. For argument’s sake, lets presume that a 1,000-bed medical center has 1,000 thermometers that all require annual inspection. What is the labor expenditure to complete this task? Each thermometer would need to be located, each would have a work order requiring documenta-
tion, and don’t forget we need to put a sticker on each one –so let’s assume 15 minutes each for paperwork, location and a thorough examination – that’s 250 hours every year or ⅛ FTE. Now ask yourself, when was the last time in the last decade a thermometer failed in a manner that did not generate an error code and prevent use? They don’t. They have dead batteries, physically broken probes, a broken display or internal errors that prevent use. At best, this process is an inventory control method. Now, apply this logic to patient monitors, infusion pumps, feeding pumps, etc. It’s a real simple formula …
FTEs Saved = (Number of equipment items) x (PM time in hours)
I’m not suggesting you don’t PM a device without sufficient evidence that such action will not adversely affect the equipment. However, just about everything out there can stand an adjustment of some kind that will reduce your labor effort and every little bit helps. It’s worth remembering that an OEM writes their PM procedures very liberally as a function of limiting liability, not necessarily with labor impact in mind.
“It’s worth remembering that an OEM writes their PM procedures very liberally as a function of limiting liability, not necessarily with labor impact in mind.”
We have an active inventory of over 32,000 devices, around 6,400 of which (20%) receive some sort of PM. We have had our AEM program in place for around 7 years and have had two TJC inspections without a single eyebrow raised as to the effectiveness of our maintenance practices. Once again, this process requires you to measure and routinely validate the effectiveness of your program based on out of cycle PM related failures and to adjust as needed. It is also important to note that, based on our metrics, we spend approximately .82 hours per PM or 5,250 hours per year or two full-time FTEs. If we extrapolate this rate to a non-AEM inventory of 32,000, we could reasonably expect to need at least 3 times the labor or 6 FTEs to accomplish essentially nothing. There are opportunities to reduce your required PM labor by investing in a through AEM program.
People don’t generally associate gathering and analyzing metrics (which takes time) and having daily huddles (which takes time) with increasing overall team productivity (reducing time), but there is something to be said for having everyone on the same page and working toward the same goal. The development of effective metrics can be a painful process but will be worth the effort. For the most part, the development, analysis and communication of metrics are a leadership function, but in our facilities, they are required by every technician to monitor a small sample of data specific to their own performance:
• Personal PM Progression (daily; 5% per day or 25% per week)
• High-Risk PM Progression (daily; must complete a HR PM every 3 days)
• Actionable Unscheduled Work Orders over 7 days old (daily)
The technicians report on this data at a short 15-minute daily huddle by simply indicating if they are Red (have a barrier) or Green (progressing as expected).
As a leader, I gather and analyze over 60 individual data points on a daily basis on both general productivity and individual performance. Of these data points, a few are extrapolated for presentation at the daily huddle:
• Unscheduled calls and calls remaining open (previous day)
• Daily PM Goal, Current PM Progression (daily), Open High-Risk PMs, Open Non-High-Risk PMs
• Open Unscheduled Work Orders, Open Actionable Unscheduled Work Order over 7 days old
• Total Work Orders Completed, Average Work Orders Complete Per Tech (previous day)
• Open Cannot Locate PM Work Orders
This may look like common management information, but the act of presenting it to the team on a daily basis and, as a group analyzing and focusing attention to areas of concern, while considering individual barriers, has an amazing effect on inspiring ownership of the entire
operational goal. There are of course other factors that facilitate individual ownership of the work such as how we divide PMs, how unscheduled work is assigned, how call is rotated, assignment to special projects, etc., but the result is that everyone on the team is a fully engaged process owner. As you can see from Figure 1, over the course of 4 years, the individual (per technician) work order production has increased from 8 to 12 work orders per day on average. Four work orders may not seem like much but consider that 4 work orders a day multiplied by 11 technicians is 44 work orders per day, 220 work orders per week, 880 work orders per month and 10,560 work orders per year, which is equivalent to 3.6 FTEs per year at 12 work orders per day. This can be directly attributed to simply monitoring basic metrics and making incremental changes to policies and processes while addressing individual barriers.
Training is another area that is often overlooked as a way to reduce time spent on technical activities, mostly because it cost hard dollars to train for a payout in soft dollars, but the ROI can be much greater. Some leaders get nervous training new hires and some fear investing too much in one technician for the same reason – retention and loss of those training dollars. Some do not acknowledge the fact that training itself can aid in retention, both long and short term, but regardless, you will get some level of return out of it. The alternative to training is either increased liability, failure rate, downtime and/or contract costs, and a decrease in staff retention. Incidentally, the cost to recruit, on board and train a replacement technician is generally accepted to be around 200% of the annual salary of the lost employee, so beyond the obvious, retention has its merits.
From a labor consumption perspective, training will increase your team’s troubleshooting effectiveness, decreasing troubleshooting, parts identification and repair times. This not only benefits your team, but the financial health of your organization in patient throughput, patient satisfaction, clinical staff satisfaction and physi -
cian satisfaction, not to mention a positive impact on overall liability. As an example, consider the replacing of a cath lab table side control which is a fairly easy process, but sometimes requires the downloading of software that can only be accessed from service mode. In order to get into service mode, you need a service key which can only be attained by going to a service school. So, the scenarios are:
No Trained FTE
• System goes down, work order is opened and dispatched. FTE places service call to vendor (may or may not require PO)
• Vendor arrives 4 hours later (minimum response) diagnoses system and orders parts (may or may not require PO or authorization)
• Vendor arrives next day after 10:30 a.m. and installs parts, provides service report.
• FTE documents service. Total administrative time – 1.5 hours. Total system downtime – 24 hours
Trained FTE
• System goes down, work order is opened and dispatched.
• FTE goes to the cath lab with in-stock part and service key, installs part and software
• FTE documents service call. Total time – 0.75 hours. Total system downtime – 0.5 hours.
In general, trained FTEs are faster, more confident and more efficient in their troubleshooting and repair efforts. As an added bonus, they can be relied on to train other techni -
cians in first-look activities. Training can be considered an investment in labor reduction.
We as a career field cannot expect a bolus of qualified and trained technicians to enter circulation in the near future. We also cannot expect a reduction in the need for qualified and trained technicians to support an increasingly complicated environment of care. We are expected to perform as efficiently as possible with the resources we still have but cannot honestly say that we are, without evaluating, measuring and training for success.
To summarize, I was at a meeting with some other leaders from around my state and I asked the question, “Do we need more people or more time?” and the answer was “Yes!” But which one do we have more control over in the current environment? I would argue that optimizing the efficiency of your current resources is much easier than controlling resources you cannot find.
Forum Participants Tackle HTM Personnel Pipeline Shortage. (2018, April 3). Retrieved from https://www.aami.org/newsviews/newsdetail.aspx?ItemNumber=5844
CyberPower Systems (USA) Inc., a leader in power protection and management products, has launched two new medical-grade products, expanding its product line for the health care industry. The CyberPower MPV615P Power Strip and the MPV615S Surge Protector are certified to UL 2930, the standard for surge protectors and power strips, which complies with the UL-defined standard for Patient Care Vicinity (UL 60601-1). The UL certification standards mean both types of the CyberPower Medical-Grade outlet assemblies are compliant for use in hospitals, clinics, group practices, private practices, laboratory or other medical facilities, and allowed for use within six feet of a patient for non-critical care applications. The new products add to the CyberPower Medical-Grade UPS (uninterruptible power supply) product line which includes three UPS models.
The CyberPower MPV615P Power Strip and the MPV615S Surge Protector feature six hospital-grade
NEMA 5-15R receptacles with locking outlet covers. The receptacles allow for greater performance than ordinary outlet assemblies, including grounding reliability, assembly integrity, strength and durability.
Additional features of the CyberPower Medical-Grade Power Strip and CyberPower Medical-Grade Surge Protector include:
• LED status indicators
• UL 2930-compliant grounding lugs
• 15-foot 12AWG heavy-duty power cords
• Keyhole mounting slots for flexible mounting and placement
The CyberPower MPV615S Surge Protector features 1560 Joules of surge protection, and fireproof MOV technology providing industry-leading protection and peace of mind.
For more information, visit cyberpowersystems.com.
ordr.net
Ordr Director of Healthcare Product Management Ben Stock and Sodexo Senior Director of IT/IS Chris Falkner shared strategies for clinical asset management and security. They shared best practices on how to start a HTM cybersecurity program, and when to complement existing resources with managed services to accelerate the program. Watching it on-demand is eligible for 1 credit from the ACI.
• “This webinar will help me by trying to implement some of the ideas that were presented.”
– Christina Taylor, BMET III
“RTLS is a Transformative Tool for Addressing Nursing and Biomedical Staff Shortages”
sonitor.com
partssource.com
PartsSource Chief Marketing Officer Kelly Starman, PIRG’s Right to Repair Campaign Director Kevin O’Reilly and Director of Technology Management/ENTECH at Banner Health Wesley Reid presented firsthand insights and experience. They shared from the front lines of the movement advocating for the common goal of patient safety and quality care. This educational webinar also included concrete examples and strategies to elevate the way HTM professionals think about right to repair, while setting the stage for a broader industry discussion. The presenters also called for increased participation from the HTM community. Watching it on-demand is eligible for 1 credit from the ACI.
• “This really confirmed that what we are doing is correct and that we aren’t the only ones doing it.”
– CHI Memorial Hospital CE Manager Harold Camp
“General X-Ray and Portable Introduction/ REACTS Remote Service”
allpartsmedical.com
During this 60-minute webinar, Sonitor Technologies Inc. CEO Matt Crane demonstrated how having the right foundational technology partners means hundreds of hours are saved and converted annually from non-value-added time of staff searching for equipment, to value-added time focused on patient care. Attendees were able to learn how to give quality care with less. Watching it on-demand is eligible for 1 credit from the ACI.
• “This one showed how to be part of the solution and reduce other people’s frustration, too.” – Thomas Lariviere, Biomed Tech, Cooley Dickinson Hospital
AllParts Medical’s GXR/IXR Modality Innovation Manager Kevin Milleson and Technical Support Specialist
Dale Laymon discussed basic X-ray and portable X-ray principles. They also introduced AllParts REACTS (Remote Education Augmented Communication Training Supervision). Watching it on-demand is eligible for 1 credit from the ACI.
•
“A perfect presentation for my entry-level folks.”
– Imaging and Medical Device Security CE Director Doug Elmore
“Leveraging Managed Services for Clinical Asset Management and Cybersecurity”
Watch these webinars on-demand
CASE YOU MISSED IT
“Reclaiming Our Right to Repair: Understanding Challenges and Taking Back Control”
The first TechNation roundtable article of 2023 explores infusion therapy and IV pumps. Several companies were contacted to comment on a range of topics from saving money to the latest IV pump technology. Participating in the roundtable article are United Infusion Biomed Tech Jason Lucas, United Infusion Biomed Tech Sydney Penman, Multi-Medical Systems Pump Team Supervisor Carlos Ramirez, Elite Biomedical Solutions BMET II Greg Seibert, AIV Inc. Vice President of Sales and New Product Development Jeff Taltavull and ReNew Biomedical Lead Technician Josh Williams, CABT.
LUCAS: Take your time. Ask yourself, “Would you be comfortable with this device on your family mem -
bers?” Servicing any medical device is crucial to patient safety, if you wouldn’t allow the device to be used on your family members then your work is not done. Spend a little extra time when servicing to make sure the device is safe and poses no risk to the patient.
RAMIREZ: IV pumps are as good as the user or biomed working on them. Make sure the device has been PMed, and in its allotted time. Also, cleaning the device before returning it back to patient use is important. IV pumps need to be accurate. Here at MMS we remind ourselves, “What if me or one of my family members needed to use this device?” It helps us always keep perspective.
SEIBERT: There are a few different types of IV pumps. Although made by different manufacturers, they perform the same basic functions. These pumps can dose large or small quantities and can run in manual or automatic.
TALTAVULL: Support is crucial. Demand on service and need for parts availability varies from OEM to
Q. WHAT IS ONE THING EVERY
OEM. Look to purchase items that offer sustainable support either by the OEM or secondary market. It is important to do the front-end research, so you are not stuck paying a backend price.
WILLIAMS: Pumps are generally simple and less overwhelming than they are often perceived. All IV pumps serve the same purpose in slightly different ways based on their point of care and intended use. A well-maintained IV pump often goes overlooked and undervalued, but health care professionals know how crucial it is to maintain accuracy when dealing with the administration of life-saving medications.
PENMAN: Biomeds can save money by renewing, reusing and recycling other parts from either units that are no longer operational or repairing and revamping parts that can still be used. Cleaning can also play a big role in revamping a unit, which allows the clearing of debris and proper function to be restored.
RAMIREZ: I believe knowing how to diagnose and trouble shoot correctly will save you cost on repairs and time. For example, I had multiple Alaris pumps reading “Channel Error.” I checked the Flash package that was installed. It was not the same as the pumps loading without issue. This meant they had gone through an update with the Flash package. Taking the extra time to look saved money and avoided having to replace the parts like an IUI and possibly the expense of a logic board.
SEIBERT: Regular PMs can go a long way in preventing major costs. For example, if a case is found damaged during a PM then the case can be swapped out before any fluid intrusion occurs. This will prevent damage to the boards. A tech/hospital can also save time and money by using a verified and ISO-certified parts and service supplier.
TALTAVULL: Work with reliable industry partners to set up a support network. Find highly qualified, ISO-certified repair alternatives that offer cost savings support in either replacement parts or flat rate repairs.
WILLIAMS: Medical professionals rely on infusion pumps 24/7, and due to the extreme usage hours, these pumps need to be maintained often for calibration accuracy. Using OEM-suggested accessories will remove incompatibility errors, reduce
technician time and help avoid costly equipment malfunctions. Buying OEM-approved accessories and keeping up with frequent calibration can mean a higher up-front cost but saves money in the long term due to unit longevity and reduced risk.
LUCAS: Advancements in technology have created an easier, more efficient maintenance procedure that results in reduced risk to the patient, usability of the device and overall value to the health care system.
RAMIREZ: Software and electrical devices go hand in hand, we are always hearing about the latest updates for IV pumps. I have noticed, for example, that software is now capable of calibrating your pressure sensors instead of having to do a manual calibration. This is very helpful considering the amount of time saved. Overall, it’s best to allow yourself some time to stay up to date on new updates.
SEIBERT: Many of these pumps can be connected to a network which can let a technician or nurse know in real time if an error has occurred. Some of the pumps can even connect to a maintenance software which will help troubleshoot and walk the tech through a full PM.
TALTAVULL: The need for continuing monitoring of OEM updates and software upgrades. Make sure you are in front of any necessary changes. Keep an eye on recalls and advisories. There have been a lot of updates in the market over the past few years. Understand what and if you need to do anything to keep your equipment up to the latest standard.
WILLIAMS: A recent change in the IV pump PM process is a shift to software-driven calibrations and maintenance. In the early days, PMs were time-intensive and susceptible to error, relying on technicians to manually measure outputs with beakers and scales. The benefits of eliminating human error and using digital measurement tools when calibrating the accuracy of these units cannot be understated.
PENMAN: Preventative maintenance is very important and should be done annually to ensure the pump is not only functional but operating as needed for the required medical setting using the pump. When a PM is performed it will also show if the pump needs
further calibration to ensure the flow rate and pressure sensors are meeting the passing standard.
RAMIREZ: Patient safety is our number one concern. I find that PMs are important because you need to know if the device you are working on is still within recommended range whether it’s electrical safety or making sure the pressure sensors are working properly so you have an accurate flow dispensed by the pump. Not only are you helping ensure the longevity of the device, but you are also ensuring patient safety as well.
SEIBERT: PMs are extremely important. The PM ensures the device is operating within the manufacturer’s specifications. The PM also gives the tech a chance to look the pump over for any damage that may have occurred since the last PM.
TALTAVULL: PMs are not only suggested but are necessary to keep your equipment running efficiently and properly. Regular safety checks, as well as calibration, are necessary on all equipment to ensure proper function. Most manufacturers prescribe frequency. Annual checks should be added for standard safety inspection.
WILLIAMS: PMs are important because they guarantee that the equipment is ready to be used on a patient and can reliably administer the exact amount of medicine or drug. Error margins for these medicines are razor thin, and the accuracy of a dosage can mean the difference between the life and death of a patient. Regular routine maintenance of IV pumps contributes to the unit’s longevity and greatly reduces errors due to flow rate, air-in-line and occlusion.
LUCAS: Pay more attention; servicing IV pumps is all about accuracy and safety. Spend a little more time and just verify that the device is operating as intended prior to returning to service.
RAMIREZ: I understand some manufacturers would like to use proprietary parts for their devices and would like for us to send the devices right back to them for repairs. If I was able to I would order parts from the manufacturer so I can repair these devices and cut the wait time, this increases patient use and efficiency for the hospital.
SEIBERT: There are great third-party options when purchasing devices and new or recertified parts. Off-site repairs and PMs can save time and money as well.
TALTAVULL: There are alternatives to the OEM when it comes to the servicing. Do your front end homework and make sure you partner with an established ISO-certified repair partner, who follows manufacturing protocols and maintains a high level of standard of service.
WILLIAMS: When selecting the correct infusion pump for your needs, consider the cost and availability of sets and frequency of PMs. Sometimes, expensive cost-of-ownership is hidden behind a lower up-front unit price. Maintaining a rigorous PM schedule with trained, reliable technicians is the most dependable way to save your equipment budget long-term.
Medical Equipment Doctor is all settled into our new company-owned offices, warehouse, and service center in Tustin, California. We are here for all your medical equipment needs: Buying - Selling - Renting - Servicing - Connecting.
Medical Equipment Doctor is all settled into our new company-owned offices, warehouse, and service center in Tustin, California. We are here for all your medical equipment needs: Buying - Selling - Renting - Servicing - Connecting.
The Doctor is in... and ready to make this the best year ever.
Medical Equipment Doctor is all settled into our new company-owned offices, warehouse, and service center in Tustin, California. We are here for all your medical equipment needs: Buying - Selling - Renting - Servicing - Connecting. The Doctor is in... and ready to make this the best year ever.
The Doctor is in... and ready to make this the best year ever.
January is National Mentoring Month; first launched in 2002 to honor youth mentoring, those who mentor and the power of these relationships. October 27 is National Mentoring Day and January 17 is International Mentoring Day. The importance of mentoring has been recognized by U.S. presidents, national nonprofit organizations and elected officials at every level.
Last October 27, the U.K. had its biggest National Mentoring Day on record with more than 170,000 organizations participating, along with the U.K. government.
A CNBC survey found that nine out of 10 workers who have a mentor, or had a mentor, are happy in their jobs. Mentoring can be most easily summed up as the sharing of wisdom.
The importance of a mentor to a trainee, mentee or protégé cannot be overstated. There is a limit to textbook knowledge and classroom training. The true bridge to success in many professions is a mentor.
The mentorship process is a two-way street. The mentor must be prepared to share his or her knowledge with the mentee. They need to be organized and thoughtful about what information and knowledge they will impart on their trainee.
The mentee must be receptive to learning. They also must be prepared with questions and an open mind. They need to show an eagerness to learn so that their mentor remains motivated to teach. There must be mutual respect between the two.
The term “mentor” is believed to have originated 3,000 years ago based on the character Mentor in Homer’s “Odyssey.” It is believed that the French author Francois Fenelon attributed the characteristics that we know today to Mentor 323 years ago. Those characteristics include “guide and instructor.”
The concept of mentoring caught on in the early 1900s around the time of World War I. That is when the organization Junior Achievement was founded. Yet, even before that, the word “mentoring” was used by author Ann Murry in her book “Mentoria: The Young Ladies Instructor.”
In its earliest use in America, the concept was mostly used to describe the mentoring of youth.
Mentoring became a common tool for teaching student teachers. In a 2013 study by Professor Peter
Hudson at Queensland University of Technology in Australia, responses from 200 teachers who were involved in a mentoring professional development program were collected.
The study found that positive relationships between mentors and mentees required “the achievement of trust and respect by sharing information, resources and expectations and by being professional, enthusiastic and supportive with collaborative problem solving.”
The experience of mentoring student teachers has application to the HTM profession. The same attributes of the mentor/mentee relationship apply. There is much to be learned from how this concept has found application in other professions.
For the biomed community, there are many questions about mentorship and its benefits to the profession.
Why does it make sense to offer a mentorship program for BMETs and healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals? Is employing a mentor strategy more valuable than on-the-job training? Is a mentorship the same as shadowing? If mentees within biomed reflect the same outlook on the experience and their jobs, as found in the CNBC survey, will they stay with employers?
At the October 2022 MD Expo in Southern California, one of the educational sessions was “Mentoring in Biomed and Health Technology Management” presented by Eben Kermit, MSEE, CCE, lead clinical applications/clinical engineer in the biomedical engineering department at Stanford Health Care in Palo Alto, California.
Kermit’s presentation was geared toward those exploring mentorship program information, those who have already established a program and, as it turned out, those interested in being a mentee.
He sees one of the primary challenges in HTM as the serious shortage of experience BMETs as appli -
“The mentee must be receptive to learning. They also must be prepared with questions and an open mind. They need to show an eagerness to learn so that their mentor remains motivated to teach. There must be mutual respect between the two.”
cants. He points to a reduction in training programs available today compared with just five years ago.
As more coverage is brought in-house, the demand for biomeds grows. That means that biomeds with specialized skills are needed.
Kermit illustrates the need for this kind of program by suggesting that a senior biomed retires from a department, leaving a gap in coverage. He says the first thing the department needs to do is get approval for funding for a replacement position. Then, the department needs to review the “off-the-shelf” job description to see if it will be accurate or if the position is a more customized role with specific duties and responsibilities.
Then, the department needs to go out and advertise or recruit or use a placement agency to bring in candidates. Then, there is a screening process. Next, when the ideal candidate if found, there is the job offer and acceptance phase, along with formal hiring and onboarding.
Now, the new HTM department member needs to learn the culture, processes and procedures, where manuals are kept and what is inbounds and outbounds for the job, and then training. This phase could take six months to a year.
This often convoluted and time-consuming process is driving the interest and utilization of mentorship programs. The standard process doesn’t always result in the most qualified candidates.
Yet, Kermit says that mentorship programs are still uncommon in HTM. He says that mentorship programs take work and resources. They have to be created; including a design and structure. He says that initially, there is a negative impact on productivity. The mentor does have their productivity slowed as they answer questions and there is still no guarantee that the mentee will work out.
Kermit says that to support a mentorship program, it requires a “champion” or “sponsor,” somebody who is at the director level or above, who is interested in solving the problems inherent in the traditional process. Without a sponsor, the implementation of a mentorship program is less likely.
Kermit also says that an organization should first look internally for growth and promotion. There should be a blueprint for developing employees internally. There should be opportunities for internships, shadowing of senior members of staff, either academic or short-course education and certifications or advanced degrees.
Mentorships also offer a path to new staff and the acculturation and orientation are “built in,” according to Kermit. He says that can also remove the burden of
entry-level tasks. There is a greater level of trust for existing and new staff. The internship is a “hand-up” and not a “handout.”
It shortens the timeline to productive status. A mentorship can have a defined period of time, so it can act as a “test drive” before hiring. It doesn’t involve firing anyone.
On the flip side, Kermit says that mentorships can take the focus off of operational tasks. There is a time commitment to designing a mentorship program. Goals and objectives must be decided on and then implemented. There is the possibility that the mentee might have technical skills, but lack other skills to work on medical equipment. There is also the need to have engagement from leadership.
As mentioned previously, there should be a sponsor or someone in leadership willing to take on the risk of a mentorship program.
To develop a working mentorship program and highlight the responsibilities of the trainee and the mentor, Kermit outlines required attributes.
What should be the first steps in developing a successful mentoring program?
“Seek an advocate/sponsor in senior leadership. It takes resources to support the mentor/mentee process and short, operational productivity will decline. Define your goals. A clear objective is required, as well as process and outcome. Use the five questions ‘Who/What/When/Where/Why’ and use SMART goal tools: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bounded,” Kermit suggests.
He again says that the lack of advocate/sponsor will prevent progress or successful outcome.
What kind of training should prospective mentors go through and what skills are important to have?
“First, knowledge and experience. Mentors should be seasoned and experienced to ‘know the ropes’ and guide the less-experienced or new-hire apprentices. A desire to teach and train. Think of a teacher who makes learning interesting, fun and relevant,” Kermit says.
What can the mentee/protégé do to enhance the experience and get the most benefit from it?
Kermit says that attitude is very important. The desire to take a risk and learn what is needed to achieve the next career path step.
“Take responsibility for learning: Take a class or attend a session to learn about the road ahead. Read books, articles, blogs and relevant resources. Include Google searches, view TED talks or industry magazines. Do your homework. Find someone who can
provide a realistic job preview. Ask to shadow someone who is already in the role/job,” he adds.
Kermit says that the mentee should make their own “luck.”
“Serendipitous conversations or interactions can happen anywhere or anytime. If you are open and aware, there is an opportunity to make things happen. Don’t be shy. Even if you are an introvert, this is the time to get over the stage fright. Even if the answer is ‘no’ or ‘not a good fit,’ you are no worse off than you are right now,” Kermit suggests.
He says that the mentee should also align their goals.
“The institution and the mentee need to have a shared view of what is relevant and important to be successful. Follow through. If you and your mentor agree on an action, follow through on the commitment; always,” Kermit says.
As is the case when planning any project or initiative, there are both steps to take in preparation and a means of measuring success.
What is an appropriate length of time for an active mentor/mentee relationship?
“Duration of mentor/mentee varies a lot and there is no single correct answer. The relationship can be a few sessions or a few months, or last during a probationary period of time. In some cases, coaches and mentees continue for years. I’m aware of several examples where the mentor/mentee collaborated writing a book, conducting a presentation at an industry meeting or created a project together. Mentor/mentees may continue into the future as colleagues and friends,” Kermit points out.
What might be some examples of milestones?
“Milestones are different depending on the role and responsibilities. These milestones need to be clear and defined. Typically, the mentor will establish the goals and path to be followed, but it is not something done in isolation. The mentee is also responsible for engagement and can add stretch goals or areas beyond the established ones,” Kermit says.
What would be a metric for the mentee/mentor? Kermit says that metrics are created and defined by the role and responsibility.
“So, I can’t tell you exactly what is required. However, the metrics should follow good academic process. First, describe the scope of learning or the learning objective. Next, establish background which may include relevance, motivation, importance or history. Present the ‘lesson.’ This is the ‘meat’ between the bread in the sandwich; the content,” Kermit says.
He provides this example: Managers can share insight on how to conduct an annual performance appraisal, guidance on how to develop an operating budget, how to handle a conflict with an employee or how to communicate praise/kudos that are specific, relevant and earned. With practice and attention, all of these are learned skills.
Kermit says that metrics are by definition; measurable.
“Determine how to do this using competency testing, either orally, written tests or skills mastery demonstration. The testing needs to be developed well in advance and shared with the mentee as an expectation for graduation or successful completion of the mentorship. This could also be taking and passing a certification like the Certified Biomedical Engineering Technician (CBET) or Health Technology Management Professional (HTMP) offered by industry accreditation bodies,” he says.
Mentorship can be a win/win proposition for both the organization and the individual when done with deliberation, focus and a positive attitude.
Kermit asks; “How do you find your way to Carnegie Hall?” “Practice, practice and practice.”
“It’s the same for mentorship; keep focused on the goals, take a risk on not getting it right the first time and do what you love; with the help, support and guidance of a coach, both the employee and the employer succeed together,” he says.
For more information, listen to Eben Kermit’s presentation at tinyurl.com/2rhs63uc.
“It’s the same for mentorship; keep focused on the goals, take a risk on not getting it right the first time and do what you love; with the help, support and guidance of a coach, both the employee and the employer succeed together.” –Eben Kermit
“ ” SAVE the DATE The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center | Houston, TX REGISTER FOR FREE AT HTMJOBS.COM
Please take a look at these opportunities to join RENOVO SOLUTIONS, the industry’s largest privately held HTM provider. We value knowledge, reliability, & integrity in our employees. If you are interested in being a part of a team that is committed to making a difference in the field of Healthcare Technology Management, we invite you to apply for one of our open positions. We are always looking for talented, passionate, hard-working people to join our team.
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The Radiology Equipment Technician I (RADT I) performs scheduled maintenance and builds a knowledge base of a variety of common medical imaging devices & systems at multiple locations. Examples of these imaging devices & systems are; Portable radiographic, portable fluoroscopic, radiographic unit digital and conventional, radiographic/fluoroscopic digital & conventional Ultrasound, etc. The RADT I also provides the following services; incoming equipment inspections, installation and calibration and repair of medical imaging devices & systems.
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Canon Medical Systems USA, Inc., a world leader in diagnostic imaging, is in search of qualified candidates to fill our open positions.
Canon Medical Systems offers a competitive salary and benefits package, we support a diverse workplace and are an equal opportunity employer. We invite you to join and become part of our Canon family.
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Field service on medical equipment at customer sites, some non-imaging, security whole body scanners, planned maintenance (PM) and installation of equipment, growth opportunities include Diagnostic Imaging field service engineer servicing multi-vendor/multi-modality equipment in hospital and other environments.
Focusing on c-arms, Digital Mobiles, x-ray systems and digital capture both DR and CR. Additional modalities to include CT, MRI, Ultrasound, and others.
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As the largest independent, technology-enabled clinical asset management company in the United States, TRIMEDX provides strategic planning and management of clinical assets to drive reduction in operational expenses, free up capital for new strategic initiatives and deliver improved safety and cyber protection. TRIMEDX was built by providers, for providers and leverages a history of expert clinical engineers to manage over $30 billion in clinical assets across thousands of locations.
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InfuSystem is a growing healthcare service provider, specializing in medical devices and related products and services for patients in hospitals, clinics, ambulatory surgery centers, and other major service centers. We provide direct payer rentals, pump and consumable sales, and biomedical services and repair, serving all 50 states and Canada. Headquartered in Rochester Hills, Michigan, we have Centers of Excellence in Kansas, California, Massachusetts, and Ontario, Canada.
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For more than a century, Piedmont Healthcare has been a recognized leader in delivering expert care. Last year, Piedmont served over 2.7 million patients - performing over 88,368 surgeries, delivering 16,746 babies, providing nearly one million outpatient encounters, completing 382 organ transplants and handling more than 627,230 emergency room visits. For most, that would be a great track record. For us, it’s a good start.
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Agiliti is a nationwide company of passionate medical equipment management experts who believe every interaction has the power to change a life. We proudly serve within hospitals, healthcare facilities, and our 90+ local service centers to ensure quality medical equipment is in the right place at the right time for effective patient care. Make an impact in healthcare and grow your career with Team Agiliti!
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This position requires familiarity with many classes of medical imaging equipment and may perform maintenance on equipment outside these specialty areas. The Customer Support Engineer II/ III ensures regulatory compliance, assists in inventory, safe use and proper handling of medical Imaging equipment.
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recently read results from a new TopResume survey and was surprised to learn that personality is one of the top three attributes (ranking behind skills and experience but above potential, education and appearance) that hiring managers, recruiters and HR professionals find most important in job candidates. That made me wonder how shy, introverted candidates can showcase their personality in a way that will make them competitive with extremely outgoing ones.
Certified professional career coach and professional resume writer Amanda Augustine, a TopResume career expert, offers several tips to help introverts who are worried they won’t be able to compete with extroverts when interviewing.
According to Augustine, introverts are especially susceptible to social burnout – also referred to as social exhaustion or introvert hangover. That, she explains, occurs when introverts have socialized beyond their limit and run out of energy. “It’s important to recognize your personal limits so you don’t run the risk of feeling overwhelmed and exhausted during your interview,” she says. “If possible, limit your interactions with others on the day of your actual interview so you can remain refreshed and feel less anxious for your conversation with a potential employer.”
Think of potential behavioral or situational interview questions. Situational interviews take an “imagine if” or “what would you do” format; behavioral ones use a “tell me about a time” or “describe an instance where you” format. “Take a closer look at the job description and consider what you’ve learned about the role to identify potential behavioral or situational questions you might be asked,” Augustine suggests. “Preparing for these questions ahead of time will help keep your interview anxiety at bay and give you an opportunity to brainstorm stories that showcase how your personality plays an important role in the way you work and interact with colleagues and clients, alike.”
Use the STAR method to prepare responses. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result.
“Think of a situation or task where you demonstrated that skill or competency; identify what actions you took to resolve the matter or accomplish the goal; and discuss the results of your actions and what you learned,” Augustine says.
Since an interview is a two-way conversation, Augustine says candidates should ask questions that will help them understand the opportunity and company culture and demonstrate what they value in a position and employer.
“This could be anything from, ‘Is the leadership team committed to promoting diversity in the workplace?’ to ‘Are there any programs in place to support employees’ mental health and well-being?’ “ she says.
Get ready for small talk. It’s a tough ask for introverts – but it can help them “seize the opportunity to build rapport with the interviewer and highlight their personality,” stresses Augustine, who says one-word answers are off the table.
If an interview asks about the weather or your weekend plans, turn it into an opportunity to explain you’re excited for the cold weather because you love to ski, or that you’re looking forward to the weekend to finish the book you’ve been reading.
Researching your interviewer ahead of time can help facilitate the small talk. “This can reveal if you have anything in common with one another, such as a shared hobby, a favorite sports team or the same alma mater,” Augustine explains. “This will make small talk feel more relaxed and allow you to demonstrate your passion and personality.”
Practice, practice, practice. Augustine suggests using tools like Interview School or working with an interview coaching service like TopInterview.
“Both of these services provide recordings of your session so you can evaluate your body language and overall delivery,” she says.
Think outside the interview. The About section of your LinkedIn profile, your cover letter, and your post-interview thank-you message all offer opportunities to let your personality shine, August says. “Don’t wait till the interview to begin showing your personality to prospective employers ... Let your LinkedIn posts, job applications and other job-search materials offer employers a glimpse of your personality before they directly speak with you.
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.
t ’s been over 35 years since our legacy company began offering MRI coil repair. It began as a result of supporting coils manufactured for our OEM partners. A few years later, a hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, inquired if we could repair an MRI coil manufactured by one of our non-OEM partners. It made excellent business sense, and the rest is history. We possessed the knowledge-base and expertise required to design, manufacture and service MRI coils. We had the engineering talent in-house, possessed the manufacturing skill sets, the machining to fabricate replacement parts, and an ISO 13485 certified quality management system and the leadership in place to assure success. Fast-forward to 2023. Believe it or not, there are still a few original employees on our team.
So, what’s the deal with developing these ultrahigh field systems? A 3T system has the potential to resolve tissue within the brain as small as 1mm. Cut that in-half (0.5mm) for a 7T system, and scanners at 10-11 T have been predicted to resolve down to 0.25mm. It will be quite some time before 7T systems are mainstream, as the ultra-high field systems cost about $10-14 million.
Reference: Above details courtesy of Nature,Nature 563, 24-26 (2018), doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-07182-7
With advancement in MRI scanner technology, so is it with MRI coil design. Greatly, greatly simplified, an MRI coil is an antenna. The coil receives minute signals from the body as the protons in the body repolarize after being exposed to an RF signal while in the magnetic field.
MRI strength is measured in Tesla (or T). The stronger the magnetic field, the greater the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Also, a stronger magnet enables the body to be imaged either 1) at greater resolution, or 2) at the same resolution, only faster. Back when we entered the ISO industry, MRI systems operated at 0.5T. Today’s health care systems utilize magnets with strengths of 1.5T-3.0T. But it’s not going to stop there. The use of ultrahigh field systems is growing. In 2017, the first 7T system was cleared for clinical use in the U.S. and Europe. There are now dozens of 7T systems in use worldwide. Currently, a 10.5T system is in-use at the University of Minnesota in their Center for Magnetic Resonance Research.
One of the challenges with coil design is capturing the tiny signals with minimal signal loss (maximum SNR). One way that this is accomplished is to place the coil as close as possible to the region of interest. The closer a coil is placed to the region of interest, the better the SNR. It’s one of the reasons why there’s such a variety of coil designs.
One of the ways that GE has increased SNR is through the use of a new coil design on its latest SIGNA systems. With the exception of a solid-design head coil, GE’s latest coils look like blankets. Although flex coils have been around for years, nothing is as revolutionary as these. The entire coil is flexible and can be totally wrapped around the anatomy. You just can’t get any closer. All of the circuitry is mounted on a flexible, very lightweight, ribbon-like, conductive material. The entire flex circuit is embedded within a non-removeable protective cover. The challenge with anything
flexible, is that the design must withstand continued flexing without compromising performance. What a challenge for the repair industry.
Although magnet strength has not increased much in the past 10 years, newer magnet designs offer increased receiver channels. Newer coil designs also offer increased receiver elements. The greater number of receivers, the greater the image resolution. The challenge with increasing the number of receivers is the need to increase the number of signal wires in an already very bulky system cable. The length of the system cable, the number of conductors, how well the cable is shielded, and how the cable is routed can influence the amount of external RF noise injected into the minute signals. As system cables are flexed over and over, they also become intermittent.
One way that Philips has addressed this challenge is through fiber optics. Philips’ latest system, Ingenia, utilizes a revolutionary coil design (dStream). dStream coils digitize the minute analog signals, received by the coil, and transmit them to the system via a fiber optic system cable. Fiber optic signal transmission results in virtually no signal loss. It also allows for increased receiver element counts without the limitations of individual analog wires. What a concept! Another new challenge for the repair industry.
Despite the radical technological and material advances within these new coil designs, Innovatus engineers have been able to develop comprehensive repair solutions. From a design perspective, many of the
components within all coils are similar … resonance circuits, filters, pre-amps, etc. How those components are configured, packaged, and the design as-a-whole is what might pose the greatest challenge.
Your Air coils can now be Air-free. Did you see what I did there, Error … Air? We are not limited by the flex circuitry within the Air coils, nor their new non-removeable packaging. As with all of our repair solutions, our engineers develop schematics, bills of materials, proprietary tools, and test procedures relative to each coil’s unique design. There is no one-size-fits-all repair. It’s a confident “Yes,” that we can repair your Air coil.
We’re happy to announce that, months ago, we dCoded the dStream coils. Our engineers have designed specialized test equipment that enables us to interrogate the fiber optics within these new coils. We’re able to assess the coil’s overall performance and address your failures. We’re also able to replace the fiber optic system cable. It’s a capability that few, if any other provider, can offer. A failed dStream coil can now be repaired for less than 5-10% of its replacement cost.
For more information on Innovatus’ comprehensive repair capabilities, or to arrange for the repair of one of these new coil designs, contact customercare@ innovatusimaging.com or call 844-687-5100.
The last thing any of us wants to do is relive the early days of the pandemic. But, in this case, I’m asking you to – so I can give you an idea who I am and what you can expect from this monthly column on medical Right to Repair.
Those early days of lockdown remain surprisingly clear in my mind. My days were likely very different from yours; I was lucky enough to be working from home rather than being in the hospitals that were the epicenter of the pandemic. But the uncertainty –about what the virus was, what it meant, how to keep myself and my family safe – and the corresponding scramble to adapt was something all of us felt to varying degrees.
As a nonprofit, public-interest advocacy organization, we at the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) were scrambling to understand how we, as campaigners, could support initiatives that would protect American lives. We pushed to get more PPE to health care workers. We called for comprehensive COVID testing and adequate funding to fight the pandemic. We worked to protect consumers from rampant price gouging on safety products such as hand sanitizer.
When we heard that biomeds were struggling to fix critical equipment, we also urged ventilator manufacturers to release ventilator repair information. And we were successful: device-makers including GE Healthcare, Medtronic and Fisher & Paykal responded to our 43,000 petition signatures by releasing technical manuals and eliminating in-person training requirements to access repair materials.
That public call was launched by my colleague Nathan Proctor, senior director of PIRG’s Right to Repair campaign, and me. For years, PIRG has been a leader in the call for manufacturers of everything from tablets to tractors to dialysis machines to provide independent
fixers with all the materials they need to fix their devices. Prior to the pandemic, much of our progress centered around consumer devices and agricultural equipment.
But in the spring of 2020, we read of hospital beds filling up as ventilators and other critical medical devices were pushed into around-the-clock use. And we knew we had to do what we could to support the front-line workers maintaining this life-saving equipment.
My first task was to get the facts of the situation from you, the biomeds, clinical engineers and healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals maintaining and fixing this equipment. Would fair repair access help make your work easier?
The answer to that question was a resounding “yes.”
I distributed a letter calling for service materials to be made available immediately to a few of the first biomeds I connected with. Within a matter of weeks, more than 500 of you had signed on.
We then conducted a survey to show the severity of the problem. Thirty percent of respondents had equipment that could not be used due to restrictions on spare parts and service information. More than nine in 10 said that they had been denied service information for critical equipment such as defibrillators, ventilators, anesthesia machines and imaging machines. And nearly half had been denied access to critical repair information, parts or service keys in those initial months of the pandemic.
Prior to this, I understood that the same repair restrictions that existed for smartphones and tractors existed for medical equipment – it had been an important part of PIRGs Right to Repair campaign. But those initial conversations with biomeds from across the country have instilled in me a new urgency with which I approach this part of the problem.
Of course, it is not a problem that suddenly appeared with COVID-19, nor is it one that will disappear as the pandemic wanes. But it did help bring the issue into the public consciousness. And I’m proud of the role that I – along with my colleagues at PIRG and so many brave biomeds including Leticia Reynolds, Nader Hammoud, Ilir Kulloli, James Helton,
This is one Right to Repair advocate’s story. I can’t wait to hear yours.
Barbara Maguire and Paul Kelley, to name a scarce few – have played to elevate its profile.
Awareness alone won’t solve the problem. We need to codify Right to Repair legislation, which will guarantee hospital and ISO HTMs (not to mention OEMs that function as ISOs by fixing other brands of equipment) access to necessary parts, manuals and service keys, on fair and reasonable terms, into law. That’s why we pushed to pass federal legislation such as Sen. Ron Wyden (OR) and Rep. Yvette Clarke’s (NY) Critical Medical Infrastructure Right-to-Repair Act, as well as state measures such as the California Medical Device Right to Repair Act, introduced by Sen. Susan Eggman (Stockton).
None of these bills have passed all the way through the legislative process. None have been signed by a governor or President Joe Biden (who happens to be a Right to Repair advocate). But we have made progress, passing through legislative committees and even the Arkansas Senate.
What is the biggest takeaway from those steps in the right direction?
It’s this: If we are going to be successful, it’s going to be because of the advocacy of biomeds, HTMs and clinical engineers like yourself. You are the subject matter experts, the ones witnessing the ways that repair restrictions risk patient safety and drive up the cost of health care. In short, you’re our not-so-secret weapon.
Every month, I’ll be sharing updates on the Right to Repair movement and opportunities for you to get involved. Signing our letter (tinyurl.com/3rma9dpj) is a good place to start.
I can’t wait to work with you to drive this campaign across the finish line. Let’s get to it.
There are many specializations in the healthcare technology management (HTM) world. That is one of the things that makes our career field so much fun and challenging at the same time. If one type of instrumentation doesn’t keep your interest, there are always different areas and specialty areas to explore. When I was an active BMET in a hospital, I enjoyed working on respiratory equipment and diagnostic imaging ultrasound equipment. One area of specialization that interested me that I never explored was dialysis equipment.
As a young technician, I was able to watch BMETs work on them in two different hospitals, but I never had the opportunity myself. At the college, we are fortunate to have two newer dialysis machines that were donated to us. Due to demand, we are working on putting together more BMET dialysis training and that will be forthcoming in the next couple of years.
As many of you know, my wife is a technical manager in the dialysis world so I often hear about the challenges the patients face and the issues with the equipment. I know that patients on dialysis are sometimes limited in where they can travel and for how long without first making plans to accommodate their treatments. Recently, I got to see and meet dialysis patients on a weeklong cruise onboard the High Seas Rally, a motorcycle rally that takes place on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship every year.
Normally, I wouldn’t go on a cruise. I thought I had had my fill while serving in the U.S. Navy. However, thanks to Law Tigers, I won the opportunity just by submitting my email to a contest in a motorcycle magazine. This was a great experience and I can’t wait to go back next year.
The High Seas Rally brings along several dialysis patients every year (this year it was 11) for a fully paid, 7-day cruise. They are able to complete their treatments onboard the ship while on the cruise. The ship has a staffed clinic with four dialysis machines, two portable water systems, a physician in charge of their care, three register dialysis nurses, a patient care technician and a biomedical equipment technician … all dedicated to those patients.
The funds for their trip are raised every year through the High Seas Dialysis Fund. I believe they already have $50,000 going toward the 2023 rally. This is a worthwhile cause and you can find out more at highseasrally.com/experience/charitable-causes.
This month, I would like to give a huge shout out to those individuals who responded to my request for help in placing the 41 graduates we have coming up in our program. This is a huge group for us and it does produce a challenge. Many of them are flexible about relocating. We make it a point to emphasize the need for flexibility before they enroll in our program. I make it a point in our fourth semester to start helping them get connected on LinkedIn, preparing a resume and working on interview skills. By the time you read this, we will be in 2023 and most of these students will be completing their internships and looking for positions. Shoot me an email at rabowles@ tstc.edu or message me on LinkedIn. If you would like, we are always interested in hosting interviews with employers here on campus. Just let me know when you would like to come and we will accommodate! Also, we will have a great turnout at MD Expo in Houston this April. Hope to see you there!
Roger A. Bowles, MS, EdD, CBET, is a biomedical equipment technology/ medical imaging technology instructor at Texas State Technical College-Waco.
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Organizations in the health care and public health sectors are facing an increasing number of ransomware attacks, often leaving hospital networks vulnerable.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) received reports of data breaches from 578 health care organizations in 2021, impacting over 41.45 million individuals. In 2022 (as of this writing) 31,705,618 patient records have been exposed or impermissibly disclosed in 63 reported incidents of 500 or more records (with a 28.3% increase month over month with an average of 59 breaches a month of total breeches) indicating that cybercriminals intend to continue carrying out cyberattacks against the health care sector in 2023.
The majority of reported data breeches resulted from unpatched or unsupported systems of known vulnerabilities. One of the largest hurdles in HTM is keeping your current and legacy systems updated with the latest in patches and updates not only to the core operating system but also the applications that run on it and their background dependencies required to run that software. Having a real time inventory of this helps but is near impossible without having an installed agent or third-party software to track this. Most healthcare delivery organizations (HDOs) often have to rely on automatic patching if approved by the medical device manufacturer (MDM) and if patches are still available. To add another layer of complexity is that new equipment is being purchased and added to the hospital network without a policy in place to denote future support of the OS, software and their dependencies. This action can be problematic and produce further work in the future. Even worse, it can increase the risk of your organization to ransomware attacks, exposes patient data and risks to patient health.
HTM should work with their C-suite management and contracting/purchasing department to develop contracting language to prohibit the procurement of systems with unsupported operating systems. Unsupported operating systems are OSes that are not supported by the manufacturer and have reached the end of the OS life cycle as published by the OS manufacturer (i.e., no further security patches will be released for the OS by the manufacturer after the OS end of life nor will be available by other methods such as extended warranty purchases from the OS manufacturer). In your contracting and purchase contract language there should be mention that, if a newly acquired medical device runs an unsupported OS, the medical device vendor must provide a support plan for the device (i.e. purchase of extended warranty from the OS manufacturer, an upgrade path to a supported OS during a set defined period of time, etc.) prior to deployment of the system. At the time of purchase, this information should be documented by the HDO’s information security officer (ISO) so they are aware and have that acceptance of risk until it meets resolution as stated in the contract before being allowed onto the hospital network.
There are some great resources provided by Healthcare and Public Health Sector Coordinating Councils (HPH SCC). One is called the Model Contract-language for Medtech Cybersecurity at healthsectorcouncil.org developed by the Cybersecurity Working Group consisting of 30 organizations in health care delivery, medical technology manufacturing, group purchasing, servicing and consulting which was then reviewed by over 320 organizations for feedback and modifications.
The model contract language contains several security and privacy agreement clauses based on industry best practices where, “Both parties need to understand their responsibilities to each other in protecting the privacy and security of the health care systems they will connect and the information required to service, store and transmit. In addition to
assigning specific responsibilities to MDMs, the model contract language outlines security safeguards, including security by design, medical device software maintenance, access, administrative, operational, technical requirements and transparency.”
Utilizing the model contract language provides HDOs contract terms that can be used as a standalone agreement of the HDO cybersecurity requirements for all contracted medical devices, services, connections and solutions. It can also be used as an addendum to already existing documents such as business associate agreement (BAA), master service agreement (MSA) and requests for proposals (RFP) for new and replacement medical systems if systems have reached end of support or end of life.
Compensating controls (network isolation via ACLS/firewalls limiting network traffic in and out of the medical device to only devices needing connection using specified ports and protocols) should already be in place for medical equipment that runs an unsupported OS. However, it is expected that this equipment will be upgraded as soon as upgrade paths are available from the manufacturer or replaced by the end of its life cycle. For your existing systems that are running outdated or unsupported operating systems HDOs, you should develop plans when systems will be upgraded or replaced to supported OS/system as part of device life cycle planning. This should be reviewed minimally once a year with an outlook and planning based on future EOL/EOS dates that have known EOL/EOS dates and reviewed with management to make sure funding and resources are available.
Some medical devices may require extensive pre-planning especially if new construction or modification to building infrastructure is required as part of that upgrade/replacement and alternative temporary stop gap solutions like temporary trailers/buildings or outsourcing of clinical services must be factored in the upgrade cost and timeline of the project. On-premise software and hardware isn’t the only thing that needs to be considered. Potential cloud computing maintenance and end of life issues such as security and support from cloud service providers, Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) must also be considered and included in forecasting maintenance and life cycle management.
One thing to be keenly aware of is that most medical systems which run a version of Microsoft Windows must know that there are several different builds or feature
pack updates associated with the Windows OS. Some of these builds are already end of life and no longer receive patches from Microsoft. Where possible, medical equipment running a Windows 10 OS should use the Windows 10 LTSC (Long Term Servicing Channel) version (the same holds true for Windows 10 IoT as well with Windows 10 IoT LTSC) which are guaranteed to receive patches and updates for 10 years after their initial release date. Your MDM should be able to confirm what version is safe to run on their system. It is good to keep up regular communications with your MDM when major releases of Windows become available.
Another consideration is inquiring with your MDM on a possible EOS extension contract allowing for continued software, OS and appliable hardware updates for an agreed upon duration and trade-in programs that can allow an HDO to replace medical devices partially or fully at discounted rates that helps mitigating life cycle costs and having knowledge of a known planned cost for future budgets.
If you are not doing this, you should also consider operating system support as part of life cycle planning for networked medical devices and systems. Operating system end of support should be a priority in your decision making when prioritizing the replacement of certain devices earlier than the standard equipment category life expectancy may indicate. This is akin to eating food with an expired expiration date or using medical supplies and medications beyond their date of safe use.
End-of-life hardware and software pose a huge cybersecurity risk to all organizations around the world. However, with an adequate understanding of the risks involved, advanced planning and help from medical device inventory tools can identify and migrate away from end-of-life hardware and software. You can have a plan for continued support of medical systems through an orchestrated response of established workflows and processes that will continue to evolve and grow with the organization.
Steven Hughes, FAC-COR FACP/PM VHA-CM, is a VISN 21 Biomedical Engineer in the VA Sierra Pacific Network.“End-of-life hardware and software pose a huge cybersecurity risk to all organizations around the world. ”
Do you consider yourself a history buff? Are you widely regarded among coworkers as an equipment aficionado? Here is your chance to prove it!
Check out “The Vault” photo. Tell us what this medical device is and earn bragging rights. Each person who submits a correct answer will be entered to win a $25 Amazon gift card. To submit your answer, visit 1TechNation.com/vault-january-2023. Good luck!
Send a photo of an old medical device to editor@mdpublishing.com and you could win a $25 Amazon gift card courtesy of TechNation !
DECEMBER PHOTO
Travenol Dialysis Model Coil Kidney Pump
JANUARY PHOTO
annual symposium, December 2-4, 2022, at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in Orlando, Florida. Over 200 attendees participated in education and networking events, including a special cocktail party benefiting Tyler’s Hope. The symposium’s finale party was held at the China and Italy pavilion inside Epcot’s World Showcase. In 2023, FBS will forego its annual symposium, joining with MD Expo to host the MD Expo Orlando, October 29-31, 2023, at Caribe Royal.
1. The Florida Biomedical Society board members gathered for a photo during the vendor reception on Friday night.
2. Inside the exhibit hall, attendees could meet with the HTM Jobs duo, or learn more about TechNation magazine.
3. Each year the FBS finale party is held at the Epcot World Showcase. This year attendees and exhibitors enjoyed dinner inside the China pavilion, then watched fireworks from Italy’s waterside. The TechNation, HTM Jobs and MedWrench team were all smiles after a great evening.
4. FBS attendees could earn CE credits by
attending classes on December 3rd. Instructors included industry leaders, like Todd Boyland of RSTI, who led an Introduction to Servicing Cardiovascular & Interventional Radiology Systems.
5. Disney is known as a family destination, so why should the FBS symposium at Disney be any different? Bryant Hawkins Sr., host of HTM on the Line podcast, attended this year’s symposium with his son, and biomed, Bryant Hawkins Jr.
6. FBS board members greeted attendees and exhibitors as they checked in for the symposium. Pictured are Ric Downs and Richard Morris.
An online resource where medical equipment professionals can find all the information needed to help them be more successful! The easy to navigate Bulletin Board gives you access to informative blogs, expos and events, continuing education opportunities, and a job board. Visit MedWrench.com/BulletinBoard to find out more about this resource. Follow MedWrench on facebook.com/medwrench & linkedin.com/company/medwrench!
Visit BulletinBoardMedWrench.com/ for more details and to register for these upcoming classes.
February 6-17, 2023
Tri-Imaging SolutionsBMET to Imaging 2
February 6-10, 2023
RSTI - GE/OEC Elite (CFD) Flat Panel
February 6-10, 2023
RSTIAquilion 16-slice Training Class
The Imaging Conference and Expo (ICE) is the only conference dedicated to Imaging Directors, Radiology Administrators, and Imaging Engineers from hospital imaging departments, freestanding imaging centers and group practices. ICE offers valuable CE credits from the ASRT and ACI (pending approval) and, keeping in line with our successful conferences in the past, offers comprehensive educational opportunities for attendees.
MD Expo strives to provide healthcare technology management professionals with a unique, intimate and rewarding conference second to none. Clinical engineers, biomedical technicians, directors and managers, procurement/asset managers and others responsible for medical technology will gather in a one-of-a-kind warm and welcoming environment to network with peers, learn the latest technologies and advances in HTM. Find out what everyone has been talking about; this is one event you can’t afford to miss!
May 11-12, 2023
April 11–13, 2023 • Houston, TX
What are HTM Mixers? Think of them as MD Expo 2.0 – a slightly modified, smaller, shorter-duration and less-crowded event that still provides valuable continuing education, networking and vendor engagement opportunities. HTM Mixers were created during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic when larger events were not possible. The mixers were a hit and served as a regional conference for HTM professionals eager to earn continuing education credits, explore solutions in an exhibit hall and network with peers.
MD Expo strives to provide healthcare technology management professionals with a unique, intimate and rewarding conference second to none. Clinical engineers, biomedical technicians, directors and managers, procurement/asset managers and others responsible for medical technology will gather in a one-of-a-kind warm and welcoming environment to network with peers, learn the latest technologies and advances in HTM. Find out what everyone has been talking about; this is one event you can’t afford to miss!
Orlando, FL • October 29-31, 2023
Soma Technology, Inc www.somatechnology.com • 1-800-438-7662
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A&G Biomedical www.agbiomedical.com • 888-890-0192
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TruAsset, LLC www.truasset.com • 214-276-1280 28
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Tri-Imaging Solutions www.triimaging.com • 855-401-4888
Maull Biomedical Training www.maullbiomedicaltraining.com • 440-724-7511 37
SakoMED sakomed.com • (844) 433-7256
Diagnostic Solutions diagnostic-solutions.com • 330-296-9729 66
Probo Medical www.probomedical.com • 3174947872 17 P P
Endoscopy
Cadmet www.cadmet.com • 800-543-7282 77 P
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Multimedical Systems www.multimedicalsystems.com • 888-532-8056 69 P
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ALCO Sales & Service Co. www.alcosales.com • 800-323-4282 44
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626 Holdings weare626.com • 800-516-0990 24 P
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Healthmark Industries hmark.com • 800-521-6224 6
A&G Biomedical www.agbiomedical.com • 888-890-0192 33 P
Adepto Medical adeptomed.com • 833-423-3786 5
AIV aiv-inc.com • 888-656-0755 70 P P
Elite Biomedical Solutions elitebiomedicalsolutions.com • 855-291-6701 29 P P
Infusion Pump Repair www.infusionpumprepair.com • 855-477-8866 16
Multimedical Systems www.multimedicalsystems.com • 888-532-8056
Siella Medical siellamedical.com • 888.688.6822
United Infusion unitedinfusion.com • 919-609-9975
AIV aiv-inc.com • 888-656-0755
Elite Biomedical Solutions elitebiomedicalsolutions.com • 855-291-6702
Infusion Pump Repair www.infusionpumprepair.com • 855-477-8866 16
Siella Medical siellamedical.com • 888.688.6822
Soma Technology, Inc www.somatechnology.com • 1-800-438-7662
USOC Bio-Medical Services www.usocmedical.com • 855-888-8762
Siella Medical siellamedical.com • 888.688.6822
RSTI www.rsti-training.com • 800-229-7784
Siella Medical siellamedical.com • 888.688.6822
Soma Technology, Inc www.somatechnology.com • 1-800-438-7662
Integrity Biomedical Services www.integritybiomed.com • 877-789-9903
USOC Bio-Medical Services www.usocmedical.com • 855-888-8762
Diagnostic Solutions diagnostic-solutions.com • 330-296-9729 66 P P
Innovatus Imaging www.innovatusimaging.com • 844-687-5100 8
KEI Med Parts www.keimedparts.com • 512-477-1500 69 P P
Online Resource
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BETA Biomed Services www.betabiomed.com/ • 800-315-7551 79 P P
Integrity Biomedical Services www.integritybiomed.com • 877-789-9903 41 P P
Jet Medical Electronics Inc www.jetmedical.com • 714-937-0809 57 P P SakoMED sakomed.com • (844) 433-7256 31 P P
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Siella Medical siellamedical.com • 888.688.6822 63
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AIV aiv-inc.com • 888-656-0755 70
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Jet Medical Electronics Inc www.jetmedical.com • 714-937-0809 57 P P
United Infusion unitedinfusion.com • 919-609-9975 4
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Software
TruAsset, LLC www.truasset.com • 214-276-1280
Healthmark Industries hmark.com • 800-521-6224
AIV aiv-inc.com • 888-656-0755
Elite Biomedical Solutions elitebiomedicalsolutions.com • 855-291-6701
Integrity Biomedical Services www.integritybiomed.com • 877-789-9903
Multimedical Systems www.multimedicalsystems.com • 888-532-8056
Siella Medical siellamedical.com • 888.688.6822
Southwestern Biomedical Electronics, Inc. www.swbiomed.com/ • 800-880-7231
USOC Bio-Medical Services www.usocmedical.com • 855-888-8762
BC Group International, Inc www.BCGroupStore.com • 314-638-3800
Pronk Technologies, Inc. www.pronktech.com • 800-609-9802
Southeastern Biomedical, Inc sebiomedical.com/ • 828-396-6010 70
College of Biomedical Equipment Technology www.cbet.edu • 866-866-9027 11
ECRI Institute www.ecri.org • 1-610-825-6000.
Probo Medical www.probomedical.com • 3174947872 17
RSTI www.rsti-training.com • 800-229-7784 7
Tri-Imaging Solutions www.triimaging.com • 855-401-4888
Cadmet www.cadmet.com • 800-543-7282
Tri-Imaging Solutions www.triimaging.com • 855-401-4888
Innovatus Imaging www.innovatusimaging.com • 844-687-5100 8
MW Imaging www.mwimaging.com • 877-889-8223
Probo Medical www.probomedical.com • 3174947872
SakoMED sakomed.com • (844) 433-7256
Innovatus Imaging www.innovatusimaging.com • 844-687-5100 8
RSTI www.rsti-training.com • 800-229-7784 7
Tri-Imaging Solutions www.triimaging.com • 855-401-4888
626 Holdings 24
A&G Biomedical 33
Adepto Medical 5
AIV 70
ALCO Sales & Service Co. 44
BC Group International, Inc 80
BETA Biomed Services 79 Cadmet 77
Capital i 69
College of Biomedical Equipment Technology 11
Diagnostic Solutions 66
ECRI Institute 42
Elite Biomedical Solutions 29
Endo Technologies, Inc. 57 Healthmark Industries 6
HTM Jobs 54
Infusion Pump Repair 16 Innovatus Imaging 8
Integrity Biomedical Services 41 Jet Medical Electronics Inc 57
KEI Medical Imaging 69
Maull Biomedical Training 37 Medical Equipment Doctor, INC. 49 Multimedical Systems 69 MW Imaging 28 Probo Medical 17 Pronk Technologies, Inc. 2, 44
Renovo Solutions 67
RSTI 7
SakoMED 31 Siella Medical 63 Soma Technology, Inc 39 Southeastern Biomedical, Inc 70 Southwestern Biomedical Electronics, Inc. 61
Tri-Imaging Solutions 21
TruAsset, LLC 28
United Infusion 4 USOC Bio-Medical Services 3 Webinar Wednesday 35
PL Ad 2022 Print ai 1 11/17/2022 3:46:12 PM
PL_Ad_2022_Print.ai 1 11/17/2022 3:46:12 PM
J oin us as we celebrate the TechNation community. You - each and every reader, Webinar Wednesday attendee, HTM Jobs user and MD Expo attendee - are the most important part of the TechNation community. Share a photo of yourself, a colleague or the entire biomed team on social media and tag it with #IamTechNation. Then, check each issue of the magazine to see yourself and all of the men and women that are TechNation.
Photo by Kelley M. Harris, M.S., CHTM
A lovely meal was shared by outgoing and incoming Clinical Engineering Association of Illinois leaders. Great people sharing great ideas! Looking forward to building upon the momentum and excitement of this CEAI community.
Photo by Anthony Masseur
The IPA-3100 is a highly accurate, easy-to-use, compact, single channel analyzer. It incorporates an intuitive interface with a full color 4.3” touch screen. Our patented design uses a dual syringe stepper motor driven system that provides continuous monitoring of the fluid flow.
