TechNation Magazine June 2020

1technation.com

Vol. 11

ADVANCING THE BIOMEDICAL / HTM PROFESSIONAL

JUNE 2020

14 Company Showcase

Elite Biomedical Solutions

20 Department of the Month

The Primary Children’s Hospital Clinical Engineering Department

52 Roundtable

Education & Certification

77 Roman Review

On Self-Quarantine

Healthcare Technology Management Professional

/helth-kair tek-nol-uh-jee man-ij-muhnt pruh-fesh-uh-nl/ noun noun: hero; plural noun; heroes

1. key member of the healthcare delivery team, ensures highest standards and best practices in medical device safety, security, and functionality 2. an educated, driven person who is admired for courage, outstanding acheivements, and noble qualities.

As we navigate through unprecedented times, thank you for the invaluable support you provide to healthcare facilities.

Your commitment is nothing short of heroic.

YOUR INFUSION PUMP SUPPORT PARTNER FOR OVER 30 YEARS

call: 877.266.6897 visit: aiv-inc.com

710A

SafeTest 50 Electrical Safety Analyzer Lightweight, portable and tough, the SafeTest 50 is the ultimate low-cost electrical safety tester...

Service & n Calibratio from available L Tampa, F

A tough, durable and universal entry-level safety analyzer to test all medical and laboratory devices that do not need patient lead testing.

• Robust, portable & easy-to-use • Simple, push button operation • Point-to-point testing • Meets NFPA 99, IEC 60601, IEC 62353 & IEC 61010 requirements • Current consumption & frequency • 20A socket • Universal voltage input • Enclosure leakage • Ground leakage

Download our FREE guide to IEC 60601 today at: seaward-groupusa.com/IEC60601

For more information or your FREE online demonstration, visit:

seaward-groupusa.com/safetest50

THE FUTURE, WITHIN REACH On-screen images are simulated.

Sony delivers HDR with four times the resolution at virtually the same price as HD.

The future of surgery has just arrived with our 4K HDR monitor. With four times the pixels of Full HD, the 4K screen is a revelation in tissue detail – while Sony’s advanced upscaling delivers sharp, natural rendering of HD sources in 4K resolution. High Dynamic Range elicits more information from strong highlights and deep shadows. The 27-inch diagonal size is just right for drop-in replacement. There are multiple inputs including DisplayPort™. Even the price is a welcome sight. Thanks to Sony, the future has never looked brighter.

LMD-X2705MD 4K Surgical Display, 27” (diagonally)

See more at ampronix.com/sony

PREMIER PRICING AVAILABLE 15 Whatney Irvine, CA 92618

|

Toll Free: (800) 400-7972

|

Intl: +1-949-273-8000

|

www.ampronix.com

Healthy Devices.

Healthy Outcomes.

Nuvolo’s Promise of a Fully Connected Workplace empowers healthcare organizations to keep their medical devices healthy.

Optimized Healthcare Technology Management • Take the Pain out of Joint Commission and DNV Audits • Successfully implement AEM Programs • Provide a mobile application for field service technicians • Protect connected medical devices from Cyber Security risks • Enable data-driven decisions with powerful reporting and analytics • Configure safety and recall automation (for ECRI and RASMAS)

Nuvolo’s modern solution provides extensive reporting and analytics with customizable dashboards already built for HTM professionals.

To learn more about our modern solution, contact us at sales@nuvolo.com or visit us at nuvolo.com.

SIMPLE SOLUTIONS FOR

COMPLEX DEVICES

Contact Us Today for All Your Device Needs!

SIMPLE SOLUTIONS FOR

PATIENT MONITORING PARTS • PATIENT CABLES

MANUFACTURERS

PHILIPS • GE • COROMETRICS SPACELABS • MINDRAY • DATEX-OHMEDA WELCH ALLYN • MASIMO • NELLCOR

20 MORGAN • IRVINE, CA 92618 CALL: 1.855.888.8762

CARE FUSION • SECHRIST

VISIT: USOCMEDICAL.COM ISO 9001:2015 Certified

TECHNOLOGY HAS ADVANCED SIGNIFICANTLY IN RECENT YEARS.

Has your repair provider?

At Innovatus Imaging, our team of experienced engineers develop sustainable repair solutions for your ultrasound probes and MRI cols through careful technical analysis and design development. We are proud to offer a true repair solution for many of the most complex models including 3D volumetric probes, where the only other alternative is often a very costly replacement.

We provide full repair solutions on over 100 of the most popular probe models and over 800 MRI coil models. We also have very significant repair solutions available for Philips X7-2t, X8-2t, X5-1 and GE 6VT-D and repair is always more budget-friendly than replacement.

Innovatus Imaging: As advanced as the imaging devices you support INFO@INNOVATUSIMAGING.COM or call us at 844-687-5100 Chat with our experts live at InnovatusImaging.com email us at

Centers of Excellence for Ultrasound and MRI Coil Repair, Radiography, Design and Manufacturing

CONTENTS

FEATURED

52

HE ROUNDTABLE: T EDUCATION & CERTIFICATION TechNation recently contacted HTM experts to find out more about education and certification opportunities. We quizzed the panel about education opportunities and asked them to share their thoughts on certification.

58

WHICH CERTIFICATION IS RIGHT FOR YOU? TAKING YOUR GAME UP A NOTCH The list of certifications for those in the HTM profession has grown over the past four decades. The list has expanded in recent years as connectivity and information storing have increased. Is certification necessary? Is it a job prerequisite? Is it a career accelerator? TechNation explores these questions inside.

Next month’s Feature article: Equipment Disposition

Next month’s Roundtable article: IV Pumps

TechNation (Vol. 11, Issue #6) June 2020 is published monthly by MD Publishing, 1015 Tyrone Rd., Ste. 120, Tyrone, GA 30290.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to TechNation at 1015 Tyrone Rd., Ste. 120, Tyrone, GA 30290.

TechNation magazine is dedicated to providing medical equipment service professionals with comprehensive, reliable, information concerning medical equipment, parts, service and supplies. It is published monthly by MD Publishing, Inc. Subscriptions are available free of charge to qualified individuals within the United States. Publisher reserves the right to determine qualification for a free subscriptions. Every precaution is taken to ensure accuracy of content; however, the information, opinions, and statements expressed in the articles and advertisements herein are those of the writer and/or advertiser, and not necessarily those of the publisher. ©2020

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

9

CONTENTS

INSIDE Departments

PUBLISHER

John M. Krieg

VICE PRESIDENT

Kristin Leavoy

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Jayme McKelvey Megan Cabot

ART DEPARTMENT Jonathan Riley

Karlee Gower

Amanda Purser EDITORIAL

John Wallace Erin Register

CONTRIBUTORS

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

DIGITAL SERVICES

Cindy Galindo Kennedy Krieg

CIRCULATION

Lisa Lisle Jennifer Godwin

WEBINARS

Linda Hasluem

ACCOUNTING

Diane Costea

EDITORIAL BOARD

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

P.12 SPOTLIGHT p.12 Professional of the Month: Kenneth Shearer, CBET, CET: Supporting a Good Cause p.14 Company Showcase: Elite Biomedical Solutions p.18 GEMS Helps Fight Battle Against COVID-19 p.20 Department of the Month: The Primary Children’s Hospital Clinical Engineering Department p.24 Biomed Adventures: Changing Lives in Guatemala P.29 p.29

p.36 p.38 p.40

INDUSTRY UPDATES News and Notes: Updates from the HTM Industry Ribbon Cutting: Twilight Medical AAMI Update ECRI Update

P.45 p.45 p.46 p.48 p.50

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

P.62 EXPERT ADVICE p.62 Career Center p.64 20/20 Imaging Insights, sponsored by Innovatus Imaging p.67 The Future p.68 View on Value p.72 Telehealth’s Perfect Storm,

sponsored by Medigate p.75 The Other Side p.77 Roman Review P.79 BREAKROOM p.79 Clean Up Contest p.81 Did You Know? p.83 The Vault p.84 MedWrench: Where In The World Is Ben C.? p.94 Flashback p.89 Service Index p.93 Alphabetical Index

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

10

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

Proud supporters of

Like us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/TechNationMag Follow us on Twitter, twitter.com/TechNationMag

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

Summer Term 1 Starts July 27. Enroll Now!

/CBETCOLLEGE

/CBETCOLLEGE

SPOTLIGHT

PROFESSIONAL OF THE MONTH Kenneth Shearer, CBET, CET: Supporting a Good Cause

BY K. RICHARD DOUGLAS

N

ew Jersey has been one of the hardest hit states in the COVID-19 pandemic. Many biomeds in the state saw their hospital’s resources tapped out. The proximity to New York City, and the impact on the entire East Coast, all contributed to the increased state of readiness required in hospitals throughout the state.

One of those hospitals is Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Browns Mills, New Jersey. The hospital began as a tuberculosis sanatorium and pulmonary center in 1922, so its experience with treating the lungs and the heart includes a long history.

Today, the hospital offers “leading edge surgical techniques and non-surgical alternatives for diagnosing and treating all forms of cardiac, vascular and pulmonary diseases in adults, congenital and acquired heart defects in adults and children,” according to its website.

It is the only cardiac and pulmonary specialty hospital in New Jersey.

Kenneth Shearer, CBET, CET, a BMET 3 in the hospital’s biomedical engineering department experienced the additional urgency brought on by the pandemic.

Shearer did not enter the HTM field directly, but spent time working on

12

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

consumer electronics for several years as groundwork before entering the biomed profession.

“I came into the biomedical instrumentation field through the ‘back door.’

I was trained and CET-certified in electronics through a home study course and worked in consumer electronics for 10 years fixing everything from stereos, televisions, VCRs and microwaves to refrigerators and air conditioning,” he says.

Shearer says that he was fascinated with how electronics were applied to the health field.

“I started in consumer electronics, which was amazing, but seeing it applied to the health field to help with treatment and diagnosis is really something special. I’m still amazed and learning something new every day,” he says.

That consumer electronics experience was also what first got him into the door at a hospital.

“I was first hired at a hospital to fix and maintain all the televisions, the television system, pillow speakers, and security cameras and whatever else I could get my hands into,” Shearer says.

“My supervisor at the time offered a small clinical unit for me to take and I jumped at the opportunity. After a couple of years, I took on more respon-

sibility and soon became a full-time biomed. I studied and learned everything I could and became CBET certified in 2010. I let that expire and took and passed again in 2019. I had some awesome coworkers that mentored me and challenged me to become better,” Shearer adds.

The many years in consumer electronics allowed Shearer to leapfrog into a BMET 2 position and then eventually become a BMET 3. He does not have a particular specialty, but describes himself as a “jack-of-alltrades.”

HELPING KIDS SMILE There can be no better way to spend time away from work than volunteering your time and skills. This pursuit has taken Shearer from New Jersey to Central and South America.

“I went on three Operation Smile missions. I went to Cali, Colombia; Manizales, Colombia; and Managua, Nicaragua. Each mission was 10 days in length. I was in charge of all the equipment that we brought. I had to unpack and check all the equipment, set up the OR rooms, manage the gases, and pack all the equipment back up when we were done. They were long days,” Shearer says.

He helped out in all areas from

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

SPOTLIGHT

BMET 3 Kenneth Shearer is seen with Mark Williams, Ana Diaz, Garry Chamberlain, Kamlesh Patel and Randy Cremer.

Kenneth Shearer is seen with his family.

transporting patients to running for supplies.

“I helped out wherever I was needed. I even helped the local biomed of the host hospital fix their equipment. I remember in Cali that they had a new C-arm that they couldn’t get running, and I was able to get it running by the end of the week. It was really great to be a part of those missions and seeing all those children with their new smiles,” Shearer says.

He says that he was also part of a neonate ECMO team.

“We would build the circuit in a sterile field. Then we would saline prime and then blood prime the ECMO circuit. We were responsible for making sure the ABG stayed perfect until the surgeon was ready for the circuit,” he says.

“We would move our cart into bedside position and then hand the lines to the surgeon for hookup. I was on call a lot and

Kenneth Shearer played a key role as part of a neonate ECMO team.

even missed my daughter’s birthday party one year as I was paged as we were leaving the house to go to it. The ECMO team was a great experience because we did more than the normal biomed work and duties,” Shearer adds.

The great outdoors is Shearer’s favorite environment. That includes staying active.

“I love being outdoors, whether I’m coaching my daughters’ softball team, fishing, hunting or training our dog,” he says.

He says he has an awesome wife and two beautiful teenage girls and a dog; Hunter.

Shearer is a good example of how a biomed’s skills can be applied to help people outside their immediate community. From working on VCRs to helping kids in another country find some happiness is a good example of heading in the right direction.

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

FAVORITE BOOK:

“Life at Full Draw” by Chuck Adams

FAVORITE MOVIE:

“Step Brothers,” but really any comedy movie.

FAVORITE FOOD:

I like everything, but Shake and Bake chicken and Stove Top stuffing is up there.

FAVORITE PART OF BEING A BIOMED:

Always being challenged. Satisfaction that you helped somebody. Nothing better than being able to help the doctor or clinician so they don’t have to inconvenience somebody by canceling a case or procedure.

WHAT’S ON MY BENCH? • • • • •

Diet Pepsi Flashlight Reversible PartsSource screwdriver The spider box scare prank Copybook

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

13

SPOTLIGHT

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

COMPANY SHOWCASE ELITE BIOMEDICAL SOLUTIONS THE SHIELD YOU KNOW. THE SHIELD YOU TRUST. It was a Monday morning. Rumors had been transpiring for weeks leading up. Experts had warned.

Whispers raised questions, “What is going to happen?” “Is this true?” Just as the first morning coffee was poured, the executive team was called for a meeting. News of COVID-19 had infiltrated the U.S. health care industry. Hospitals buckled down and Elite customers called in. As the Elite executive team met, it was apparent what needed to be done.

A CALL TO ACTION A plan centered around both the state of Ohio and the Centers for Disease

14

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines in protecting and preventing the spread of COVID-19 was immediately developed and implemented. Increased sanitization, social distancing and internal restructure became our new normal.

A CALL TO OHIO MANUFACTURERS Pursuant to the executive order as issued by the state of Ohio, Elite Biomedical Solutions LLC was deemed an “essential” company. As a health care device manufacturer, Elite answered Governor Mike DeWine’s urgent request in this battle against COVID-19. We provided letters to the suppliers we are partnered with, in order to justify their need to remain

open for business as a critical supplier to Elite.

Our CEO spent time on conference calls with the Ohio Manufacturing Association listening to “key” speakers, such as Lt. Governor John Husted and other experts in the field. As a USA manufacturer, we were able to quickly respond to the call by a) developing a plan to manufacture six months of inventory in-house, b) contacting our customers to outline our game plan, and c) increasing hours of operation to ensure the continuation of medical supply delivery.

THE GAME PLAN Symptoms and temperatures were monitored daily. Policies became

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

SPOTLIGHT

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

flexible in order to permit our employees to stay home while sick. All incoming shipments were quarantined for 24 hours. In addition to this, Elite employees were assessed, evaluated and placed into three different platoons. Both Platoon A and Platoon B were deemed “essential” workers needed in assembly, manufacturing, repair services, customer service and quality. We equally split these essential employees into two separate platoons, then into two separate rotations (3.5 days on and 3.5 days off) on different schedules. Platoon C was a combination of those employees who could work remotely as well as what was defined by CDC as “high risk.” The three-platoon system accomplished several objectives: a) protect our employees by thinning the teams out,

b) creating greater than 6-feet social distancing, and c) ensuring that if we had an employee get sick, Elite had two more platoons that could fill in the gap.

WHAT KEPT US GOING Working diligently to support and provide for all our customers fighting on the frontlines, our employees took on the challenge. We knew of customers, family members, friends and neighbors risking their health for the sake of others. It was our honor to serve them.

As a team we counted our blessings, pulled up our bootstraps and united to support these fearless individuals. The morale of the team was and always is crucial. With the extreme safety measures and new schedules much of the “ordinary” was gone. Positivity, proactive leaders and individual

accommodations helped. However, at the end of the day we had a job, we had a roof over our heads, we had our health and we had a purpose to serve others and that … that was enough.

WHAT WE LEARNED As a collective, the nation’s health care industry was tested. Opening the gaps, pushed to capacities and placed in the limelight individuals, hospitals, communities and companies came together to fight. No amount of competition or difference stood a chance. Because where there is darkness, there is light. Where there is pressure, there is growth. And where there is tragedy, there is triumph.

For more information visit elitebiomedicalsolutions.com

“ We knew of customers, family members, friends and neighbors risking their health for the sake of others. It was our honor to serve them.”

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

15

NEED TO REPLACE A DAMAGED HAND CONTROL CABLE? PN: 101063 & 101064 Used on GE/OEC Hand Control assembly P/N 00-901627-02 and 5448522. New round molded cable (USA) with OEM core connector parts. Cable extends to 20 foot.

We have dedicated 33 years to providing quality, completely repaired and/or rebuilt medical cables to our customers. Our completely repaired cable provides you a significant cost

hand control cables

savings over a new OEM replacement assembly. Through distributors or direct. In-house cable replacement available.

NOW AVAILABLE

Call us: 330.425.9279 X.11 | Visit us: www.eng-services.com

Empowering the Engineer Providing the medical equipment service market with repair parts, technical training, technical support and refurbished equipment.

Setting the Industry Standard Setting the industry standard for after-market repair parts, technical training, and technician support

FACILITY

CERTIFIED

SPEED

EQUIPPED

SUPPORT

60,000+ square foot facility used for parts repair, quality assurance testing, and hands-on technician training.

ISO 13485:2016 certification from registrar Orion for its imaging parts, equipment and training services.

Quick access to airport and courier service available to ensure your equipment gets to you quickly.

21 equipment bays (many with multiple systems) utilized for quality assurance testing and technician training.

The Tri-Imaging support team is available 24/7 with no contract required.

SOLUTIONS

Our mission is to help lower the cost of health care by providing cost-effective, high quality imaging parts, real-time technical support, service support, and technical training.

Call: 855.401.4888 | Visit: triimaging.com | Email: sales@triimaging.com Located in Nashville, TN • ISO 13485:2016 certified

SPOTLIGHT

GEMS HELPS BATTLE COVID-19 PANDEMIC G

ilbert Exposition Management Services (GEMS), longtime trade show partner of MD Expo, has its own story to share during the global COVID-19 pandemic. In an effort to prevent the overflow of hospitals and health care facilities, GEMS helped construct off-site hospital locations for COVID-19 patients. The first project in Detroit, Michigan, resulted in the build of 1,000 patient rooms, and the second project in Novi, Michigan, requested another 1,100 rooms. As a part of these efforts, GEMS was deemed an essential business.

GEMS Managing Partner Chance Lutz provided TechNation an inside look into these projects and how GEMS is placing itself on the frontlines of battling COVID-19.

Lutz explained their start-up process on the construction of off-site hospitals.

18

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

“GEMS has an office as a decorator at the TFC Center, formally known as the COBO Hall, in Detroit, Michigan,” said Lutz. “We heard rumors on Friday that this was a possibility at the center, so we started the process of securing the equipment needed and the logistics for transporting the items from our locations in Detroit, Orlando, Dallas and Las Vegas.”

Even though they had not yet been awarded the bid, Lutz and his colleagues knew they wanted to be a part of the meaningful project. “When the facility heard we had already started to make moves at our own cost, they allowed us the opportunity,” noted Lutz. On the next Tuesday, only a few days after the go-ahead, Lutz and the team began the build.

Throughout these projects, GEMS experienced many achievements, as well as some challenges.

“With a project like this, something that has not been done before, you face a lot of unknown obstacles,” said Lutz.

“Timelines, safety, types of materials used, labor willing to do the job, what company can or is able to do what part of the build and trying to find materials during this economic shutdown were all challenges we faced. GEMS was able to meet the timeline set for us to have the rooms completed by and also assist with numerous additions before the deadline.”

When asked if there were any concerns about any risk involved during the construction process, Lutz answered, “There was always a concern in the back of everyone’s mind as we were fighting an invisible enemy that nobody really had answers for. We all took the necessary precautions provided by FEMA and wore all the PPE equipment we could find. When there was a

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

SPOTLIGHT

shortage of facemasks, the community came together and made some for the workers. It was truly amazing to see how many people wanted to help in any way they could.”

GEMS built 1,000 rooms at the TCF Center and 250 rooms in Novi, Michigan.

“The second build in Novi was stopped at 250 rooms, as it was only 40 miles from Detroit, and the rooms there were far from being filled,” stated Lutz. “We took this as a good sign, perhaps that social distancing is working and we are winning this battle. Although nobody can predict the future, and nothing is guaranteed, we were on the front lines and have heard the rumblings that the worst is over.”

Lutz noted that while they did not personally meet any biomeds during their portion of the build, there were many qualified Army Corps of Engineers who planned in advance and during these builds.

“Really this was a team effort, not only from GEMS but from carpenters, plumbers, electricians, Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA, the TFC facility staff and all of the doctors and nurses,” Lutz concluded. “The assistance and support of the local community was beyond amazing.”

TechNation is proud to highlight GEMS as part of the essential businesses in the United States that are doing their part to combat this global pandemic.

For more news updates on COVID-19, visit 1technation.com.

GEMS helped construct hundreds of hospital rooms like the one seen above.

QUALITY Parts, Equipment & Accessories ECG Cables & Leads SpO2 Cables & Sensors NIBP Cuffs & Hoses Mounts, Brackets, Stands IBP Cables Keypads Consumables

1.800.GET.SOMA

Disposables Foot Switches Hand Controls Fiber-Optic Cables Rollers & Belts Printer Paper Overlays

Touchscreens Transducers Temperature Probes Headbands Mattresses & Pads ...and MORE!

www.SomaMedicalParts.com

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

Direct: 860.578.1033 Info@SomaMedicalParts.com JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

19

SPOTLIGHT

The Primary Children’s Hospital Clinical Engineering Department contributes to the healing of pediatric patients.

DEPARTMENT OF THE MONTH

The Primary Children’s Hospital Clinical Engineering Department

BY K. RICHARD DOUGLAS

F

or more than 95 years, Primary Children’s Hospital (PCH) in Salt Lake City, Utah has operated by a simple philosophy; “The Child First and Always.”

PCH is one of 24 hospitals within the Intermountain Healthcare system.

The 289-bed facility is a Level I pediatric trauma center and a part of Intermountain Healthcare that “cares for children with complex illness and injury, including organ transplants and complex birth defects,” according to its website.

In addition to the main hospital, there is also the Wasatch Canton Pediatric Behavioral Health campus, which has 23 inpatient rooms and serves about 40 patients at a time through its day treatment program, as well as two offsite rehab clinics.

One department within PCH that is contributing to the healing of the hospital’s pediatric patients is the in-house clinical engineering department.

The motto; “The Child First and

20

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

Always” has not been lost on the CE department.

“The CE team is fully engaged with this philosophy and it drives the quality of our work. Some of the team members have had their own children cared for here and have an emotional attachment to the hospital. When we return serviced equipment for use, we do so as if it would be used on our own children,” says Brian Bowles, supervisor of clinical engineering.

The department supports more than 11,000 medical devices including 27 anesthesia machines, 14 sterilizers, 209 ventilators, including 19 unique models, nurse-call, overhead paging and Life Flight neonatal and infant transport.

There are 10 technicians in the department, including Bowles. He reports to Scott James at a regional level and Mike Busdicker at a system level.

Scott James is the clinical engineering director, north, and oversees hospitals in northern Utah with an office at McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden, Utah. Mike Busdicker is the clinical engineering system director.

Other team members include Clinical Engineer IIIs Bob Coombs, Marty Davis, Bill Engar, Michael Levesque, Donn Rogers, David Snieder, Mark Toronto and Ramsey Worman along with Clinical Engineer I Jordan Gale.

The team not only is aware of the status of the equipment in their immediate inventory, but also across the entire system.

“Our CMMS program encompasses every Intermountain Healthcare clinical engineering department. We can view work orders and equipment across the system. This becomes particularly useful when devices move between facilities,” Bowles says.

He says an example of common devices that move between facilities are infusion pumps.

“Inventory is moved based on need.

Once a device is moved, its bar code is scanned to update the location of the device. If the device in question moves during the PM cycle, we are able to view that in the CMMS and reassign the open PM work order to the technician in the

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

SPOTLIGHT respective CE department of the facility who is assigned infusion pumps,” Bowles says.

“Our team members are self-starters, who enjoy a great deal of autonomy.

Each member manages his own workload, including balancing schedules across the calendar and updating asset properties in the CMMS,” Bowles adds.

The team believes in adding value to the hospital that they serve. They do this by remaining customer-focused, staying organized and efficient, making certain they are being cost effective and always working to keep updated through consistent training, he explained.

One result of this philosophy is the team’s PM completion rate, which is over 98 percent.

“I attribute our high PM completion success rate to: workload balancing, organizing like devices into single PM cycles, meticulous updating of device locations with equipment bar-code scanning, careful note taking, updated in the database, using available networking tools, such as the EMR (electronic medical record), bedside monitor network scans and the infusion pump wireless network combined with the EMR and preparation – ordering scheduled replacement parts, PM kits and batteries in advance of upcoming PM cycles,” Bowles says.

RENUMBERING AND ALIGNMENT One recent project that the crew helped with was to update the room numbers in the facility to be more intuitive, along with updating the associated equipment and systems for each room.

“The team is currently engaged in a hospital room re-numbering project. Over the years, the facility has undergone many changes through construction and department reconfigurations. The result is a room numbering system that has become less way-finding friendly for the patients and visitors we serve. Hospital leadership has decided to address the concern, so it is more intuitive,” Bowles says.

He says that from a CE perspective, this project entails a great deal of preparation and well-planned execution, as the go-live dates for each phase must align with signage and work being done by the hospital’s IT team. CE’s areas of

responsibility in the project include reconfiguring each bedside monitor and shuffling central monitors and network switches to align with the new department configurations. They are also working with the EMR team to ensure that bedside monitors are configured to reflect the new room numbering system.

Bowles says that they are reprogramming the nurse-call system to align with the new room numbering system and reprogramming the automated overhead paging system to reflect the new room numbering system.

“PCH has an automated overhead paging system that uses programmed WAVE files to annunciate events such as Code Red and Code Blue. For example, when a code-blue button is pushed in a patient room, the automated system announces the Code Blue and the location of the event,” Bowles says.

“Our team is also involved in ongoing construction projects, including the demolition phases – removing medical devices and system hardware from areas under construction – and the finishing phases (replacing medical devices and system hardware such as nurse call),” Bowles adds.

In addition to the renumbering project, the team has helped problem solve, with team members contributing to help the hospital and clinicians.

“One problem-solving story that stands out to me is related to the Life Flight transport department. The department uses an oxygen-air proportioner (blender) on their transport incubators to deliver medical gases to their patients in transport.

They had a need to view gas-source

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

pressures displayed on the front of the incubator,” Bowles recounts.

He says that, as might be imagined, it is imperative to ensure blended medical gas concentrations are accurate, particularly in neonatal patients.

“If the air source is not supplying gas, the patient will receive 100 percent O2, which can cause permanent eye damage in neonates. They approached Ramsey Worman to provide a solution. Ramsey developed two digital gauges, which he integrated into the front panel of the incubator that monitored medical gas supply pressures at the input of the blender,” Bowles says.

He says that the team has also been involved in educating frontline patient care providers.

“For example, Donn Rogers has provided formal documented training to our surgical services staff on device checks and user-level troubleshooting techniques for anesthesia machines,” Bowles says.

“We have developed a user accessible web page that offers ‘quick tips’ for commonly encountered device troubleshooting on devices such as thermometers and how to activate bedside monitor functions. The format is PowerPoint slides with pictures and concise instructions. The web page born out of some of the often-repeated work orders we were seeing with a goal of empowering caregivers, reducing labor demands on our department and minimizing downtime of devices,” Bowles adds.

This special biomed department is helping to bolster the good outcomes for pediatric patients in Salt Lake City and beyond.

Ramsey Worman works on a Life Flight incubator.

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

21

VISUALLY INSPECT WITH REMARKABLE CLARITY The FIS includes a distal �p composed of a light source and camera lens at the end of a 110cm flexible sha�, which features gradua�on marks. The Flexible Inspec�on Scope is a perfect tool to get a visualiza�on of any poten�ally soiled device. So�ware is included and allows viewing and recording.

FIS-005SK 110CM LONG 2.0MM DIAMETER

FIS-006SK 110CM LONG 1.3MM DIAMETER

HEALTHMARK OFFERS MANY OPTICAL INSPECTION TOOLS TO SUIT YOUR NEEDS

MAGIC TOUCH MAGNIFIER

HANDHELD MULTI-MAGNIFIER

MADE IN AMERICA MAGNIFIER

HEALTHMARK INDUSTRIES CO. | HMARK.COM | 800.521.6224 | HEALTHMARK@HMARK.COM

4X LED MAGNIFIER

Now, more than ever, you need to maximize availability and visibility of key medical device assets

www.cybermdx.com

We ONLY use OEM Parts!

Providing support services and quality rebuilt equipment for over 19 years!

BIOMED DEPARTMENTS…

EQUIPMENT PURCHASERS…

• Our technicians repair circuit boards, pump mechanisms and LCD screens at the component level.

• We sell and rent the highest quality refurbished infusion pumps available.

• Look to Select for BEST IN CLASS Pricing, Quality and Turnaround Time.

• We work with you to provide tailored solutions specific to your equipment needs.

• Our IOT experience ensures we can help with your M2M connectivity issues.

Contact us today! www.selectbiomedical.com 866.559.3500 Information@selectpos.com Select also buys equipment. Call us if you have surplus pumps or monitors to sell. We offer top dollar!

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

23

SPOTLIGHT

Melissa Wilke was part of a team that delivered care to Guatemala.

BIOMED ADVENTURES

Changing Lives in Guatemala

BY K. RICHARD DOUGLAS

F

or many people in the developing world, the need for medical intervention might go unanswered if not for the donation of time and medical equipment by big-hearted clinicians and support personnel. Many of those volunteers come from the United States.

One recent example was a team of 14 who traveled to Jalpatagua, Guatemala in February to perform 76 surgeries over the course of five days. Among the volunteers was a surgeon, residents and other core members, but the 2020 trip was the first one to include a biomed.

Melissa Wilke, CBET, a clinical engineering specialist at Gundersen Health Systems in La Crosse, Wisconsin, was the first HTM professional to join the group on one of its trips to Guatemala.

“I was chosen to come on this trip by surgeon, Dr. Dave Rowekamp, who started this annual trip 11 years ago. Dr. Rowekamp is a retired surgeon from

24

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

Winona Health. He would often stop in throughout the year to pick up donations for the mission trip. I was working as a biomed at Winona Health. My primary responsibility at Winona Health was supporting the OR. It was through the need of equipment evaluation and repair that Dr. Rowekamp’s path crossed into mine,” Wilke remembers.

She says that over the years, she would help repair and acquire equipment for Rowekamp to bring to Guatemala.

“At one point he told me, ‘When your kids get a little older, we could really use your help in Guatemala.’ He was patient while my expertise and kids continued to grow. Then, it came to be my time to join the team. It was with much excitement and comfort of knowing others that have gone before me that made my decision to go a little easier,” Wilke says.

Wilke says that there is another surgeon on the team who has been going on the trip for the last nine years.

“His name is Dr. Micahel Sarr from Mayo Rochester and he is extraordinary.

Melissa Wilke holding a tray that Willie Hahn and she modified so that multiple peel packs can be processed at one time.

Dr. Sarr and I only knew each other through email, text and phone calls before the trip. So, it wasn’t until we were in Guatemala that I could see how great he truly was. He and Dr. Rowekamp are both genuinely concerned for others and always put everyone else’s needs first.

Unfortunately for this trip, Dr. Rowekamp had a family emergency and was unable to come,” Wilke says.

She says that Sarr and his wife had every detail of the trip planned out.

OVERCOMING A FEW CHALLENGES The team flew into Guatemala City, a more populace urban area and spent the night before heading out the next day to San Juan Bautista Regional Hospital in Jalpatagua.

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

SPOTLIGHT “Once we left Guatemala City, road maintenance and rules of the road seemed to be non-existent. The drive from Guatemala City to Jalaptagua went from a massive city, with hotels and big box stores, to small, poor villages with houses that looked like they could crumble under a strong wind,” Wilke says.

She says that fruit stands were dotted alongside the road.

“Sometimes, there would be fried chicken being sold as well. The drive was also very scenic. Beautiful rolling green hillsides, coconut and avocado trees, sugar cane fields, it was magnificent.

Again, I had the feeling of a child. I didn’t know where we were going, how long it would take to get there or what it would be like when we did arrive,” Wilke says.

She says that the hospital is one of four buildings laid out in a square with a beautiful, inviting courtyard in the center.

“On one side of the hospital is a women’s recovery ward and the other side is the men’s recovery ward. Directly across from the hospital and between the two wards, is a tranquil and serene little chapel and the dorm,” Wilke says.

As the first biomed to make the trip, Wilke had to pre-plan based on the information she was given about what to expect.

“I had to bring everything I thought I would need to repair and test equipment.

Bringing tools was no problem. It was the test equipment that was going to be the obstacle. Test equipment is expensive.

Typically, most hospitals don’t have an extra ESU or flow analyzer laying around.

Even if our hospital did, the equipment is too bulky to bring along. We each already had two extra suitcases full of surgical supplies. Which begs the question, how do you troubleshoot issues with question-

able ESU output or anesthesia machine flow issues? Well, you do what you can with the experience and knowledge you have. Sometimes it’s enough and other times it’s not. And that’s just the way it is,” Wilke says.

She says that everyone on the team was already in the mindset; how can we get by to make this work with the little that we have?

“It is not the same level of expectation that it is back home in our ORs. Everyone knows we are working with equipment that may or may not be fully functional, but we still have to find a way to meet in the middle. Patient safety is consistently at the forefront of everyone’s concern and is never compromised. Still it is a situation that leaves you feeling helpless. To make me feel better, I started an inventory and noted what needed to be repaired or replaced. This gave me peace of mind to communicate back to the team to plan for next year’s trip,” Wilke says.

Beyond the challenge of questionable equipment, there were some other issues the team encountered.

“A challenge that we face in the OR is unstable power. There is a retired engineer that has also been going on this trip for the past decade, Willie Hahn.

With his brilliance he started bringing voltage stabilizers to plug the ESUs in to.

The ESUs are sensitive and would experience line fluctuations. This would cause the ESUs to fail and they would frequently replace them. Now that they had the stabilizers, the ESUs were going to be fine, or so we thought. The voltage stabilizer had 220 and 110 outlets on it and one of the nurses inadvertently plugged the ESU into the 220. The ESU started smoking,” Wilke says.

Day 1: OR Setup/ Testing/Fixing

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

She says that, unfortunately, she wasn’t able to repair it because it melted several components.

“The team didn’t realize that the ESU was plugged in to a 220 outlet. So, when they got a replacement ESU, they plugged it into the same outlet. This time when they turned it on it just blew the fuses. We were able to go to a hardware store in Jutiapa – a town an hour away – to get replacement fuses. With the 220 outlets taped off and new fuses in the ESU, things were back on track,” Wilke says.

She says that a safety analyzer would have been useful on the trip.

“I did bring a multimeter and was able to check the ground on electrical cords. In turn, I replaced almost every cord I tested because they well exceeded 0.5 ohms.

Another challenge was sometimes a fly would find its way into the OR. There were ants, flies and other tiny bugs in the ‘lounge’ as well. They all come in freely because there are gaps around windows.

Also, the doors to the hospital are propped open letting in a wonderful breeze. And yes, even a bird or maybe a chicken finds its way in. It’s kind of a beautiful thing in a non-regulatory/ compliant way,” Wilke adds.

THE NEED FOR BIOMEDS Wilke says she is confident that a biomed will be a regular member of future trips.

“The benefits were evident every day.

As biomeds, we are providing technical knowledge and sharing our expertise in our field. You are put in situations with a great deal of limitations that you have to think outside the box to resolve. Plus, being designated to tend to the equipment allows other team members to focus on their jobs and fulfill their expectations.

Having a biomed on any mission trip is invaluable,” she says.

What are her thoughts on HTM professionals committing to this kind of experience?

“I would encourage anyone to be a part of a mission trip. It is an experience that will change you for the better. It’s like any new experience, there has to be a first one sometime so you might as well go for it. There are people and mission teams all over the world waiting for someone like you to help them,” Wilke says.

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

25

Another crushed shroud?

ShroudGuard™ OR Table Pedestal Protector

Prevent expensive repairs and keep your OR tables in service.

ShroudGuard™ Protects against damage caused by equipment left on table base.

Securely mounts with no modification to table, yet easily removed for cleaning.

Sturdy metal construction.

|

www.shroudguard.com

|

info@shroudguard.com

|

(800) 261-9953

L11125IA8

ShroudGuard™

©2020 D. A. Surgical All Rights Reserved. ShroudGuard™ Patent #10610435 B2.

Are You Prepared For A “New Normal”?

Over the past few months you’ve conquered unprecedented challenges. Do you have what’s needed to keep your equipment up and running? Not sure? FOBI is here to help!

Wye Block Assemblies

O2 Analyzers

Oxygen Sensors Flowmeters & Nebulators Suction Regulators

Visit FobiMed.com and discover what personalized customer service can do for you!

26

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

WWW.FOBIMED.COM

888.231.3624

Define. Discover. Deliver.

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

Operationalize Your Medical Device Data Put your device data to work for you.

With the right information at the right time, you can maximize the power of your clinical assets. Turn your medical device data into a tool that will improve the performance of your health system.

Asset Planning Use your device analytics to forecast device purchases, replacements and timing.

Lifecycle Management Use your device data to precisely schedule preventative maintenance.

Device Utilization Use your device insights to optimize device and patient workflows to meet demand.

Let us show you how to unlock the power of your clinical asset data.

C O N TA C T U S AT C O N TA C T @ M E D I G AT E . I O O R C A L L U S A T ( 8 5 5 ) 9 0 8 - 0 7 7 5

Making our customers heroes™

Lowering Healthcare Facilities’ Total Cost of Ownership

ISO 13485:2003 Certified

Quality Management System

P: 866-586-3744 E: info@mysummitimaging.com W: mysummitimaging.com YouTube.com/SummitImaging

INDUSTRY UPDATES

NEWS & NOTES

Updates from the HTM Industry ASHE ANNOUNCES NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE) of the American Hospital Association (AHA) has announced Deanna Martin, MS, CAE, as its new executive director.

Martin, who has worked with ASHE for nine years, was most recently as ASHE’s deputy executive director for operations.

“Deanna is a respected leader within ASHE who will work tirelessly to build a better future for ASHE members and their organizations,” says Dale Woodin, CHFM, FASHE, AHA Vice President for Professional Membership Groups. “Her rapid rise within the organization over the past decade demonstrates the dedication, creativity and focus that

ASHE deserves and requires.”

In her previous role, Martin managed ASHE’s day-to-day operations. She served on ASHE’s executive management team and worked closely with the ASHE Board, committees and team.

“I am honored to lead ASHE as we continue working to optimize the health care physical environment,” said Martin, who is a Certified Association Executive. “I look forward to continue working with ASHE’s Board, our team and our dedicated members. We will remain focused on supporting our members with the information and resources they need to overcome the challenges we face today and in the future.” •

CYBERPOWER EXPANDS MEDICAL-GRADE POWER PROTECTION LINE CyberPower Systems Inc. has launched two new medical-grade products, expanding its product line for the health care industry. Both 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.

“Following our successful launch of our Medical-Grade UPS systems, it’s a natural progression to add medical-grade surge and power strips,” said Mike Dresen, senior product manager at CyberPower. “We have included a number of features to

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

ensure the durability and safety that we’re known for in power protection. We gave special attention to ensure reliability for medical and patient environments, making the CyberPower Medical-Grade Power Strips and Surge Protectors a standardized, safe choice.”

Both 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 and 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. •

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

29

INDUSTRY UPDATES

FIVE STATE TREASURERS CALL ON MANUFACTURES TO RELEASE VENTILATOR REPAIR MANUALS Advancing the Biomedical/HTM Professional

1tec

Vol.

10

hnati

NCING ADVA

DICAL BIOME THE

/ HTM

NAL ESSIO PROF

1tech

Vol. 10

, 3D

robots

natio

n.com

ADVAN CING THE BIO MEDIC AL / HT M PR OFESS IONAL

Lead

Treairns LE AD i ng ER S I

rs Printe

e

xx

& Mor

case Show pany Com te iga s Med Note and tes News y Upda str Indu le dtab Roun ing Train Expo D M xx

1technatio

xx

R 20

19

in

xx

N H T

M

n.com

PRS RT STD U.S. Pos tage PAI D Pub lishing

MD

14

ADVANCIN G THE BIOM g.indd EDICAL / 1 HTM PROF ESSIONAL

Req ues ted

0-TN

-Ma

Comp Nuvo any Sh owca lo se Comp Asse any Sh t Servi owca se ces Comp Midm any Sh ark RT owca LS JULYse Roun 2019 CMMSdtable

22

Addre ss Ser vice

Vol. 10

191

OCTO BE

xx

P R E P A R I N G

Pu

g. 100 , Ste . 120

MD 105 Publish 1 Tyr ing Tyrone one , GA Rd., Bld 302 90

28 56

9/5/

19

7:45

AM

12

Professi onal of the Mon Charlotte th Threlkeld Company Showca oneSOUR se CE News and Notes Industry Updates Roundta ble Ultrasoun d Systems

14 1techn

atio

26

n.com

.indd 1

Vol. 10

ING THE ADVANC

ICAL / BIOMED

9 BER 201

SEPTEM

izing Optim MS CM 44

1907-TN-MAG

AL FESSION HTM PRO

Your

6/6/19

Much

2:14 PM

More

than

les

hedu

PM Sc

14

Comp EQ2

24

any Sh

owcas

e

e owcas Inc. s, any Sh Comp Data System x Phoeni tes and No News Updates ry Indust le tab Round Therapy Infusion

29 ed Request Service Address

d lishing 30269 MD Pubbrook Ben , GA 18 East e City htre Peac

51

9 7:30

8/5/1

AM

STD PRSRT age U.S. Post PAID g lishin MD Pub

JUNE 2020

19 ST 20

AUGU

m on.co

MD

TECHNATION

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

D T ST PRSR stage . Po U.S PAID hing blis

30

Continue your free subscription of TechNation magazine!

9 shingBend 3026 k Publi y, GA MD stbroo e Cit ed 18 Ea tre est Peach Requ rvice ss Se dre Ad

Pennsylvania Treasurer Joe Torsella recently joined with Delaware Treasurer Colleen Davis, Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs, Rhode Island Treasurer General Seth Magaziner and Colorado Treasurer Dave Young to call on manufacturers of ventilators to release service manuals to repair ventilators, for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic. Without this critically important information, hospitals are unable to make repairs to ventilators, rendering them unusable during a time of dire need.

“In a public health crisis, every second counts. There shouldn’t be a single ventilator sitting in a closet because a hospital, already under extreme pressure, isn’t able to make necessary repairs to it. I call on manufacturers of this lifesaving equipment to release this information and remove this barrier that hospitals are facing,” said Pennsylvania State Treasurer Joe Torsella.

In a letter, the treasurers expressed their concern for hospitals that have ventilators in stock but are unable to use them due to repairs that are needed. It is of particular concern that rural or needy hospitals that may use secondhand equipment without a service contract are unable to make their own repairs without the proper manuals from the manufacturers.

“Having enough ventilators to care for critically ill patients is vital. If the ventilators malfunction and operators don’t have manuals on how to make repairs, the results could be tragic,” said Delaware State Treasurer Colleen Davis.

The American Hospital Association has estimated that 960,000 Americans with COVID-19 will require treatment using a ventilator, while there are only 170,000 ventilators in the United States.

“These ventilators are a matter of life or death for people fighting COVID-19. With a national shortage of ventilators, it is incomprehensible that these life-saving devices are sitting in hospitals across the country waiting to be fixed. Today, I call on ventilator manufacturers to step up and help hospitals address these desperately needed ventilator repairs,” said Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs.

The U.S. Public Interest Research Group recently delivered a petition with 43,000 signatures to 25 ventilator manufacturers, asking them to release service manuals, service keys, and schematics, as part of its ongoing Right to Repair campaign.

While some manufacturers have taken meaningful steps, state treasurers are asking all ventilator manufacturers to release all necessary information to repair ventilators, immediately.

Repair information is not made readily available by manufacturers, limiting who can fix the equipment when it malfunctions. Releasing these manuals during this crisis would empower hospitals to take matters into their own hands, treat more patients in critical condition, and protect third-party repair companies from unnecessary exposure to COVID-19 when making repairs. •

d 1

ag.ind

-TN-M

1909

www.1technation.com/subscribe WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

INDUSTRY UPDATES

2020 AAMI FELLOWS HONORED FOR ACHIEVEMENTS, COMMITMENT TO AAMI MISSION Fourteen AAMI members who have provided substantial service and contributions to the health technology field and to AAMI have been selected as the 2020 class of AAMI Fellows.

AAMI Fellows are health technology leaders who are recognized for extraordinary achievement in their careers.

“Our second class of AAMI Fellows come from a variety of fields. However, they all share a commitment to AAMI’s mission: The development, management, and use of safe and effective health technology,” said Sabrina Reilly, vice president of membership at AAMI. “We congratulate our Fellows for their numerous accomplishments, as well as their drive continue to grow, to achieve, and to improve the world around them.”

AAMI recognizes Fellows for the depth and breadth of their accomplishments in seven core areas: professional experience, education, technical contributions, presentations and publications, professional participation, certification, and awards and honors.

The 2020 Class of AAMI Fellows are Steven Baker, Damien Berg, James Caporali, Mary Ann Drosnock, Larry Fennigkoh, Greg Gdowski, Larry Hertzler , Clark Houghtling, Jim Keller, James Linton, Alan Lipschultz, David Osborn, Arif Subhan and Priyanka Upendra. • For more information about the 2020 class of AAMI Fellows, visit https://tinyurl.com/AAMI-Fellows2020.

ACCRUENT LAUNCHES FREE VENTILATOR PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE DATA Software provider Accruent is offering newly developed resources to hospitals and medical facilities to assist the health care industry in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic. These new resources include: • A free app to assist in prediction of parts required to keep ventilators operational • Reporting packages available at no cost to its CMMS users to assist in workload optimization and maintenance planning • Free access to coding strategies for tracking and auditing of COVID-19 activities As health care organizations experience hourly increases in ventilator demand, the performance and uptime of ventilators is among their most important considerations. Healthcare technology management (HTM) departments at hospitals are charged with deploying and maintaining these devices, ensuring that proactive and scheduled maintenance is completed, that replacement parts that may be needed are stocked and maximizing the number of ventilators that are available for patient care. To complicate matters, hospitals will need to track all COVID-19 related activities in order to qualify for future government reimbursements. The resources Accruent is making available will

help hospitals manage ventilator maintenance and parts inventories and track parts and labor associated with COVID-19 to justify reimbursements.

Because it provides health care asset management software to more than 55% of U.S. hospitals, Accruent possesses a high volume of HTM data and healthcare facilities management (HFM) data. The new resources being offered leverage data from the documented experience of these facilities to assist hospitals in preparing to deliver care to large numbers of patients and to help them manage the financial impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

Each of these resources is available free of charge to all hospitals and health care facilities: PART PREDICTOR FOR VENTILATORS APP To provide the most accurate information on predictive maintenance for ventilators, Accruent is providing predictive maintenance and part data at no cost through a free online app. This allows HTM teams to determine what replacement parts they should have on-hand to maximize uptime of their ventilator inventory.

REPORTING PACKAGES Reporting packages for Accruent’s TMS, Connectiv and Asset Enterprise CMMS

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

software solutions to assist in optimization of HTM workload, equipment and maintenance planning are also being offered.

Utilization of these comprehensive, standardized reports can help hospitals forecast resource needs, mitigate potential equipment failures and reduce bottlenecks to minimize delays in equipment availability. Improvements in proactive maintenance can maximize the impact of available biomedical equipment.

BEST PRACTICES FOR CODING WORK ORDERS Based on their critical role in delivering medical care during the coronavirus pandemic, it is expected that the federal government will authorize economic aid to hospitals and health care providers.

Properly coding maintenance activities related to COVID-19 will help providers apply for aid and make justification of reimbursement much easier.

Accruent will continue to seek ways to leverage its experience working with health care facilities to aid these organizations during the COVID-19 outbreak. As additional resources are developed, they will be posted on the Accruent’s COVID-19 resource web page. •

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

31

INDUSTRY UPDATES

TKA ANNOUNCES NEW DIRECTOR OF QUALITY TKA recently welcomed its newest team member in Director of Quality Raymond Reid.

“I was hired to assist TKA with acquiring ISO 9001 certification,” Reid said. “My primary role right now is learning about how TKA functions, understanding how people do their jobs, and how those activities already align with the standard, then documenting the processes and procedures so they can be replicated, and updating and fine-tuning existing documentation. Admittedly, it’s challenging right now because of COVID-19 and not being able to travel to be onsite with the TKA team in different parts of the country.”

“I also have ownership of a third-party quality management system called ZenQMS. I’ll be managing that system to create, implement, and maintain it in coordination with everyone at TKA. The system will allow us to build a repository for procedures, records inventory, track improvement activities, track training, keep records of corrective action processes, and conduct audits,” he added.

Reid joined TKA on March 2, 2020. He has 35 years of experience in both aerospace and medical.

“I started out in aerospace as a line inspector at Northrop Grumman. There I discovered I had a knack for inspection and processes, so I moved into a quality engineering role, and kept increasing my overall knowledge of quality systems and activities,” he said. “I later moved to Boeing, where my team was in charge of the quality of the C-17 final assembly. At Boeing I also worked with the Space Shuttle, the International Space Station, and Delta rockets. After Boeing I went to Honeywell, where I was a supplier process improvement manager and helped suppliers improve how they built parts for Honeywell – how to build them faster and better.”

“When I made the switch from aerospace to medical devices, I started working for Baxter, where I was the quality manager for production operations including microbiology, supplier quality, receiving, in-process and final inspection departments. I then went to LivaNova, where we were building tube and filter sets used for heart-lung bypass machines. My last stop before TKA was with Nuvectra, which made an implantable pulse generator, where I returned to doing supplier management overseeing the contract manufacturers of components,” Reid added. •

32

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

AMA, AHA RESPOND TO RISE IN CYBER THREATS EXPLOITING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC Responding to a spike in cyber threats that exploit telework technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Hospital Association (AHA) have teamed to provide physicians and hospitals with guidance on protecting a remote work environment from cyber criminals.

The two leading associations have created a joint cybersecurity resource offering actions to strengthen home or hospital-based computers, networks, and medical devices from the rise in COVID-19-themed security threats and attacks. The resource includes checklists, sources, tips and advice on strengthening protections to keep pace with deceptive cyberattacks that could disrupt patient care or threaten medical records and other data.

“Amid increased reports of malicious cyber activity, some physicians and care teams are working from their homes and relying on technologies to support physical distancing measures while ensuring availability of care to those who need it,” said AMA President Patrice A. Harris, M.D., M.A. “For physicians helping patients from their homes and using personal computers and mobile devices, the AMA and AHA have moved quickly to provide a resource with important steps to help keep a home office as resilient to viruses, malware and hackers as a medical practice or hospital.”

On April 1, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) released a public advisory noting that more than 1,200 complaints related to COVID-19 scams were received at its Internet Crime Complaint Center. According to the FBI, “in recent weeks, cyber actors have engaged in phishing campaigns against first responders, … deployed ransomware at medical facilities, and created fake COVID-19 websites that quietly download malware to victim devices. Based on recent trends, the FBI assesses these same groups will target businesses and individuals working from home via telework software vulnerabilities, education technology platforms, and new Business Email Compromise schemes.” •

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

INDUSTRY UPDATES

PHILIPS TO INCREASE HOSPITAL VENTILATOR PRODUCTION Royal Philips recently provided an update on its plans to double the production of its hospital ventilators by May 2020 and achieve a four-fold increase by the third quarter of 2020. This plan builds on Philips’ initial production increase in the first three months of the year, which already enabled the supply of additional ventilators – that are critical for the treatment of COVID-19 patients – to hospitals in the most affected regions in China, southern Europe and the U.S. To further address the huge global demand, Philips introduced its new Philips Respironics E30 ventilator, a versatile and easy-to-use non-invasive and invasive ventilator, which has been designed for large scale production.

“In line with Philips’ mission, we are fully committed to helping as many health care providers as possible diagnose, treat and monitor the growing numbers of COVID-19 patients,” said Frans van Houten, CEO of Royal Philips. “We have been mobilizing as a company to do so since January. The collaboration with our trusted partners Flex and Jabil will rapidly expand our hospital ventilator production capacity and reinforce the supply chain to enable the ramp up to a production of 4,000 hospital ventilators per week by the third quarter. To complement this, our team has developed the new Philips Respironics E30 ventilator, which can be safely used when there is limited access to a fully featured critical care ventilator. The Philips Respironics E30 ventilator can deliver a range of treatment options, and we will quickly scale its production to 15,000 units per week in April.” •

Precise. Reliable. Powerful.

Join a team as innovative as the technology we manage. Sodexo Clinical Engineering is a part of a global network, giving you unmatched access to resources and training to expand your skills and grow your career.

Learn more about Sodexo Clinical Engineering careers at SodexoCTM.com.

Sodexo is an EEO/AA/Minority/Female/ isability/Veteran employer.

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

33

INDUSTRY UPDATES

ECRI LAUNCHES NEW BRAND IDENTITY For more than 50 years, ECRI has advanced the science of patient safety and healthcare effectiveness through an unbiased evidence-based approach. Now, the nonprofit organization introduces a new brand identity – ECRI (pronounced ék-ree) – that builds on the best of its past, articulates its values, and positions itself to lead through a new decade in healthcare.

ECRI’s new tagline is “The most trusted voice in healthcare.” Its new brand mark represents the layers of integrity, rigor, and independence--guiding principles that fuel the organization’s ability to empower healthcare professionals to save lives and provide the highest level of care.

ECRI provides assurance to make healthcare safe in three main areas: • Patient Safety. As one of the largest Patient Safety Organizations in the U.S., ECRI has studied millions of adverse events and near misses from more than 1,800 healthcare facilities across acute care, ambulatory surgery, aging services, and physician offices. Armed with this data, the ECRI patient safety team studies the causes of serious

patient safety incidents, researches best practices, and disseminates guidance, benchmarking, and recommendations.

• Evidence-based Medicine. ECRI, a federally designated Evidence-based Practice Center, is recognized as a trusted source of guidance and consulting on new and emerging medical technologies, procedures, genetic tests, and clinical practice guidelines. ECRI monitors developing technologies to provide insight into the forces that shape the healthcare of tomorrow using all the available evidence from around the world.

• Technology Decision Support. The nation’s only independent medical device evaluation organization, ECRI continuously issues safety and performance ratings and guidance reports from testing and evaluating thousands of devices. Real-time pricing databases enable members to compare products and benchmark pricing on nearly two million supplies and more than 100,000 capital equipment items. • For more information, visit www.ecri.org.

AGILITI SUPPORTS FRONT LINE RESPONSE TO COVID-19 Agiliti Inc. is partnering with U.S. hospitals and federal and state agencies on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic to deliver critical services where they’re needed.

Since January, Agiliti, which provides medical device leasing, maintenance and logistics programs, has focused on helping to ensure health care providers are prepared to meet the medical equipment challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, the company has: • Fully deployed its fleet of more than 250,000 medical devices and related accessories across the U.S. health care system and partnered with medical device brokers and manufacturers to deliver additional equipment where it’s needed.

• Assigned its team of biomedical repair technicians to hospitals across the country to ensure provider-owned equipment is safely and rapidly tested, repaired and made ready for patient use.

• Redeployed equipment service technicians from its 92 local service centers to support the stand up of surge medical capacity in parks, gymnasiums and hotel rooms across the country.

• Engaged and empowered its more than 1,300 teammates who everyday work side-by-side with clinicians via the

34

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

company’s hospital-based programs to manage intrafacility and system-wide transport, delivery, reprocessing, repair and maintenance of medical devices.

“Agiliti is in the business of ensuring health care providers have the medical equipment they need, where and when it’s needed – but during a crisis like this, the services we provide play an even more vital role,” said Tom Leonard, CEO of Agiliti. “We have put forth the full weight of our resources – our unmatched fleet of medical devices, our nationwide logistics infrastructure to mobilize medical equipment, and our team of more than 3,800 medical equipment professionals – to accelerate the availability of patient-ready devices for caregivers and their patients.”

On January 24, 2020, the company was awarded a contract by the Division of Strategic National Stockpile (DSNS) to provide maintenance services for the national stockpile of LTV Series ventilators. On April 1, the DSNS issued an extension of that contract allowing Agiliti to accelerate the preventive maintenance work on the first tranche of ventilators rotated out of the stockpile for maintenance. The contract also engages Agiliti’s nationwide team of field service technicians to maintain and repair ventilators once they are deployed by the DSNS in response to the rapid spread of COVID-19. •

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

INDUSTRY UPDATES

FORD EXPANDS MEDICAL EQUIPMENT PRODUCTION EFFORTS Ford is expanding its efforts to design and produce urgently needed medical equipment and supplies for health care workers, first responders and patients fighting coronavirus.

In addition to the current production of more than 3 million face shields in Plymouth, Mich., Ford-designed powered air-purifying respirator production began Tuesday, April 14. Ford also is now producing face masks and leading an effort to scale production of reusable gowns for health care workers. Lastly, Ford started providing manufacturing expertise to help scientific instrument provider Thermo Fisher Scientific quickly expand production of

COVID-19 collection kits to test for the virus.

“We knew that to play our part helping combat coronavirus, we had to go like hell and join forces with experts like 3M to expand production of urgently needed medical equipment and supplies,” said Jim Baumbick, vice president, Ford Enterprise Product Line Management. “In just three weeks under Project Apollo, we’ve unleashed our world-class manufacturing, purchasing and design talent to get scrappy and start making personal protection equipment and help increase the availability and production of ventilators.”

Innovation In Healthcare CMMS for Over 35 Years

Improve your CMMS Experience • Go Live in Less than 120 Days • Comprehensive Medical Device Cybersecurity • Easily Track & Document your AEM Process • Interface with Any Third Party Software

Your CMMS Solution with 3,000 Hospitals in 18 Countries.

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

Choose AIMS and You Will Never Search for Another CMMS ®

800.541.2467 www.goaims.com JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

35

INDUSTRY UPDATES

RIBBON CUTTING Twilight Medical

BY ERIN REGISTER

T

ravis Turner, founder, CEO and president of Twilight Medical, brings over 20 years of field service experience and knowledge to fit the unique needs of hospitals and clinics. Turner and his team created Twilight Medical as a flexible alternative to the normal daytime preventative maintenance (PM) in order to work around patient scanning hours with no impact on workflow.

Turner spent 17 years of his career in the health care field as an OEM-trained CT/PET, MRI and ultrasound field engineer. Late in his career, he advanced to become a manager and led a multi-modality team.

“I’ve always had a love for starting a business; the issue was ‘what’ business,” Turner stated. “I loved fixing medical equipment and working with people.

Early in my career, I thought it would be amazing to own a CT service business, but it seemed impossible. I decided to dig in and learn everything I could. I realized your blessings are always on the other side of tough moments. One night at dinner with my wife, I reflected and determined that life was short and that I was going to start that business. Two weeks later, I was listening to a program on entrepreneurs and leadership, and one of the speakers mentioned that it’s a mistake opening a business in an area with no expertise or love. Do what you love!”

Turner decided imaging service was the business for him. After one and a half years of research, planning, hard

36

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

work and grit, Twilight Medical Inc. was born.

“The idea of Twilight Medical developed from years of observing, listening and understanding the needs of hospital organizations,” Turner stated. “I talked to leadership and technologists to understand their challenges and how maintenance and service impacts their business when a system is out of service.

Listen fiercely, passionately execute, be flexible and help customers succeed. The conception of Twilight Medical Inc. was based upon these principle cornerstones.”

TechNation learned more about Twilight Medical in a question-and-answer interview.

Q: WHAT IS THE MAIN FOCUS OF TWILIGHT MEDICAL? A: We provide extended imaging service after 5 p.m. and on weekends, so there is no equipment downtime during patient hours.

Q: WHAT SERVICES DOES TWILIGHT MEDICAL OFFER? A: Twilight Medical provides after-hours preventative maintenance (PM) on imaging equipment. We partner with hospitals, OEMs and third parties to offer extended coverage for night and weekends. Located in Sacramento, California, we service the entire country and have actively working contracts from the East Coast to the West Coast.

In addition to our normal equipment service model, we offer “stop-gap” services to help support customers’ equipment needs after the loss of a highly skilled imaging engineer. This

Travis Turner Founder/CEO, Twilight Medical

includes any coverage issues they may encounter.

Q: HOW DOES TWILIGHT MEDICAL STAND OUT IN THE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT FIELD? A: Twilight Medical provides extended service and support for medical equipment 24/7. Our customers are not restricted. We believe service should be based around our customers’ needs and when they want it, and that is seven days a week.

Q: DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC GOALS THAT YOU WANT YOUR COMPANY TO ACHIEVE IN THE NEAR FUTURE? A: We want to help our customers achieve the highest levels of equipment performance and service. We are dedicated to putting all of our resources into this goal. We will acquire highly skilled engineers to provide support to our customers, so our customers will enjoy the highest level of quality, maintenance and service.

FOR MORE INFORMATION about Twilight Medical, visit www.twilightmed.com.

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

Your Next Job is Here.

A specialized resource for HTM, Biomed and Clinical Engineers.

JOIN OUR TALENT NETWORK TODAY!

From the leader in providing news and information to the HTM community, TechNation is excited to provide a new industry career center; a simple, streamlined and effective way to connect qualified candidates with open jobs and advance their careers.

Here’s how it works: • Simply join our no cost HTM Talent Network by filling out your custom profile.

• Upload your resume.

• We’ll connect you with employers and hiring managers from the leading healthcare systems and companies.

Get started at www.HTMJobs.com

INDUSTRY UPDATES

AAMI UPDATE

BY AAMI

THE LATEST CORONAVIRUS UPDATES FROM AAMI The health and safety of our global community is our highest priority. As the situation involving the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak continues to evolve, AAMI is working to ensure a seamless experience for our members and customers.

FOR THE LATEST UPDATES, including rescheduled or reconfigured events and special HTM Town Halls (live or recorded), visit www.aami. org/coronavirus.

ACI EXAM REGISTRATION AND TESTING WINDOWS EXTENDED Due to global closures of testing sites through June, the AAMI Credentials Institute has postponed its spring testing window to August 1-31, 2020. If closures remain on a global scale at that time, registrants may need to move to the November testing window. This decision will be made in June as the situation unfolds.

‘SAFE PASSAGE’ LETTER FOR HTM PROFESSIONALS HTM professionals are mission-critical to the fight against Coronavirus. If you need support establishing yourself as “essential personnel” in order to perform your duties, download this “safe passage” letter from AAMI and keep it with you.

GET THE PDF at https://go.aws/2RyZ4Eo.

EMERGENCY COVID-19 GUIDANCE FOR VENTILATORS AND RESUSCITATORS AAMI has released emergency guidance documents to enable the rapid development of safe and effective emergency use ventilators and resuscitators, which are essential to treating patients with COVID-19 respiratory failure. Published as the first four AAMI Consensus Reports (CRs), this emergency guidance was developed by the AAMI COVID-19 Response Team, consisting of manufacturers, clinicians and Food and Drug Administration representatives.

“These CRs are an especially valuable roadmap for companies new to the health technology space who are stepping up to build emergency-use ventilators and resuscitators. While they have talented engineers, many do not have the foundational knowledge in this area, particularly when it comes to

38

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

patient safety,” said Julian M. Goldman, MD, co-chair of the AAMI COVID-19 Response Team, anesthesiologist and director of the Program on Medical Device Interoperability and Cybersecurity at Massachusetts General Hospital, and medical director of biomedical engineering for Partners HealthCare System.

In addition to design and safety guidance, the CRs help manufacturers save valuable time by pointing them to the standards documents and clauses that are most relevant to them. AAMI CRs provide concise, prompt, and practical guidance to respond to an urgent/immediate need for the health technology community.

The following documents are available for free download at www.aami.org/COVID_CR. As these documents will continue to evolve, check back frequently for the latest updates.

• AAMI CR501:2020, Emergency Use Ventilator (EUV) Design Guidance • AAMI CR502:2020, End User Disclosures for Emergency Use Ventilators (EUVs) • AAMI CR503:2020, Emergency Use Resuscitator Systems Design Guidance • AAMI CR504:2020, End User Disclosures for Emergency Use Resuscitator Systems HEALTH TECHNOLOGY EXPERTS A ‘VITAL RESOURCE’ FOR CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE Health care organizations need to ensure that medical equipment is maintained by trained healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic. That’s the guidance from AAMI in the wake of news reports that individuals who are not trained in healthcare technology are recommissioning, repairing or maintaining life-saving technologies like ventilators.

“While AAMI is aware of well-intentioned work in response to the coronavirus pandemic, it is imperative that patients are not put at risk,” said Rob Jensen, AAMI’s president and chief executive officer. “AAMI strongly encourages those new to this arena to seek out health technology management experts at the earliest opportunity to maximize the benefit of your efforts.”

Recent news has cited efforts that include designing new

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

INDUSTRY UPDATES

equipment, recommissioning old or out-of-service devices, refurbishing devices and adapting technologies to serve additional patients. Ensuring the use of proper testing procedures and test equipment to confirm that these medical devices are working properly represents a few examples of how health technology experts can assist.

Additionally, HTM professionals are a critical knowledge base for equipment planning, purchase, installation, maintenance, troubleshooting and on-call technical support.

FREE eLEARNING STUDY COURSE FOR DISPLACED STUDENTS AAMI is offering students enrolled in nonprofit biomedical equipment technician (BMET) programs who have been displaced by closures due to COVID-19 free access to its CBET eLearning Study Course.

“We hope that this eLearning course will provide these students with a way to continue their BMET studies while classrooms are closed and to prepare for the Certified Biomedical Equipment Technician (CBET) exam, should they wish to take it when they are eligible,” said M.J. McLaughlin, director of education programming at AAMI. “The CBET eLearning Study Course is a powerful tool that allows learners to navigate the key content areas that successful BMETs should understand using an interactive, self-paced experience.”

Users can master each of the six core topic areas with a combination of lessons and practice quizzes. While scrolling through the lessons, learners will be presented with several opportunities to “Check Your Understanding.” These pop-up features allow the learner to interact with the content by flipping flash cards, matching terms, answering multiple choice questions and exploring schematics/diagrams.

The online study course will be made available to students through their training program’s faculty. AAMI will provide interested faculty members with unique access codes for their institutions. Please email Education@aami. org if you are a faculty member or student interested in this special offer.

Each course module begins with a knowledge assessment of 10-15 questions and ends with a practice exam of 30 questions. This feature gives the learner an idea of how much time and effort they may need to allocate to each module.

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

REPAIR SERVICES • We repair flexible endoscopes, rigid endoscopes, surgical instruments and cameras & couplers • Same day repair service available • Two service locations • Client Portal with real time status • 50-80% less expensive than the OEM • Fastest turn times in the industry • 99% guarantee we can repair your endoscopes

EDUCATION/ IN-SERVICES • Free of charge to customers • Proper handling and disinfection seminars offered • Technician educates the department personnel and supporting staff • We offer preventative maintenance checks to keep inventory operating at maximum efficiency

Free Shipping On All Repairs www.totalscopeinc.com 888-603-3116 | info@totalscopeinc.com

13485:2016

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

39

INDUSTRY UPDATES

ECRI UPDATE

Considerations for the Safe and Effective Use of UV Disinfection

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has thrust many medical technologies into the spotlight. Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection systems – devices that use light from the UV spectrum to disinfect surfaces – are one of those technologies. “We’re getting questions every day about ways hospitals can use these systems to help stop the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus,” explains Mairead Smith, senior project engineer in ECRI’s device evaluation group.

ECRI’s evaluations of two different configurations – moveable towers used for room disinfection and countertop models designed to disinfect tablets, phones and other small devices – show that the technology can effectively reduce bioburden on surfaces. With respect to SARS-CoV-2 in particular, experts expect its response will be similar to other coronaviruses, like SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV, which have been shown to be inactivated by UV light. “But,” Smith stresses, “proper use is key.”

Note: This article was developed in early April 2020. With the rapid pace of change associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges facing hospitals and the evidence supporting various methods may evolve substantially by the time of publication.

DISINFECTING WITH UV LIGHT At the right wavelengths and with an appropriate exposure time, UV energy can disrupt the DNA or RNA of microorganisms that are exposed to the

40

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

light, preventing them from replicating.

Studies indicate that sufficient exposure to UV light can inactivate a wide range of microbes, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridioides difficile (C. diff).

Most UV disinfection devices use UVC light – that is, light within the 200-280 nm range, although some systems use UVB or far-UV wavelengths.

Within a health care facility, the technology may be applied in various ways: • Room disinfection devices typically consist of a movable tower that houses mercury or xenon lamps that emit UV light. The devices may be placed in patient rooms, procedure rooms or other locations following cleaning to help fight environmental contamination. Depending on the system, the tower (or towers) may remain in one location during the disinfection cycle, or the cycle may be paused, and the device repositioned midway through the treatment period.

• Countertop models are smaller, enclosed devices that are typically used to disinfect mobile devices such as phones or tablets – items that may be susceptible to damage by chemical disinfection methods. Users first clean the surface of the item to remove debris; then they place it in the UV device and initiate the disinfection cycle.

• Additional designs include wall- or ceiling-mounted systems, systems designed for use in air-handling units and other configurations.

When used properly and as a supplement to normal cleaning and disinfection processes, UV disinfection can be effective at reducing the environmental bioburden in a facility. However, UV disinfection technology may be less effective, or on occasion dangerous, if not used properly.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been suggested that UV disinfection units could be used to disinfect N95 respirators to help address personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages. At the time of this writing, ECRI considers that approach acceptable in limited reuse situations, but cautions that UV disinfection could (1) be ineffective at successfully deactivating pathogens located deep within the layers of filter material or (2) damage the respirator in a way that reduces its effectiveness, such as by degrading the elasticity of the strap that secures the mask to the wearer. Research in this area is evolving rapidly, however, and recommendations may change by the date of publication.

9 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT UV DISINFECTION The safe and effective use of UV disinfection devices requires a clear understanding of what the technology can and can’t do. ECRI stresses the following points in its studies: 1. UV disinfection is a supplement; cleaning is still required. Solid particles and residues act to shield microbes from UV irradiation.

Surfaces must be cleaned before UV disinfection is used.

2. UV does not offer sterilization. The dose provided is sufficient only for

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

INDUSTRY UPDATES

ECRI’s Mairead Smith and Dr. Andrew Furman discuss UV disinfection systems during a live-streamed ECRI lab webcast. The March 18 webcast was part of an ECRI series addressing technology challenges facing hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. disinfection of non-critical items, not sterilization. Countertop UV disinfecting devices, for example, cannot be used to sterilize materials such as surgical supplies or devices.

3. Line of sight is key. Surfaces that are not in a direct line of sight from the source may not be exposed to sufficient UV light and will not be reliably disinfected, unless steps are taken to increase exposure. Commonly shadowed surfaces include the undersides of tables, the backs of devices and door handles, and low areas such as under beds or chairs.

4. System settings and device positioning make a difference. The germicidal effectiveness of a system is related to the exposure of UV light incident on a surface. That depends on factors such as the output of the UV device, the distance from the light source, the wavelength emitted and the exposure time.

5. UV may not reliably disinfect fabrics, the inside of tubing or other materials. UV disinfection has not been proven to be effective on fabrics, like privacy curtains.

Additionally, UV doesn’t penetrate through most materials, including clear or translucent plastics. Thus, the lumens of clear plastic tubing won’t receive an effective dose. The

same can be true of the nooks and crannies on devices. Just because a device or object has been exposed to UV, that doesn’t mean it’s been effectively disinfected.

6. UV light can harm patients and staff. Safety precautions are needed to limit human exposure to UV light, which can damage an individual’s eyes or skin. To reduce the risk, many UV room disinfection devices require the use of door or motion sensors that terminate the disinfection cycle if triggered, and manufacturers may recommend the use of signs outside the treatment room.

7. UV light can damage certain equipment. UV light breaks down certain materials over time. The degree of damage depends on the cumulative dose of UV and the type of material. Damage occurs more quickly for certain plastics and organic materials and if treatment cycles deliver higher UV doses or are performed more frequently.

8. UV disinfection systems are not regulated as medical devices. UV disinfection systems are not classified as medical devices and thus are not regulated by FDA. Further, there are no standardized test methods for comparing systems. Thus, facilities should regard manufacturer claims

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

with a healthy dose of skepticism; be sure to read the fine print and look for citations that provide study details.

9. Other practices should take precedence. UV disinfection is not a requirement – thus there’s no need to purchase a system if you don’t already have one – and it is not a standalone solution that can address your disinfection needs. Proper cleaning of surfaces and equipment is required regardless of whether or not UV is used; and proper hand hygiene and PPE use still must be observed. If UV technology is to be used, be sure to use it in accordance with manufacturer recommendations and best practices.

This article is adapted from ECRI’s evaluations of UV room disinfection systems and countertop UV disinfection devices.

Additional guidance is also available through ECRI’s COVID-19 Resource Center, a free public resource to help hospitals protect healthcare workers and patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Access that site at www.ecri.org/coronavirus-covid-19outbreak-preparedness-center. To learn more about ECRI’s device evaluation program, visit https://www.ecri.org/solutions/ device-evaluations, or contact ECRI at (610) 825-6000, ext. 5891, or by e-mail at clientservices@ecri.org.

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

41

the medical product support network

SEARCH.

ASK.

SHOP.

“I love to use MedWrench. It’s the first place I go to when I have an issue with a piece of equipment.”

–Kyle Hutcherson, Romed Engineering

DISCUSSION FORUMS • FREE TO JOIN • BUY & SELL EQUIPMENT • OVER 85,000 MEMBERS ACCESS TO INDUSTRY RESOURCES • CONNECT WITH COLLEAGUES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD

MedWrench.com • (866) 989-7057

(toll free)

MORE. MULTI IS YOUR TRUSTED SOURCE FOR NEW

GE HEALTHCARE BIOMEDICAL AND IMAGING PARTS

www.multidiagnostic.com 990 E. Cedar Street Ontario, California 91761

Toll-Free: (800) 400-4549 International: (909) 591-6444 Fax: 909-591-5293

DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING & SOLUTIONS ForSURGICAL part pricing and order placement, email us at sales@multiimager.com, or reach us via phone at 909-591-6444.

You can also inquire online at multidiagnostic.com/order-parts. We have a dedicated team waiting to serve you.

vc_TechNation_Clr Ad_7x4.5_20Apr22.pdf

1

4/17/20

3:15 PM

Accu-Gold TOUCH for X-ray QA and Service

Get in TOUCH with Radcal !

Stand-Alone Diagnostic Radiation Test Instrument • Easy to read 5 inch touchscreen for X-ray QA and Service

• Access to the full lineup of Radcal Dose, kV and mA sensors

• Simple to use - accurate, reliable, economical

• Capture data directly to your reports 626-357-7921

Call Us sales@radcal.com • www.radcal.com

ting Celebra

th ounriv1er0 sary!

An

44

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

THE BENCH

BIOMED 101 AAMI Shares ‘HTM in a Box’

BY DANIELLE MCGEARY

M

any healthcare technology management (HTM) departments are struggling to find the right people to fill their open positions and dealing with the frustration that comes with being short staffed. Do you wish you could do more to help solve this problem, but are short on time and don’t know where to start? We have all been there, and you certainly are not alone!

To help address this challenge, AAMI has created a series of canned presentations that anyone in the HTM field can use to plan a fun HTM career presentation for any age group. We call it: “HTM in a Box.” HTM in a Box doesn’t actually come in a box – it’s an online set of presentations developed by AAMI that contain a strong and consistent message about the HTM field. No matter what age audience you plan on presenting to, AAMI has you covered.

Three presentations are included: • Elementary and middle schoolers • Junior high and high school • College-aged students and adults We’ve also created two HTM career brochures, one for younger children and the other for high school

ages and above. We will happily mail you copies – just email me at dmcgeary@aami.org to request your copies. AAMI also has a slew of other resources available to make your HTM outreach even easier, all available for free at www.aami.org/ HTMinaBox. You don’t need to be an AAMI member to use HTM in a Box or any accompanying resources.

The website also contains talking points to help you better prepare for your presentation, a pre-written script to use when reaching out to organizations and schools via email/ phone to ask for presentation time, a video about the HTM field and a list of all current HTM specific academic programs by state.

Now is a great time to show your HTM pride by telling others about this amazing career path. While we are all busy, it is important that we work together to help solve our workforce challenges – in particular, ensuring that a new generation will be ready to take up the mantle when many of the field’s most experienced HTM leaders and BMETs begin retiring.

Promoting our field does not need to be a grand effort. It could mean setting up a table in your hospital’s

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

Danielle McGeary AAMI

lobby during HTM Week to show off your department to hospital staff, volunteers, families and patients.

This display can have a lasting impact, as many hospital staff members may not be aware of the important role of HTM in the hospital. When we take the time to explain and educate, people begin talking and the results can be huge.

Other ideas include visiting local community colleges and universities to educate students about this field.

That’s where the HTM in a Box tool comes in handy. I encourage you to focus on those general electronics, IT and biomedical engineering majors and to ensure they know that HTM is a rewarding and sustainable option for them. For instance, biomedical engineering majors need to know before graduation that they can be a clinical engineer working in a hospital instead of working in lab or in an industry R&D environment.

DANIELLE MCGEARY is the Vice President, Healthcare Technology Management, AAMI.

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

45

THE BENCH

WEBINAR WEDNESDAY

Remote Learning Made Easy STAFF REPORT

T

he Webinar Wednesday series continues to deliver valuable knowledge and expert insights to healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals throughout the world in 2020. More than 3,000 registrations through April 15 illustrate the popularity of Webinar Wednesday.

“It was worth my time. I look forward to advancing in my career and it helped me understand my field a little bit more.”

L. SANTOS, BMET III

‘VERY COOL’ CYBER SECURITY WEBINAR DELIVERS INSIGHTS The April 15 webinar “Is Your CMMS Cyber Security Ready?” from Webinar Wednesday was eligible for 1 credit from the ACI. More than 200 people attended the live presentation and even more have viewed a recording of the session.

The 60-minute webinar, sponsored by Nuvolo, addressed how to protect and manage medical and IoT devices using an integrated solution with Ordr and Nuvolo.

The webinar featured Ordr Vice President of Product Strategy Russell Rice as well as Nuvolo Senior Solution Consultants Kyle Holetz and Dustin Smith.

The trio discussed and demonstrated how integrating Ordr’s IoT and medical device security platform and Nuvolo’s cybersecurity-enabled CMMS solution can help individuals discover, risk-assess and improve the security and utilization of critical health care devices. With attacks on health care practitioners increasing

46

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

during the COVID-19 outbreak, organizations must accurately inventory their devices, understand their risks and protect themselves from attacks like WannaCry, Bluekeep and ransomware before they impact the business.

The webinar also included a quick overview by Kaiser Permanente Ventures on why solving these problems are critical to health care organizations, and why they invested in both Nuvolo and Ordr.

Attendees enjoyed the webinar and shared positive feedback via a post-webinar survey, including answers to the questions, “Why did you attend today’s webinar? And, was it worth your time?”

“I am new to UPMC and wanted to learn more about any additional steps or precautions I need to be taking,” said K. Russo, radiology engineering specialist.

“I wanted to see how a CMMS platform could help in keeping an eye on the medical devices on a hospital network.

Definitely worth my time,” Clinical Engineering Tech II M. Ramano said.

“We are supposedly getting Nuvolo in our health system, so I thought I’d see a bit of what we were getting. It was well worth my time. I think it does a lot more than we will ever utilize, but it’s nice to know we have options. It was a very cool webinar for sure,” said D. Salyer, BMET III. “Need all the IT information/training possible,” Senior Biomed Electronics Specialist P. Lindquist said after watching the webinar.

“Good information about CMMS programs and security,” Biomed S. Gillett said.

“It was worth my time. I look forward to advancing in my career and it helped me understand my field a little bit more,” explained L. Santos, BMET III. “I wanted to see the demo of the Ordr software package. This was a great presentation by industry experts,” Field Services Engineer D. Banister said.

“The threat of cyber-crime against medical facilities and equipment has become increasingly important. We need to know how to recognize and stop these threats,” said T. Stevenson, BMET II. ‘RIGHT TO REPAIR’ IS BIGGEST WEBINAR OF 2020 The April 8 webinar “Right to Repair” set new record highs for registrations and attendees for the 2020 Webinar Wednes-

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

THE BENCH

day series. The webinar saw 455 individuals register with 284 attendees for the live presentation. The session was eligible for 1 credit from the ACI. The webinar was presented by Bill Bassuk, CEO and president of the College of Biomedical Equipment Technology, and Larry Nguyen, CEO and CTO of Summit Imaging, and provided insights regarding a hot topic. It was sponsored by The College of Biomedical Equipment Technology.

Bassuk and Nguyen said “Right to Repair” is among the most important challenges facing the industry. Repair monopolies, created by equipment manufacturers, are driving health care costs up and patient care down. The duo shared their thoughts and insights regarding the issues and challenges health care faces.

In a post-webinar survey, attendees were asked “How much new information did you receive from today’s webinar?”

“Great perspective considering the current health care climate,” shared P. Vestal, NCOIC, medical equipment repair center.

“This is great news for us, that like to turn the screwdriver, apply logical thinking and use troubleshooting skills,” said J. Machicao, imaging service specialist.

“I found the info on COVID-19 timely, and about the manufacturers trend to make their equipment proprietary so we have to have them come in and repair them,” said L. Barton, B.E.S.S. “Really enjoyed the personal insights both panelists provided,” said C. Nieland, manager.

“Really informative. I was not aware of the push in our industry by the OEMs to remove third-party services. I utilize these services on a regular basis and without these services it will become harder to meet the needs of maintaining our devices within the budgets we are given,” Biomedical Engineering Manager J. Piercy said.

“Lots of useful takeaways from the webinar with respect to helping our administration understand the importance of asking the right questions of the OEMs

before issuing a PO to ensure we can service the devices we buy with in-house resources after the warranty,” Director HTM/Biomed C. Hulet said.

“Hot topic. Good to see this topic’s importance to us all in HTM,” said M. Kolb, supervisor.

WEBINAR EXPLORES HOW TO RETRIEVE DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION The Webinar Wednesday presentation “Retrieve Diagnostic Information of Devices by Slaving the Hard Disk” presented by Summit Imaging CEO and CTO Larry Nguyen was eligible for 1 credit from the ACI. Often HTMs are called to service a device following complaints from users of faults and codes. Commonly, HTMs are blind to fault data making troubleshooting and diagnostics of the failure extraordinarily difficult and time consuming.

As the webinar workbook explained, “Summit is committed to empowering HTMs to service their own equipment to lower total cost of ownership and improve patient care. Join us for a webinar that educates HTMs to obtain critical fault information for immediate and accurate diagnostics to return the device back to service as quickly as possible by slaving a hard disk to view critical service data.”

Attendees were able to learn how to: • Slave common hard drives to a PC or tablet.

• Gather error logs and system build information.

• Find system errors.

The webinar was popular with 143 live attendees. A recording of the session is available online for even more HTM professionals to access the information.

A post-webinar survey garnered feedback and posed the question, “How well did the content that was delivered match what you were promised when you registered?”

“It matched what I expected very well.

There were some things I already knew, having used one of the USB to HD adapters before, but I still learned a few

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

more things as well,” Biomedical Technologist O. Stephen said.

“Well done, I have this slave and use it often to transfer files from one unit to another. I feel dumb for having not used it for the purpose in this presentation. Well done and thanks,” shared Senior Instructor T. Bracewell.

“Exceeded! The title of the webinar did not capture the extensive scope of the presentation,” Clinical Engineer Technician L. DaFoe said.

“This was great content for the purpose. It would be a good addition to provide some resources to ghost a healthy hard drive in the future,” said D. Banister, field service engineer.

“Was a very good look at how the drives store information and ways to retrieve it,” said K. Ferguson, clinical engineer.

“The content was perfect. I have worked with Summit over the years and Larry did not disappoint,” Manager Biomedical Engineering C. Langmeyer said.

FIND OUT ABOUT UPCOMING WEBINARS and register for one at WebinarWednesday.Live.

Thank you to our sponsors:

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

47

THE BENCH

TOOLS OF THE TRADE TechNation

Webinar Wednesday

T

he Webinar Wednesday series began with an idea and a belief that TechNation could answer the HTM industry’s need for ongoing, easily accessible educational opportunities. TechNation has often discussed ways to continue the popularity and success of the MD Expo’s accredited classes.

TechNation felt a monthly webinar series would be the best vehicle. The Webinar Wednesday series has grown each year since it was introduced and now features multiple webinars each month. As of April of this year, more than 3,000 individuals have already registered for presentations hosted by the Webinar Wednesday series.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, including a calendar of upcoming webinars and recordings of previous sessions, visit WebinarWednesday.Live.

48

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

STRIVING FOR

PERFECTION

T H R O U G H

D I S C O V E R Y

A N D

I N N O V A T I O N

DURABLE • ACCURATE • AFFORDABLE • COMFORTABLE • RELIABLE

ISO 13485 ACCREDITED AND FDA REGISTERED

C U S T O M C A B L E S AVA I L A B L E

8 0 0 . 3 1 5 . 7 5 5 1 • I N F O @ B E TA B I O M E D. C O M • B E TA B I O M E D. C O M

THE BENCH

SHOP TALK POWERED BY

GE HEALTHCARE DASH 5000

Q: A:

Has anyone had a Dash monitor turning on and off?

If your monitor is running on V7.2, then that’s the problem. You will need to upgrade the software to

V7.3

A: A:

This happens sometimes if you replace the DAS module. Reloading the software will fix the issue.

The DAS module information is correct, but there is more to it. If the main board has V7.2 loaded on it, it will need to be upgraded to V7.3. Reloading V7.2 may not fix it or only fix it temporarily. GE came out with V7.3 to correct the rebooting issue. This rebooting happens at the GE logo when it is first turned on. Now, if the rebooting happens at the main monitoring screen, then the problem is the DAS Module, and that module will need to be replaced.

PHILIPS IE33 ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

Q:

I have an IE33 that with three different X7-2t TEEs the system will over temp within minutes intermittently over the past two weeks. Some days it’s fine and other days it displays the first message to adjust setting before it forces a cool down, and then sometimes it forces a cool down. They do not over temp on other systems. Has anyone had this type of issue on these before? I am planning on swapping out the NAIM since it does a lot of the temp/voltage monitoring. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

A:

I would encourage you to NOT invest time in replacing any parts in the scanner. Typically, this is an applications issue. The user is most likely NOT following the proper instructions in minimizing acoustic power, minimizing the

use of Color and 3D modes. There are instructions in bold print in most OEM user manuals that speak to this.

A:

We have seen and had customers with that problem a fair amount of times and it is almost always caused by a NAIM board. As you know, the signals go through the Scanhead Select and I remember seeing that cause the same symptom once.

PHILIPS IU22

Q: A: A:

What causes error code 201 on a Philips iU22?

Replace the front-end controller.

The error code indicates the following: 201 FEC Failed With Error Code 1 The Front-End Controller has reported an error for which there is no recovery. Scanning has stopped. This indicates a software defect which probably resulted from a hardware error. Please run diagnostics on the FEC board and replace as needed. It is pretty likely that the FEC needs to be replaced. Since it does not seat into the AFP or the scan head select board, like the other front-end boards do, the best “re-seat” attempt you can do is to check the ribbon cable connections, just to have a look, but it is likely the FEC is shot.

A:

It is worth checking the power connections to the acquisition front plane and the two ribbon cables at the rear of the FEC to make sure they are not loose, but a 201 almost always means a failed FEC. If you are not trained or experienced on accessing the front end using the “Beverly Crusher” bar and how to reseat the FEC cables, I suggest you seek help. The parts can be easily damaged.

SHOP TALK

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

50

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

YOUR NUMBER ONE SOURCE FOR COVID-19 RELATED IFUS AND MANUALS

PATIENT SAFETY IS EVERYTHING. As COVID-19 pushes you and your facility to its limits, your support staff rely on you to follow the latest validated manufacturers’ IFUs and service manuals. Even in a crisis, compliance with the CMS, Joint Commission, and AAAHC Accreditation is essential. We’re 100% dedicated to patient safety so it’s crucial for us to get you to what you need faster. Our comprehensive database gives you instant access to thousands of service manuals.

ONESOURCEDOCS.COM

1-800-701- 3560

Celebrating 10 years of changing the face of patient safety

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

51

ROUNDTABLE

ROUNDTABLE Education & Certification

T

echNation recently contacted a variety of healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals and educators to find out more about education and certification opportunities. HTM departments continue to seek quality applicants as more and more experienced biomeds retire. We quizzed the panel about education opportunities and asked them to share their thoughts on the different certifications.

The following roundtable discussion includes insights from College of Biomedical Equipment Technology’s Bill Bassuk, Vice President of MD Publishing Kristin Leavoy, Penn State New Kensington Assistant Teaching Professor and Biomedical Engineering Technology Program Coordinator Joie Marhefka, AAMI Director of Education Martin J. McLaughlin and Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Professor Emeritus Steven J. Yelton, P.E.

52

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

accredited institutions, including military training, technical schools and colleges. To transition from technician to manager or director, HTM professionals should consider pursuing a Bachelor of Science in a related field.

Senior leaders in the industry should consider obtaining a Master of Business Administration. Education, matched with an array of diverse technical and business experiences in HTM, are critical to career success.

Bill Bassuk College of Biomedical Equipment Technology Q: WHAT LEVEL OR TYPE OF EDUCATION DO YOU RECOMMEND FOR AN INDIVIDUAL INTERESTED IN PURSUING A CAREER IN HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT (HTM)?

BASSUK: As an HTM professional and educator, I recommend formal education directly related to our field from

LEAVOY: An HTM career can begin with a two-year or four-year degree as well as with military training. Some individuals enter the professional ranks after an apprenticeship. The most important aspect of the education is that it be quality education with hands-on training whenever possible.

MARHEFKA: I think it depends on the career path that you are looking to pursue. If you are interested in a career as a biomed – maintaining, trouble-

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

ROUNDTABLE

shooting and repairing medical equipment – an associate degree will give you the education and skills necessary to be successful. This, of course, is the path I am most familiar with as I teach in an associate degree program. I know that the military training also is an excellent preparation for a career as a biomed. If you are interested in doing more project management in clinical engineering or in supervising biomeds, then a bachelor’s (and possibly an advanced degree) would be helpful.

MCLAUGHLIN: While there are many different pathways into the HTM field to start, the recommended amount of education for an entry-level BMET would be a two-year degree and clinical engineers should have a four-year engineering degree. To move up within a health care system, however, HTM professionals should obtain higher levels of education beyond a four-year bachelor’s. Hospital executives often hold multiple graduate degrees and in order for HTM professionals to move into those types of positions, their education levels must match that of their peers.

YELTON: I feel that it is possible to enter the HTM career field with an internship or military training. I would strongly suggest that the individual continue their education with a minimum of an associate degree. From there, depending on the individual’s career goals, I would recommend continuing their education with a bachelor’s degree and a certification.

Q: WHICH CERTIFICATION(S) DO YOU ENCOURAGE HTM PROFESSIONALS TO OBTAIN AND WHY? BASSUK: The industry is rapidly evolving toward a highly technical, networked, Internet of Things (IoT) field. Traditional education opportuni-

willing to continue learning through continuing education. I also recommend networking certifications as so much of today’s medical equipment is connected to the hospital’s network.

KristinLeavoy MD Publishing

ties are fundamental, including certificate and degree paths. Similarly, obtaining professional certifications such as CBET and CHTM remain important features of a successful career path. However, we believe the trend toward networked devices and systems is driving change and are encouraging our students to seek advanced networking and IT certifications to enhance their professional skills and knowledge as we move into the health care environment of the future.

LEAVOY: Certifications, while not necessary, add value to an HTM professional’s ability to market themselves. An HTM professional with a certification does not necessarily have more experience than someone without a certification, but a certification is something that can be listed on a resume for instant credibility and to set a candidate apart from others being considered for the same job opening.

MARHEFKA: I encourage HTM professionals to pursue CBET certification, as it demonstrates commitment to your career, shows that you have met certain standards and shows that you are

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

MCLAUGHLIN: Certifications within the HTM field are great ways for professionals to stand out among their peers.

ACI’s CBET, CRES and CHTM credentials show devotion to the field, dedication to professional development and a level of knowledge that meets the minimum competency to perform the job that the designation is aligned with.

Outside of ACI certifications, project management and IT related programs will make any professional better at their job and should be strongly encouraged in the HTM field.

YELTON: The certification that the HTM professional should pursue in my opinion would depend on their job. If they are a technician, I would recommend the CBET or CRES. If the individual is currently in a management position, I would recommend the CHTM certification. Many of our students pursue A+ or networking certifications to complement their education.

Q: WHAT ARE SOME WAYS HTM PROFESSIONALS CAN CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION? BASSUK: One of the best sources of continuing education is the nationwide network of professional associations and mentor groups available to HTM professionals. As the director of the college, I have the privilege of working with many of them, including organizations like the Kentucky Association of Medical Instrumentation (KAMI) and leaders like Tom Bledsoe who are passionate about guiding and mentoring the next generation of HTM professionals.

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

53

ROUNDTABLE

LEAVOY: Our industry is quite fortunate to have not just one, but three annual conferences offered to a national audience on a yearly basis. The bi-annual MD Expo and the annual AAMI Exchange are great resources for HTM professionals. The education offered at these events is unparalleled. In turn, the free webinars offered by the Webinar Wednesday series are an amazing tool for professionals to stay abreast of the latest trends and best practices when the opportunity isn’t afforded to attend a national conference.

MARHEFKA: There are a number of ways HTM professionals can continue their educations. Advanced degrees – in HTM, IT, engineering, business or other fields – and certification are two that we’ve already discussed. Manufacturer’s service schools are great to further technical skills. Attending conferences, participating in webinars and reading technical publications are good ways to keep up with the latest trends and developments in the industry. I also believe that teaching is the best way to learn – so if you are able to teach a course at a local school, give guest lectures to students or share your knowledge with colleagues, that is also an excellent way to continue learning.

MCLAUGHLIN: As a representative for ACI, I encourage our certified individuals to reach out to their local or state HTM society for upcoming meetings, conferences or other education opportunities. For in-person education opportunities, the AAMI Exchange and MD Expo are events that all HTM professionals should attend to ensure they are receiving the most trusted and timely education the industry has to offer. For those who don’t have the time or funds to travel for an in-person event, we recommend the live and recorded webinars from both AAMI and TechNation. The webinars are great ways for professionals to stay on top of their education for free, while juggling their own busy schedules.

54

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

certain knowledge and skills and that you are active in continuing education.

Other pros of certification are that, in many cases, employers will pay more if you are certified, and having certifications on your resume can help you to stand out. I don’t see many cons, outside of the cost and time commitment.

Joie Marhefka Penn State New Kensington, Biomedical Engineering Technology YELTON: I would recommend an AAMI membership where they can take advantage of online and in-person continuing education opportunities. I would also recommend participation in a local HTM association where there are meetings with speakers, etc. An obvious choice would be course work at a local college and manufacturer’s training classes.

Q: WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF CERTIFICATION? BASSUK: There are not many cons associated with continuing education and professional development. At the College of Biomedical Equipment Technology, we encourage our students to consider seeking specialized training and certification. The professionalization of our industry demands healthcare technology managers and technicians with both experience and education – including formal education and advanced and specialty certifications.

MCLAUGHLIN: Within the HTM field, certification is not a universally mandated requirement for technicians.

Some hospitals and organizations don’t promote it, making it seem unnecessary for those HTM employees. What this does is place the initial onus on the individual to earn a certification that will spotlight their value to their employer and potential employers.

Many hospitals and ISOs have stepped up to make ACI certification an internal requirement for employment after seeing the direct impact it has on lowering costs, improving recruitment and maintaining a strong HTM team. In the end, certification is about the individual who earns it and should be something that an HTM professional does to showcase their skills and grow as a professional.

YELTON: There are many pros of certification. Certification not only shows a level of expertise in your field, it also shows that you have the initiative to advance yourself professionally. I have found that even if an individual decides

LEAVOY: No professional certification is easy to attain, but that accomplishment shows the dedication one has to their field. Without a doubt, the time and effort committed to earning a certification is a worthy endeavor.

MARHEFKA: I recommend certification because it demonstrates a commitment to your work. It shows that you have

Martin J. McLaughlin AAMI

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

ROUNDTABLE to switch fields, the fact that they possess a certification shows that they have the drive to advance themselves professionally. I honestly do not see any cons to certification.

Continue your free subscription of TechNation magazine!

19 ST 20

AUGU

1tec

Vol.

10

hnati

NCING ADVA

DICAL BIOME THE

/ HTM

NAL ESSIO PROF

1tech

Vol. 10

, 3D

robots

LEAVOY: All HTM professionals are invited to start a FREE subscription to TechNation at 1TechNation.com so that you can stay informed about your industry and peers. I also highly encourage readers to visit WebinarWednesday.Live to explore the library of hundreds of past webinars as well as a calendar of upcoming presentations. We welcome the opportunity to meet our readers in person at the MD Expo held twice-a-year.

The next MD Expo is scheduled to be held in Irvine, California this July. The fall conference will be held this November in Tampa, Florida. For more information about this free conference for hospital employees, students and members of the military, visit MDExpoShow.com.

natio

n.com

ADVAN CING THE BIO MEDIC AL / HT M PR OFESS IONAL

Lead

Treairns LE AD i ng ER S I

rs Printe

e

xx

P R E P A R I N G

Pu

xx

R 20

19

M

n.com

PRS RT STD U.S. Pos tage PAI D Pub lishing

MD

0-TN

OCTO BE

in

N H T

14

ADVANCIN G THE BIOM g.indd EDICAL / 1 HTM PROF ESSIONAL

-Ma

Comp Nuvo any Sh owca lo se Comp Asse any Sh t Servi owca se ces Comp Midm any Sh ark RT owca LS JULYse Roun 2019 CMMSdtable

22

g. 100 , Ste . 120

MD 105 Publish 1 Tyr ing Tyrone one , GA Rd., Bld 302 90

28 56

9/5/

19

7:45

AM

12

Professi onal of the Mon Charlotte th Threlkeld Company Showca oneSOUR se CE News and Notes Industry Updates Roundta ble Ultrasoun d Systems

14 1techn

atio

26

n.com

.indd 1

ING THE ADVANC

ICAL / BIOMED

9 BER 201

SEPTEM

izing Optim MS CM 44

1907-TN-MAG

AL FESSION HTM PRO

Your

6/6/19

Much

2:14 PM

More

than

les

hedu

PM Sc

14

Comp EQ2

24

any Sh

owcas

e

e owcas Inc. s, any Sh Comp Data System x Phoeni tes and No News Updates ry Indust le tab Round Therapy Infusion

29

51

ed Request Service Address

d lishing 30269 MD Pubbrook Ben , GA 18 East e City htre Peac

9 7:30

8/5/1

AM

STD PRSRT age U.S. Post PAID g lishin MD Pub

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

case Show pany Com te iga s Med Note and tes News y Upda str Indu le dtab Roun ing Train Expo D M xx

xx

D T ST PRSR stage . Po U.S PAID hing blis

1technatio

Vol. 10

191

Vol. 10

YELTON: I think TechNation readers should investigate non-traditional HTM education. There are more online opportunities and remote learning opportunities available. I feel that they should become active in professional societies such as AAMI, ASHE, HIMMS, etc. depending on their job.

These organizations are working hard to provide educational opportunities for members. As far as certifications, I feel that readers should pursue certifications. It not only helps you stay current in your field, but it will provide you with a credential that will set you apart from the person who chooses not to become certified.

xx

& Mor

9 shingBend 3026 k Publi y, GA MD stbroo e Cit ed 18 Ea tre est Peach Requ rvice ss Se dre Ad

MARHEFKA: I recommend that everyone take advantage of any opportunities that are available to keep learning throughout your career and life.

m on.co

Req ues ted

BASSUK: We are fortunate to work in an industry so heavily invested in education and professional development. A formal education is the bedrock of a strong and successful career. Certifications and specialty training augment formal education and experience and open doors to HTM professionals that might otherwise remain closed. For BMET and HTM professionals developing their career paths, we encourage them to seek all three – formal education, certifications and a wide array of experiences.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

Addre ss Ser vice

Steven J. Yelton Cincinnati State Technical and Community College

MD

Q: WHAT ELSE DO YOU THINK TECHNATION READERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HTM EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATIONS?

Advancing the Biomedical/HTM Professional

d 1

ag.ind

-TN-M

1909

www.1technation.com/subscribe JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

55

IT ALL STARTS ONLINE WEBINARWEDNESDAY.LIVE

Enjoy a new webinar every week!

TURES N E V D A IN THE

WE

OF

R A BIN

D E W

Y A D NES

E E R F

Pssst!

W

!

OW

You can register online to view our live webinar series every Wednesday OR watch recorded webinars in our online archives!

E C n r a E ! s t i d e Cr ed

entials

PR

E-APPRO

In

itu

AAM

I

st

Cr

e d by th provide entials ed aami cr ute instit •

te

E

ED

• C

U

V

WE ARE BIOMEDS

HELPING BIOMEDS

TM

UNSURPASSED QUALITY, SERVICE & VALUE Biomeds Serving the Biomedical Industry

With our singular dedication to quality, value and meeting customer needs, we at Southeastern Biomedical have been providing a broad range of equipmentrelated services since 1996. Southeastern Biomedical Associates is owned and operated by Certified Biomedical Technicians. Our mission is to provide healthcare facilities with a viable option to acquire and maintain medical equipment in a cost-effective manner, while delivering superior quality. Our business is operated upon the belief that patient safety is the utmost priority.

PARTS

SALES

CALIBRATION

REPAIR

LET US HELP TODAY! MEDICAL EQUIPMENT SALES AND SERVICE

9 0 01 : 2 015 17 0 2 5

CALL 888.310.7322 VISIT WWW.SEBIOMEDICAL.COM

T

here is a general belief among human resources (HR) professionals and hiring managers that the more value an employee brings to the job, the more knowledge they have and the more that they can be utilized by the employer, the more opportunity they might have for advancement and job security.

Certainly, there is no argument that self-development, continuous learning and an expanding skill set are all desirable qualities and traits in an employee, which makes that person more prized by leadership.

Many occupations allow a certification as the sole means of entry into that career. These certifications, which are awarded by professional organizations or other nongovernmental bodies, demonstrate competency to do the job

58

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

and often require a qualifying exam.

Those who hold certifications, but not a professional license, can have varying levels of education from no high school diploma to advanced degrees.

The list of certifications for those in the HTM profession has grown over the past four decades and has expanded in recent years as connectivity and information storing have increased.

Consider that there was a time, not that long ago, when a biomed did not

even consider a degree in network security. In more recent years, it provides a very useful skill set for a changing workplace.

Not all biomed jobs require a particular certification, but in an evolving landscape, the newer specialty degrees and certifications can prove valuable.

Is certification necessary? Is it a job prerequisite? Is it a career accelerator?

These are fair questions.

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

Within the HTM profession, both for biomeds and managers, there are certifications that acknowledge a certain attained level of knowledge. As with all knowledge, there is an opportunity for the application of that information that bestows some additional value on the possessor of the certification.

In a profession that requires computer, electrical and mechanical knowledge, the universe of information is vast.

There are several certifications that can attest to competency in those areas.

There are certifications that are right for both biomeds and managers. They can include CHTM, CBET, CRES or CCE. In the connected environment that health care facilities operate in, there are also certifications that represent a level of competence in network security. These can include CompTIA certification in Sec+, A+, Net+ and Cybersecurity+.

“Since certifications aren’t necessarily required for our industry, I’ve always used it as a way to distinguish one technician from another. I looked to get the CBET back when I was a tech as a way to distinguish myself from others with my same experience and also a personal goal. When the CHTM became a new certification, I looked to achieve this for the same reasons,” says Ken Mylar, MBA, CHTM, CBET, system director of Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) at Summa Health in Akron, Ohio.

As hiring managers forward their requirements to HR managers, and both review a pile of resumes, the candidate with the certification may stand out.

“I believe it is a matter of where one wants to go with their career. If you are a biomed and want to excel, the CBET is a great option; if you aspire to be in management, you should be preparing for the CHTM, etcetera,” says John Noblitt, M.A. Ed, CBET, BMET program director at Caldwell Community College in Hudson, North Carolina.

“All of the A+, Net+ certifications will be valuable as we continue to implement smart technologies and AI,” Noblitt says.

The employer’s wish-list is also front

of mind for Bill Bassuk, president of the College of Biomedical Equipment Technology in San Antonio, Texas.

“As far as what certifications are right for you depends on the hiring institutions. Some institutions will only hire a biomed if they have their CBET. The same applies for the manager or director role in which case they will need their CHTM. In most cases, experiences are looked at more closely than the certifications. In some cases, institutions will hire the qualified biomedical professional and or manager contingent on passing their exam within the following year,” Bassuk says.

Bassuk also says that having A+ and networking certifications, such as cybersecurity, is a big plus because of the increasing need to be aware of the potential cyber threats to hospitals.

“As far as positions in management are concerned, most organizations prefer their candidates to have a formal four-year degree in business or similar with biomedical experience as well,” he adds.

Biomed students at Texas State Technical College hear about the benefits of certification also.

“We encourage our students to work toward the CBET and/or CRES, realizing that it isn’t an entry-level

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

certification, but they can take the test after graduation. I recommend they wait about six months to a year after graduation to take the test, studying the whole time,” says Roger A. Bowles, MS, EdD, CBET, instructor of biomedical equipment technology at Texas State Technical College in Waco, Texas.

Bowles says that they also encourage students to get the A+ and Network+ certifications.

“They can get those while they are still students. If they achieve those before graduating, they will definitely have an advantage in their job search,” he adds.

Salim Kai, senior director of information services/biomedical engineering at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia says that technicians working in the HTM field should, at minimum, aim to get the CBET. “For managers that are managing the day-to-day operation, and staff, annual budget, they should aim for the CHTM,” Kai says.

Kai breaks out some of the skill sets that are valuable for HTM professionals.

“Cybersecurity knowhow; how to patch devices and servers, how to secure medical devices, physical inventory for connectable devices, cyber risk assess-

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

59

ment, investigating events related to cyber threats,” he says.

Kai also says that project management knowhow is a valuable skill. Know the anatomy of a health care project, how to track it, how to negotiate with vendors and contractors. One should also know how to create a project charter and budget and how to manage a project and stay on schedule.

“Continuous process improvement and Lean Six Sigma; being able to identify value drivers for the HTM department and show value to the hospital leadership,” Kai continues.

He says that data analytics is important to know. [To be] able to use data to show cost savings as in financial stewardship, improved customer satisfaction, and improved safety and quality.

Kai also suggests HTM professionals acquire: • IT knowhow • The ability to understand how devices are connected and communicate on the hospital network, both wired and wireless.

• Ability to understand how data travels and is archived.

• General knowledge of medical apps.

Many of these skills can be enhanced through a certification program. The CompTIA Project+ certification teaches essential project management concepts that go beyond one framework or methodology. To take the exam, the candidate should have one year of knowledge of project life cycle, communication skills, project documentation and the ability to manage resources and stakeholders.

CREDENTIALS FOR HTM PROFESSIONALS Several certification exams can be taken through AAMI’s Credentials Institute (ACI). The granddaddy of the biomed certifications is the CBET, with the first exam administered in 1972. As of December 31, 2018, there were 4,099 holders of the CBET

60

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

certification, including those who are retired and emeritus.

“The CBET and CRES certification programs have been developed and revised by HTM professionals with the goal of testing the minimum competencies for an HTM with at least four years of experience in the field,” says M.J. McLaughlin, AAMI’s director of education programming.

McLaughlin says that earning these certifications from ACI demonstrates a strong understanding of the core facets of the job, including anatomy and physiology; public safety in the health care facility; fundamentals of electricity and electronics; healthcare technology and function; healthcare technology problem-solving; and healthcare information technology.

“For new hires who don’t yet meet the eligibility requirements of the CBET or CRES, ACI will soon be launching their Certified Associate in Biomedical Technology (CABT) certification, which is geared towards individuals just entering the field with no prior education or experience. AAMI’s BMET101 training will launch at the same time, acting as a key preparation course for those seeking to earn the CABT designation,” McLaughlin says.

He says that on the other end of the career ladder is the Certified Healthcare Technology Manager (CHTM) designation.

“This management level certification is for HTMs who have had at least three years of experience in a supervisor or managerial role. A candidate for this designation would be someone who is responsible for planning and directing activities of other HTM professionals, monitoring their work and taking corrective actions when necessary. The CHTM exam covers two major areas in HTM: management of health technology operations and management of personnel,” McLaughlin adds.

AAMI also offers the Certified Industrial Sterilization Specialist certification, for those who understand the principles of sterilization process development, validation, control and

management as part of the manufacturing of health care products, according to the organization’s website.

NETWORK AND COMPUTER FOCUS A complete understanding of how computers function is the first step in obtaining one or more of the specialized certifications in computers and network security.

These certifications and degrees can launch a career in cybersecurity or enhance a biomed’s knowledge to be used on the job in a hybrid role or as a subject-matter expert in a biomed department.

Knowing Linux and Unix, in addition to Windows, can help round out an HTM professional’s knowledge.

Learning a programming language is also helpful.

“We are definitely in the digital age in today’s world. Cybersecurity should be at the top of everyone’s list. We need to all be aware of any equipment that is connected to a network or Bluetooth and understand the significance of keeping that data secure,” says Matthew Kenney, CHTM, director of HTM/biomed at Aiken Regional Medical Centers in Aiken, South Carolina.

Kenney says that in today’s world, everything is connecting to the electronic medical record (EMR). Understanding that more in-depth is very important with maintaining medical equipment.

One provider of both training and certification is the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA).

According to the association’s website, they have awarded more than 2.7 million certifications in areas such as cybersecurity, networking, cloud computing and technical support.

There are several certifications that are considered “core” that include IT Fundamentals (ITF+), A+, Network+ and Security+.

IT Fundamentals allows professionals to determine if an IT career is right for them. It provides a broad understanding of IT. It establishes an IT education framework for students as

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

well. The exam focuses on essential IT skills and knowledge, according to CompTIA. It is a good basis for those who are considering pursuing a professional level certification such as A+.

The A+ requires the candidate to pass two exams and is a credential that establishes that the holder is someone who can think on their feet when performing critical IT tasks.

The core certifications prepare the professional for the next level of certifications.

Some of those more advanced certifications include CompTIA Security+, Cybersecurity Analyst certification, CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) certification. The PenTest+ is a newer certification, which became available in 2018 and is for cybersecurity professionals who are tasked with penetration testing and vulnerability management. How resilient is the network to attack?

An HTM professional may want to begin with some of the core offerings.

A+ and Net+ are good building blocks for this purpose.

Another certificate program, started less than a year ago, is the Leadership in Health Care Privacy and Security Risk Management program, an eight-week course offered by the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at

Austin. The program says its purpose “is to develop leaders who can manage risk in American health care systems, protecting them from fast-evolving cybersecurity threats.”

“The role of HTM professionals has indeed expanded, and we’re struggling to keep pace. There are no signs of slowing down, so we might as well embrace and accept these changes. One area in particular that we are behind is in cybersecurity. It is imperative that our current and future HTMs get familiar and proficient in keeping our health care infrastructure healthy and protected from cyber-threats,” says Jojo Gonzales, BSHA, CBET, CHTM, A+, Net+, Sec+, Healthcare IT Certified, Lead BMET in the clinical technology department at Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center.

“I’ve been asked many times recently of my recommendations, and I’ve offered the same which is to get educated in cybersecurity either through formalized college-level education, specialized training or get certified.

Here are a few certifications that are worth pursuing: CompTIA Security+, CPHIMS/CAHIMS, CISSP and CISM,” Gonzales says.

It seems counterintuitive to learn about how to be a hacker when you are attempting to help an employer

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

strengthen a network against cyber threats, but thinking like the hacker offers insights.

“A basic military tactic discussed by Sun Tzu in ‘The Art of War’ is that we should ‘know thy enemy.’ So, when I was first learning about cybersecurity, I picked up a few books on hacking which gave me some insight to the methods and techniques the bad actors were using. This knowledge helped me understand the how, what and why of the various cybersecurity countermeasures,” Gonzales says.

Gonzales says that his recommendation is for BMETs to take the initiative to learn more about cybersecurity.

“There are countless resources available online either self-paced or formalized training. Community colleges offer basic computer, networking, and security classes; others even have certification preparatory courses for A+, Network+, Security+, Cisco, etcetera,” he says.

“Some local HTM associations offer them too. Attend as many webinars, symposiums and conferences as possible where they have plenty of educational sessions. And, if available, request these types of training from the employers.

It’s a skill set that would not only benefit the employees but the organization overall,” Gonzales adds.

Some conferences HTM professionals should consider attending is the AAMI Exchange and the MD Expo.

MD Expo is free for hospital employees, students and members of the military.

MD Expo strives to provide healthcare technology management professionals with a unique, intimate and rewarding conference second to none.

For more information, visit MDExpoShow.com.

It’s all a value proposition. How valuable does a biomed make him or herself to the team and their employer?

Is learning a lifelong pursuit? There are many ways to look at earning certifications and there are no downsides. It should be approached as a challenge and a goal that has the potential to enhance your career.

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

61

EXPERT ADVICE

CAREER CENTER

Handling Stress and Job Burnout in the Workplace

BY JENIFER BROWN

O

ur industry is directly involved in the COVID-19 health care crisis on a daily basis. It is vital that we take care of ourselves physically by wearing protective gear and following federal and state regulatory guidelines.

It is also important to take care of our mental and emotional health.

In today’s workplace environment, especially in light of the virus, achieving a work-life balance seems out of reach.

Being stressed, tired and overextended has become a normal part of our industry’s professional life. Many psychologists and even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “highlight long-term and unresolvable burnout as not a symptom but rather a major health concern.” Biologically we are not meant to be in that high-stress mode all the time. Oftentimes, we think that the only way to be productive is to be constantly on the go. Plus, job burnout may be hard to identify or accept due to feeling it is some sort of failure on our part.

Common symptoms can be loss of

62

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

appetite and passion for things you love or being unable to find motivation for things that you were able to accomplish easily before. It could also be more irritability or even anger toward co-workers or loved ones. These symptoms can lead to absenteeism, turnover and errors due to not being as careful on the job as normal.

Here are some ways to avoid being overstressed or burned out on the job: • A trusted peer/mentor at work with whom you can discuss and strategize other ways to deal with work-related issues. That makes you feel that each of you have each other’s back and that you are there for each other so that you are not alone in this time of stress.

• Try focused breathing at work to help you reduce or manage stress.

This is due to tapping into your parasympathetic nervous system.

• If possible take frequent breaks at work, preferably five-minute breaks for every 30 minutes spent on a single task.

• Find or start a hobby where you can decompress, de-stress and totally

Jenifer Brown Health Tech Talent Management LLC dissociate from work.

• Do regular exercise or fitness activity which has both stress relief and physical benefits. For example: Yoga is a great exercise venue which combines focused breathing, mental meditation and physical activity.

• Aside from good diet, exercise and sleep, there’s one surefire way to combat stress, low job morale and burnout; “Laughter,” CDC Team Leader of Workplace Health Programs Jason Lang said. “Find some humor in daily life.”

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

DON’T ROLL THE DICE

LET US DO THE HEAVY LIFTING. WE WILL REPAIR YOUR SPACELABS EQUIPMENT.

WHEN IT COMES TO PATIENT MONITOR REPAIR. GO WITH THE ACE.

SPACELABS • DRAGER • SCOTTCARE • NIHON KOHDEN• DATASCOPE • GE • PHILIPS SPACELABS • DRAGER • SCOTTCARE • NIHON KOHDEN• DATASCOPE • GE • PHILIPS • BEDSIDE & CENTRAL MONITORING • BEDSIDE & CENTRAL • MODULES MONITORING • TELEMETRY • MODULES • FLAT PANELS • TELEMETRY

• FLAT PANELS

• RECORDERS ACCESSORIES •• RECORDERS • FREE TECHNICAL SUPPORT • ACCESSORIES • FREE REPAIR EVALUATIONS • FREE TECHNICAL SUPPORT

• FREE REPAIR EVALUATIONS

“We Put The ACE In Spacelabs!”

“We Put The ACE In Spacelabs!”

WWW.SWBIOMED.COM • 800.880.7231

WWW.SWBIOMED.COM • 800.880.7231

EXPERT ADVICE

SPONSORED CONTENT

20/20 IMAGING INSIGHTS ‘AUTO COOL IMMINENT’ Messages and More

BY TED LUCIDI, CBET

I

t can be trying for both end-users as well as service engineers when a product, sent-in for repair of a specific issue, is found to have no problems whatsoever. Repair providers face increasing pressure to resolve problems accurately and quickly yet doing so without valid data for best practices has the potential to have serious consequences. Those that engage in multiple types of and levels of testing are better prepared to solve problems right the first time and achieve optimum outcomes. Over the years, the Innovatus team has repaired over 25,000 TEE probes and has evaluated over double that amount. Our engineers have spent thousands of man-hours researching the various models of TEE probes and collecting data to develop profiles and characteristics for the various models we support.

One scenario where we cannot always duplicate the end-user’s issue involves messages received during a TEE study, such as “AUTO-COOL IMMINENT”, “OVERTEMP WARNING” or “NEAR THERMAL LIMIT.” Messages like these are a result of the distal tip of the TEE probe becoming excessively warm

64

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

and posing a risk of esophageal burn to the patient.

THEORY: The continued high-frequency pulsing of the acoustic array within a TEE probe causes its internal temperature to rise. The rise in tip temperature can be transferred to the patient causing thermal damage or even burning of the esophagus. TEE transducers contain a temperature sensor, called a thermistor, within the tip to sense the temperature (of the tip, not the patient) and disable the ultrasound system if the tip temperature becomes excessively high. During a TEE study, this temperature is displayed on the scanner for end-users to monitor.

What many end-users, as well as veteran service engineers, may not realize is that it’s possible for a factory-new TEE probe to experience an over-temperature issue.

APPLICATION: When the TEE transducer is first connected to the scanner and is initially inserted into the patient (while the scanner is frozen and before active imaging has started), the temperature reported will be very close to the patient’s actual core temperature.

Once the scanner has been unfrozen (and is actively imaging), the tip temperature can rise 1-2 degrees Celsius

Ted Lucidi Innovatus Imaging above the patient’s core temperature.

Once color Doppler or 3D mode is enabled, the tip temperature can rise an additional 1-2 degrees Celsius. The use of harmonic imaging, which is extremely common, can also have an effect on the tip temperature. Depending upon the physiological conditions of the patient, the length of time that the probe is actively scanning and the particular scanning mode in-use, a TEE tip temperature of 41-43 degrees Celsius could be possible. Our engineers have been able to induce an over-temperature condition on factory-new TEE probes.

SOLUTIONS: OEMs specifically address thermal heating in their user manuals, and it’s suggested that end-users and service engineers consult OEM manuals for the most up-to-date information for their particular scanner.

In general, OEMs recommend the following when over-temperature messages are encountered.

• Reducing the acoustic output of the transducer: This is a very seldomly used secondary control that is often hidden on a submenu on most scanner user interfaces. According to our data, this has the greatest effect on reducing thermal heating.

• Limiting the time spent in color

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

EXPERT ADVICE

Doppler and/or 3D mode: Although color imaging is one of the primary modes used during TEE studies, limiting its use (and ultimately its power) can greatly affect tip temperature. Also, 3D volumetric imaging utilizes thousands of acoustic elements within the array versus the amount (traditionally <100) used during traditional 2D imaging.

• Freezing the scanner, when active imaging in not required: Freezing the scanner, if only occasionally for a minute or two, allows the tip to cool.

• Disabling harmonic imaging: Although highly popular, disabling harmonic imaging can help to reduce TEE tip temperature according to one OEM.

One scenario which can intensify over-temperature errors is performing a TEE study on a patient with an elevated body temperature. Remember that the patient’s core temperature is the baseline. A patient with a core temperature of 38 degrees versus 37 degrees, only allows for 3 degrees of variance before an over-temperature message is displayed. End-users, performing TEE studies on patients with elevated core temperatures, may need to slightly adjust their scanner settings or modify their practices.

Innovatus Imaging has the expertise, the tools and proprietary testing capabilities to thoroughly assess TEE probe performance. Our data shows that of all the probes being reported as having an issue with temperature

sensing, over-temperature errors or overheating, less than 1% actually presented with a problem. In the event that you have a probe reported to have temperature issues, we can help. We have a team to walk you (or your customer) through the steps listed above as well as welcome the opportunity to assess your probe’s performance.

Taking time to explain the theory behind, the potential applications and possible solutions to end-users can really go a long way in building a strong rapport with the professionals you support.

TED LUCIDI, CBET, Customer Experience and Clinical Insights, Centers of Excellence for Ultrasound and MRI Coil Repair, Radiography, Design and Manufacturing, Innovatus Imaging.

EXPANSIVE SERVICE. ENTECH has been servicing major medical centers and hospitals, surgery centers and freestanding clinics throughout the Southwest for over 37 years. We service and maintain a wide scope of clinical equipment, including general biomedical, respiratory, anesthesia and medical imaging equipment. Our experienced technicians are based throughout the region so we can respond to your needs quickly and ensure your facility is running at peak performance with minimal interruptions.

EXPERTISE. ENTECH continuously monitors clinical equipment trends, licensing and accreditation agencies and service line procedures to support our customers with the most efficient, inclusive equipment services possible. Our proven technology management systems provide compliant clinical equipment service programs that free our clients to focus on their primary mission: patient care.

DELIVERING EXCEPTIONAL CLINICAL EQUIPMENT SERVICES F O R OV E R 37 Y E A R S Take advantage of our commitment to expanding our clinical equipment services by contracting with ENTECH today! Call us at 602-747-9081 to learn more.

VALUE. ENTECH is vested in solidifying partnerships with key healthcare vendors, expanding its operation and is committed to investing in financial and human resources in order to sustain and grow our clinical equipment services in this region and nationwide. ENTECH is able to deliver a complete suite of services both economically and efficiently that other companies can’t offer.

EntechBiomedical.com | Info@EntechBiomedical.com

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

65

ON-SITE TRAINING AVAILABLE

CONTRAST INJECTOR TRAINING

OPERATION, SERVICE AND TROUBLESHOOTING • Up to $5500 in FREE parts and PM kits with training • New Massive Troubleshooting Library • 100s of Error Codes not found in OEM lit • Online and Onsite Training Available • MIST Maintenance Software • Training on Stellant, Mark 7, ProVis, Spectris Solaris and many other models • Teaching BMETs since 2008

“

LICATION

EDICAL DEALER Class isTECHNATION very hands-on ORTODAY and the

manuals and UYERS GUIDEtraining OTHER

NTH

F

”

procedures are high quality.

I highly recommend it.

M

A

M

J

J

A

– Matt S S

O

N

AD SIZE HALF PAGE HORIZONTAL NOTES

D

w w w. M a u l l B i o m e d i c a l . c o m | 4 4 0 - 7 2 4 - 7 5 1 1 | s t e v e @ m a u l l b i o m e d i c a l . c o m

EXPERT ADVICE

THE FUTURE Getting the Word Out

BY JOIE MARHEFKA

I

t is no secret that qualified candidates are in demand to fill numerous jobs in healthcare technology management (HTM). Biomeds are in demand to fill positions vacated by retirements in the field as well as new positions created as health care systems expand. I receive calls and emails on almost a weekly basis from managers looking for graduates to fill openings.

Unfortunately for these employers, our graduates typically accept employment within weeks of graduation. While this is great news for our graduates, as an educator, I see it as both a challenge and an opportunity – to recruit more students to our program and prepare more graduates for careers in HTM.

While working to recruit more students, I have found that one of the biggest challenges is lack of awareness that the field even exists. When most people think of health care careers, they think of doctors and nurses. Few people think about who maintains and repairs the equipment. Therefore, most high school students or those looking for a career change don’t consider HTM because they aren’t even aware it is an option. I know that I was guilty of this in my younger days.

Therefore, we need to do a better job of getting the word out about careers in HTM. Careers as biomeds offer competitive salaries, opportunities for advancement, and the satisfaction of a career in health care where one can make a difference – often without formal education beyond a two-year degree. How can we, as educators and

the HTM community as a whole, get the word out about opportunities in the field to ensure qualified individuals are available to fill open positions?

My colleagues and I at Penn State New Kensington, as well a number of biomeds and managers in the greater Pittsburgh area, are trying a number of approaches to make people more aware of career opportunities in HTM. One thing that we’ve been doing is reaching out to local high schools – providing brochures highlighting our biomedical engineering technology (BET) program and offering to give presentations to their students. I have spoken to students at a number of schools, including several vo-tech schools, and often have been accompanied by biomeds or biomed managers who have been able to provide a different perspective to the students. I have found that hearing from someone actually working in HTM has made an impression on students. We have also attended several college and career fairs to share information about our program and the field. Also, Penn State New Kensington hosts an annual open house to highlight this major.

In addition, we are using our website and social media to spread the word about our BET program. We are working to create more videos to help share information, especially with the younger generation. Our students and alumni have also been instrumental in getting the word out by talking to friends and family about their classes and careers (which seems to be working well, as many current students found out about the biomed field from friends or family), and, in many cases sharing

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

Joie Marhefka, Ph. D. Penn State New Kensington

information with their high school teachers and guidance counselors. I have also found participation from hospitals and other companies in the field to be helpful in recruiting new students.

Several of the hospitals that work with us have set up information booths during HTM week or during internal career fairs to share information about careers in the field. I also know of a number of biomeds who routinely talk with other hospital employees in less skilled positions, who are looking for a career change. The hope is that they will consider becoming a biomed. We are continuing to brainstorm about other ways to get the word out about HTM careers as well.

It is my belief and hope that all of these efforts to spread the word about HTM allow more people to consider this as a career path. Ideally, this will lead to more students enrolling in our BET program and other similar programs and ultimately more qualified candidates to fill the current and anticipated vacancies in the field. And hopefully others in the field will continue to spread the word as well.

JOIE MARHEFKA, Ph.D., is the biomedical engineering technology program coordinator at Penn State New Kensington.

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

67

EXPERT ADVICE

VIEW ON VALUE

Feature vs. Function: The Art and Science of Medicine

BY JOSEPH HADUCH AND PATRICK FLAHERTY

W

hen working through sourcing and qualifying common but major cardiology equipment, it is always amazing when two experienced, well-respected cardiologists cannot agree on an interventional cardiology lab.

You’ve all experienced it. Lab A, the Philips lab, is Dr. Smith’s room. Lab B, the Siemens lab, is Dr. Jones’ room. Dr. Smith refuses to do cases in Lab B because he believes the image quality is so poor. Dr. Jones refuses to do cases in Lab A because she cannot effectively practice due to unacceptable image quality. Heaven help you, if one of the labs goes down and you ask your physician to use the other room. It’s as if you’re asking them to travel to the moon to perform the procedure, the only difference is the reduction in gravity would be more tolerable. In these instances, what you’re experiencing is the “art of medicine.” The blatant subjectivity implicit in this example is not unlike what we experience in our personal lives; whether it is a color, a song, a novel, or a classic car, there can be a wide variety of opinions as far as what is more appealing, more enjoyable, most entertaining, or what is simply intolerable. While subjectivity is understandable and expected in these settings, it is not something that should determine data-driven clinical practice.

The “art of medicine” has its place and frequently informs innovative hypotheses which subsequently are used as the foundation of deep scientific

68

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

research and validation but the “art of medicine” should not be the platform upon which the core diagnostic capabilities of health care are based. Unfortunately, medical equipment manufacturers have become comfortable with and have in many ways exploited the FDA 510K approval process to promulgate a sales and development process that does not fully and objectively test their brand-based features and technology in the systematic manner used by the pharmaceutical industry. The ensuing culture of medical equipment and device manufacturers, which has deepened over the decades, results in suppliers catering to the art of medicine as it is easier to navigate the sale. However, it is the “science of medicine” that should always drive our practice and business decisions. As responsible stewards of our organization’s limited dollars, the science of medicine should be a moral and practical imperative that demands our attention and commitment.

The “science of medicine” is objective and focuses on provable outcomes, it is replicable and can be continuously tested to ensure patients everywhere can be assured that their care is always reflective of the current best-practice.

Science does not deal in gray areas or subjective opinion nor is it open for broad interpretation; it is an anchor in a tempestuous sea of ever-changing health care information and variables. You would think all parties would agree that the science of medicine is how we should be evaluating system performance, quality, outcomes and value.

These concepts frequently show-up in

conferences as buzzwords but they do not frequently show-up in contracts as there is a gaping hole of missing data which would test the software and hardware differences in the context of patient outcomes. Value is a wonderful notion until it no longer supports a supplier’s sales narrative or a physician’s preference. Have you ever noticed that to an incumbent supplier, there is no such thing as equivalent technology but to a supplier on the outside looking in, all technology is an interchangeable commodity? The only way to successfully organize a decision is to use the science of medicine to define functions over features.

Using the example at the beginning of this article, do the Siemens and Philips labs provide the same level of function? Do they each provide an image whose quality can be measured?

Absolutely! Given the amount of engineering incorporated, how could there not be a surplus of quantitative information from which to test objective performance? Can we measure the level of delivered dose at a patient level?

Absolutely! Do both labs feature image algorithms that “improve” image quality? In some instances, perhaps a more accurate word would be “change” image quality which would allow Dr. Smith to customize an image using more contrast, but which also permits Dr. Jones to create a flatter image; in both situations the answer is a resounding yes. Clearly the ability to objectively measure performance from an engineering perspective exists, it is connecting performance to the context of the

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

EXPERT ADVICE

INTERNATIONAL X-RAY BROKERS IS NOW AN AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTOR FOR CUSTOM BUILT SURGICAL TABLES!

patient where the “art of medicine” exerts its control. This is the area where we must focus our collective attention to drive the most value from each dollar we spend.

In closing, features and aesthetics have a place in medicine as they do in all human activities and this certainly needs to be taken into consideration, but it’s the equipment’s functionality, it’s purpose, it’s practical use that need to be at the forefront of our decision-making process. Functionality drives outcomes, savings, improved workflow and best practices. The functionality of equipment is what vendors should be using to differentiate themselves from other vendors and that functionality should always be connected to patient value, clinically and economically. Instead of this functionality, we get ADIR and ASiR, from two different vendors for CT image reconstruction, identical functions obfuscated by the marketing sorcerers employed so effectively by members of the Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA). It is understandable that suppliers need to stay competitive in the market and offer a wide variety of features, but the arbitrary leapfrogging of features distorts any supplier’s vision toward differentiated functionality and value engineering. Our patients, providers and suppliers deserve better.

WE ALSO BUY AND SELL PRE-OWNED MEDICAL IMAGING EQUIPMENT. TOSHIBA • GE • PHILIPS • SIEMENS AND MORE! ALL MANUFACTURES & MODALITIES PUTTING CUSTOMERS FIRST SINCE 1987 Call: 508.730.9544 or 508.559.9441

www.InternationalXrayBrokers.com admin@intxray.com

PATRICK FLAHERTY is the vice president of operations for UPMC BioTronics.

JOSEPH HADUCH, MBA, MS, is the senior director of clinical engineering for UPMC BioTronics.

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

69

INJECTOR SUPPORT & SERVICE

• On-Site Repair • Depot Repair • Parts Sales and Parts Identification • Loaner Availability • Technical Support • Training • Injector System Sales • Preventative Maintenance Tools To learn more visit www.injectorsupport.com or call 888.667.1062

OVER 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN TALENT ACQUISITION FOR THE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT SERVICE INDUSTRY. EMPLOYER SERVICES • Talent search and acquisition • Talent retention and training • Workforce planning

CANDIDATE SERVICES • Career placement • Career advising • Resume critiques • Interview training

JENIFER BROWN Jenifer@HealthTechTM.com Ph: 757.563.0448 | www.HealthTechTM.com Ad_new.ai 1 12/6/2019 10:16:03 AM

SAVE on OEM Products & Quality Alternatives

BULBS | LEAD WIRES | DISPLAYS | PRINT MEDIA Delivered with Superior Service for MUCH less!

Expert Staff

Reliable Service

Easy Ordering

800-543-7282 | www.cadmet.com | orders@cadmet.com EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

71

EXPERT ADVICE

SPONSORED CONTENT

TELEHEALTH’S PERFECT STORM

BY JONATHAN LANGER

I

f anything positive comes out of the COVID-19 crisis, it will be how healthcare technology played a prominent role flattening the curve.

And most notably, how virtual care solutions kept patients in self-quarantine to help fight the spread of the virus across our communities. Both in hospital isolation rooms and in patient homes, its use in patient triage has expanded dramatically during the crisis. Even more, it has allowed for more effective allocations of healthcare workers and vital medical equipment.

Could COVID-19 become telehealth’s watershed moment?

Fear of an overwhelming surge in caseloads fast-tracked a number of policy changes negating obstacles to telehealth applications, including consultations and remote patient monitoring (RPM). Although the relaxed restrictions are said to be temporary, one thing is clear, incentives to use and expand remote care have been added and there aren’t many who believe that they will be rescinded. And with studies projecting the RPM market will reach a staggering $31.3 billion by the end of 2023, and given the lower cost patient access benefits, what other options can compete with telehealth’s current resume? Regardless, what is the likelihood that the health conveniences now viewed by patients as a “right” will be taken away?

72

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

The telehealth waiver under Medicare HR 6074 was implemented on March 17. Not only were location-based restrictions lifted, making patient’s homes eligible regardless of where they live, but the waiver list of eligible practitioners now goes beyond physicians, to include nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other nurse specialists. Even clinical psychologists and social workers are eligible. Medicare is reimbursing, the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes and guidance on how to apply them are clear and for most telehealth services, you’ll pay the same amount that you would if you received the services in a physician’s office. It seems that all of the industry’s “rowers” are finally pulling in the same direction. The idea that it took a pandemic to expedite such change is surely not uncharacteristic of how things tend to happen, especially in industries as risk averse as healthcare.

Coincidentally, telehealth’s recent momentum also coincides with a research project currently being conducted by the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE). The project bears the impeccably timed title “Security of Telehealth and the Remote Patient Monitoring Ecosystem.” And because it is using the NIST framework, the resulting recommendations should not be a surprise to anyone. As a reminder, here’s a quick NIST framework summary. These are the cybersecurity guidelines that care providers should be following:

Jonathan Langer CEO and Co-founder, Medigate • Develop a cyber-risk organizational foundation/reference architecture • Institute safeguards to protect and improve that foundation • Enable the timely detection of a cybersecurity event • Have the ability to contain the impact of a detected cybersecurity event • Develop playbooks that support a quick response/return to normal operations after a cybersecurity event So, where do you start? As always, with visibility. And when considering how stunning the lack of clinical network/medical asset visibility has been during the crisis, the credibility of the business cases supporting investments in a “fix” have been established.

Not to pile on, but a primary source of both perceived and real COVID-19 panic remains centered on questions about the status and availability of medical equipment for treatment.

Bottomline, an automated, accurate way to provide such visibility – to identify the numbers, locations, status and security posture of medical devices required to treat vulnerable patients – should be an on-demand capability, all of the time.

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

EXPERT ADVICE

Thankfully, such weaknesses in clinical visibility will soon be addressed, in part, by the more than $100 billion stimulus, also being described as a “Marshall Plan for Healthcare.” And with good reason, as healthcare’s cybersecurity infrastructure is riddled with gaps in foundational capabilities.

It seems that COVID-19 will hasten the digital transformation of U.S. healthcare. More than accelerating the adoption of modern solutions that can deliver health systems the ability to quickly and securely scale, COVID-19 has given health systems a reason to reassess how they engage patients in their own care.

Clinical networks are expanding and fragmenting, and telehealth is just one of many drivers. The pace at which it all comes together, meaning remote care delivery, reimbursement and cybersecure networking, may have just changed forever. At the very least, the COVID-19 experience has sparked an evolution to the world’s healthcare infrastructure that will harden it against the absolute certainty of future outbreaks.

JONATHAN LANGER is CEO and co-founder of Medigate.

ARE YOU...

DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING

FRUSTRATED WITH UNEXPECTED BILLS FOR OUTSIDE SERVICE ON MEDICAL DEVICES & CONTRACTED EQUIPMENT? Concerned with the high cost of OEM service agreements?

Worried about your medical devices being vulnerable to cyber-threats?

Under pressure to meet new accreditations standards & requirements for medical equipment management?

In the dark on your hospital’s total cost to service and repair all medical equipment?

CLINICAL ENGINEERING

HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT (HTM) We want our clients to gain control, worry less, and have peace of mind.

With NEW HORIZON HTM we offer a customizable program that includes regulatory compliance, full life cycle administration, capital planning and zero-cost-center budgeting.

JUMP TEAMS™

BRINGING HOPE TO HEALTHCARE INTERMED1.COM

800-768-8622

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

73

TRIM 3.25”

THE LEADER

IN NUCLEAR MEDICINE PARTS

COME GROW WITH US

SAVE

1

*

We provide excellent pricing & quality parts to customers worldwide with representatives available 24/7.

SEND US AN EMAIL e_langsfeld@yahoo.com eric@el-parts.com

GIVE US A CALL 847.421.1656

VISIT OUR WEBSITE nuclearmedimaging.com

6126 Paul Factory Crystal Lake, IL 60014 1110 Ct. •Rd. Fox River Grove, IL 60021 USA *10 % OFF first purchase when mentioning this ad. ($250 max value)

Build Your Career at Crothall Healthcare Technology Solutions Career opportunities abound when you are part of a growing Team. Crothall Healthcare PUBLICATION Technology Solutions (HTS) has grown 373% MEDICAL DEALER in just the last 5 years and an amazing 20 times BUYERS GUIDE over in the last 10 years. With growth comes new jobs and new opportunities.

MONTH

J F M A Come see why Crothall has earned DESIGNER: JL Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work six years in a row.

ISN’T IT TIME FOR YOU TO FIND OUT MORE? Come grow with us. Please contact: Glenn Garrett Talent Acquisition Recruiter Glenn.garrett@compass-usa.com

M

TECHNATION

ORTODAY

OTHER

J

J

AD SIZE 1/4 Page Vertical NOTES

A

S

O

N

D

We are your source for custom “Medical Simulation Solutions.”

We manufacture NIBP, ECG and SpO2 simulator service tools for patient monitoring management.

All products are manufactured and serviced in our Connecticut facility with US-made sourced and produced components.

Our customers include: • • • •

Medical Device Manufacturers Hospital Biomedical Engineering Departments Independent Service Organizations Military/Government Health Organizations

Service Globally: 203-269-0090 CROTHALL.COM

74

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

clinicaldynamics.com

info@clinicaldynamics.com

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

TRIM 4.5”

We have one of the largest inventories of Philips, Siemens, and GE equipment.

EXPERT ADVICE

THE OTHER SIDE

BY JIM FEDELE

I

am hopeful by the time you read this that the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided and we are somewhat back to normal. I am also predicting many editors will be discussing all the things right and wrong with the response, preparedness and plans. For me, living in a somewhat rural area, at the time of this writing we are in the planning stages.

We are gathering, ordering and staging all items predicted to be needed when our area peaks. I am trying to write this article in between numerous requests and meetings. I am sure when the dust settles from this, all that we have learned will be invaluable. I am hopeful it shapes some needed changes in our industry.

Ventilators are making the news and being talked about everywhere. Do we have enough? How do they work? How can we make more faster and, importantly, repair them? Thankfully most vendors do offer schooling and we have our own techs in house to repair them.

Otherwise, the OEM would never be able to keep up. Frankly, I think the ventilator manufacturers dodged a bullet by still partnering with biomeds for training. Imagine what the news media would have done if they found out the manufacturers wouldn’t train

biomeds and they couldn’t meet the service needs.

But, there is equipment that is being compromised because outside field service reps either don’t want to come into the facility or aren’t permitted. This is causing some manufacturers to put off doing preventative maintenance (PM) and minor repairs. Is this putting our patients at risk? I guess it depends on when you ask this question. When life is normal, and the vendor wants to sell you a service contract the answer is a resounding yes.

But now it doesn’t seem to be an issue.

What is disappointing to me is I have the people that could do these PMs but because we can’t get training, or it is prohibitively expensive, we can’t do it.

Also, many of the PM procedures in the service manuals we get (if they even give them to us) are very poorly written. I know we all deal with this daily.

I am hopeful that when the dust settles from this pandemic, we can have a conversation with manufacturers of medical equipment. We can point to this situation and show them the value of having the in-house team trained. To show them the value of having good common-sense preventative maintenance procedures that truly extend the life of the device. To see the in-house team as the resource that they are for ensuring equipment is opera-

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

Jim Fedele, CBET Senior Program Director, UPMC and BioTronics tional and available for clinicians.

I would like to thank all the health care workers fighting on the front lines, especially the support services people.

They are just doing their jobs in background, ensuring our clinicians have everything they need, their spaces are clean and supplies are stocked. They are risking their lives and their families’ lives as well during this pandemic crisis.

And, of course, my biomed brothers and sisters out there who are unselfishly ensuring that equipment is working and ready for clinicians and patients.

Godspeed to you all.

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

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

75

At the end of the day, our main product must be patient safety . . . because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s yours, too.

Proud USA Manufacturer

1.855.291.6701

EXPERT ADVICE

ROMAN REVIEW On Self-Quarantine

BY MANNY ROMAN, CRES

I

am writing this in early April. If you are reading this in June, then a couple of good things have transpired.

TechNation continues to be the voice of the industry and you are still with us.

I hope that by the time of this publication the country is mostly back to work and the loss of life has been minimized.

I decided to share some observations regarding my quarantine experience.

No, I do not have the virus. The quarantine was self-imposed.

Ruth and I returned from the 2020 AMSP Winter Meeting on March 15.

This year’s annual meeting was held on the beautiful island of Aruba. The meeting brings together the AMSP members, both active and associate, and industry suppliers of products and services for a three-day event. The meeting was quite successful and informative.

Aruba is an island a few miles north of Venezuela in the southern Caribbean Sea. The island is gorgeous, and the people are absolutely wonderful wherever you go. As we were leaving the island the news of the virus was becoming progressively alarming. We loved the island, but we wanted to get back to the safety of our home. At the Aruba airport we met a lady whose son was a high-ranking military officer. She said, “My son got a call from the admiral to get your parents’ home.

Travel will be banned within two weeks.” This is when we truly realized the gravity of the situation. We became very aware of our environment and were part of the “crazies” who sanitized the

seats and everything else we would touch on the plane.

We decided to protect our neighbors through a self-quarantine. Surprisingly, it has been relatively easy to be in physical isolation. Being semiretired we are there most of the time already. With text, email, Facebook, etc. contact is still possible. The only issue is all the quality time together. Our neighbors are, of course, grateful since all of us are old. We do miss the wine tasting events; mostly wine drinking events.

I don’t want to provide the wrong impression here. Ruth and I get along famously, most of the time. She has her old TV programs and books and I have my online poker. However, as the time progresses for nearly a month now, there are instances of annoying meet irritable.

Mostly I play the annoying part and she attempts to avoid the irritable part. She is mostly unsuccessful because I have perfected the annoying part.

A surprising aspect of this isolation is that when it is self-imposed it is palatable because you know your timeline. When it is mandated it takes on a different tone, a progressively darker nature. When the governor made it mandatory, it was a “for the good of the club” issue at the beginning. We are all in this together and everyone must do their part to mitigate the damage. As time moves along, we begin to feel caged, held hostage, violated in some way.

We know that this isolation is for our safety and the safety of everyone we contact. We know that isolation will not last forever. Yet, I feel the need to defy the order. I just want to drive some-

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

Manny Roman, CRES AMSP Business Operation Manager

where, step out of my car and be free to move about with impunity. That deadly enemy is elsewhere in large metropolitan areas to the east and west of us. We are relatively safe.

Then it happens. We receive the news that a friend and his daughter suffered the assault. Both are young and healthy, yet that silent, invisible, relentless enemy attacked. He said, “I’ve never been this sick in my life … health care professionals need to take extreme caution when visiting medical facilities, I believed I was invincible and could never catch it and now I’m a statistic.” They are still under the care of those wonderful and courageous health care workers who are tasked with running to the danger instead of isolating away.

Ruth and I are committed to maintaining the isolation as long as needed to get through this difficult and historic time. We hope that lessons are learned from all this and that we recuperate as a nation and a world. We hope that as you read this you are in the position to reflect on what is, at your timeframe, a memory because mostly everything is back to whatever the new normal is.

Now, in this time frame, I will either play some poker or annoy Ruth for a while. First, I will determine her irritability level.

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

77

Surgical Microscope Sales and Service

parts and service for all makes and models

Service Contracts 4 levels available

Massive Parts Inventory

factory trained

Two-year parts and Labor Guarantee

nationwide service coverage

40% - 50% savings

Contact your local Prescottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s representative for all your microscope needs.

Tel: 800-438-3937 | Fax: 719-488-2268 prescott@surgicalmicroscopes.com | www.surgicalmicroscopes.com

78

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

A

N I W E C A WO R K P L

P U GET

P U N A E CL • T S E T N O • C

20 0 2 , 0 3 e n u April 1 – J

1st Pl $30 ace 0 gift

card lun dep ch for yo artm ent! ur

and

2nd & 3r d P la

$10 ce 0g card ift !

Show us your workspace to win!

Winner(s) announced by

July 8th

To participate in the contest HTM professionals or departments should pick an area of your department, then get up and clean up. Submit a before and after photo of your workspace. Be sure to include yourself or department in the photo.

Submit photos to www.1technation.com/contest-workspace-win

SPONSORED BY

iMed Biomedical

Leading the Industry in Biomedical Solutions

iMedBiomedical is dedicated to helping BMET’s communicate and share creative ideas that improve process efficiency.

www.imedbiomedical.com | (888) 965-4633

When It Comes To

CENTRIFUGES, One Name Stands Out

BIOMEDICAL Your Centrifuge Solutions Center • Free Tech Support • Depot Repair • Rental Units

• Re-manufactured Parts • New Parts • Exchanges

www.ozarkbiomedical.com 80

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

800-457-7576 WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

BREAKROOM

DID YOU KNOW?

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

81

800-323-4282

www.alcosales.com

Bed & Stretcher Parts - Wheelchair Parts - Casters NEW - RECONDITIONED - REPAIR

One FREE gift choice:

Scan this QR code or go to our website to join our email list and receive a FREE gift!

OR Pocket Screwdriver

Pen Stylus

BIOMEDICAL REPAIR SERVICES MEDICAL EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE

WE REPAIR HUNDREDS OF PRODUCTS, INCLUDING:

• PATIENT MONITORING EQUIPMENT • DEFIBRILLATORS

CONTACT US TODAY!

• ENDOSCOPES • INFUSION PUMPS • O2 BLENDERS

PHONE: 1-800-290-1345 EMAIL: INFO@BIOMEDICALSUPPORTSYSTEMS.COM WWW.BIOMEDICALSUPPORTSYSTEMS.COM 82

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

• ECG MACHINES • SUCTION REGULATORS • AND MUCH MORE! OFFERING

EQUIPMENT & VENTILATOR RENTALS

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

BREAKROOM

THE VAULT

D

o 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 gift card. To submit your answer, visit 1TechNation. com/vault-june-2020. Good luck!

MAY PHOTO Digital Multimeter

APRIL WINNER Barry Gould, Director of Clinical Engineering, St. Francis Medical Center

SUBMIT A PHOTO Send a photo of an old medical device to editor@mdpublishing.com and you could win a $25 Amazon gift card courtesy of TechNation!

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

83

BREAKROOM

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS BEN C.?

SPONSORED BY

Show us what Ben Calibrating has been up to for a chance to win lunch for your department. Follow MedWrench on twitter @medwrench facebook.com/medwrench

n arde y M his a R r fo ing help eech M! C. is up a sp n on HT n e B ch tio pun esenta pr

l cia ! so althy e tic he ac d pr n an k! o e t ea ic ur cl und e s stay b B d a d o . m an ks R n Ccing han e B an T t dis

84

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

Step 1: Like the MedWrench Facebook or Twitter company page.

Step 2: Post your picture of Ben Calibrating to Facebook or Twitter and tag MedWrench in your photo.

Step 3: Post a funny caption with your picture.

Step 4: Use #BenC

ille.

Nashv eves in li e b .

Ben C

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

BREAKROOM

to went ! ently urf board c e r rating his new s b li a Ben Co test out at Arub

Ro be rt S to moth joi ers nt he recr Air uite Fo d B rce en !

C.

Ben iFly C. did so with m the M e team b D Pu blish uilding a ing t t eam .

wa Sur ve fin for g m Ben wi th C. r Ch idi ris ng to th ph e E er W CG alt ers !

VISIT WWW.MEDWRENCH.COM

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

85

Improving the safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness of care across all settings.

Patient Safety

Evidence-based Medicine

Technology Decision Support

Healthcare Technology Recruitment & Placement Services Nationwide “Quality People, Quality Service”

Specializing in Military and Professionally Trained BMETs and Imaging Service Technicians • Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) Careers • Radiology / Imaging Technicians & Managers • Biomedical Equipment Technicians (BMETs) • Equipment Field Service Technicians

30+ YEARS OF PERMANENT PLACEMENT AND TEMPORARY SERVICES NATIONWIDE!

870.431.5485

E-mail: info@BMETS-USA.com Website: www.BMETS-USA.com

Test. Calibrate. Validate.

Riken 01 02 03 SIMPLE TO USE

RAPID ANALYSIS

NO COVERSION FACTORS

Reliable, easy-to-use solution to measure anesthetic gas concentration.

The vital, hand held Riken FI-8000P Portable Gas Indicator is designed to quickly and easily provide accurate digital readouts of these anesthetic gasses— without manual calculation:

Riken FI-8000P

To order, or to request a price quote, call 800-795-3062 or email timk@ambickford.com.

800-795-3062

ambickford.com amb_riken_half_pg_ad.indd 1

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

JUNE 2020

7/30/19 1:26 PM

TECHNATION

87

CALL FOR

PRESENTERS NOW OPEN!

T A M P A

M A R R I O T T W A T E R S I D E TA M P A , F L

mdexposhow.com

H O T E L

SERVICE INDEX Entech www.entechbiomedical.com/ • 800-451-0591

Multi Diagnostic Imaging multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549

Soma Technology, Inc www.somatechnology.com • 1-800-438-7662

USOC Bio-Medical Services www.usocmedical.com • 855-888-8762

87

P

65

P

www.assetservices.com • 913-383-2738

ALCO Sales & Service Co. www.alcosales.com • 800-323-4282

BC Group International, Inc www.BCGroupStore.com • 314-638-3800

Biomedical Repair & Consulting Services, Inc. www.brcsrepair.com • 844-656-9418

D.A. Surgical www.shroudguard.com • (800) 261-9953

Entech www.entechbiomedical.com/ • 800-451-0591

Health Tech Talent Management, Inc. www.HealthTechTM.com • 757-563-0448

iMed Biomedical www.imedbiomedical.com • 817-378-4613

InterMed Group www.intermed1.com • 386-462-5220

Master Medical Equipment MMEMed.com • 866-468-9558

Multi Diagnostic Imaging multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549

Multimedical Systems www.multimedicalsystems.com • 888-532-8056

oneSOURCE oneSOURCEdocs.com • 1-800-701-3560

Sodexo CTM www.sodexousa.com • 1-888-Sodexo7

SVI International, Inc. www.sviinternational.com • 800-321-8173

Total Scope, Inc www.totalscopeinc.com/ • (800) 471-2255

19

P

Southwestern Biomedical Electronics, Inc.

7

P P

Nuvolo

www.seaward-groupusa.com • 813-886-2775

sebiomedical.com/ • 828-396-6010 www.swbiomed.com/ • 800-880-7231

Injector Support and Service www.injectorsupport.com • 888-667-1062

82

internationalxraybrokers.com/ •

96

multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549

93

P P

International X-Ray Brokers Multi Diagnostic Imaging Tri-Imaging Solutions www.triimaging.com • 855-401-4888

Injector Support and Service

74

P P

www.maullbiomedicaltraining.com • 440-724-7511

26

P

Biomedical Support Systems

65

P

Master Medical Equipment

P

Maull Biomedical Training

www.biomedicalsupportsystems.com • 1-800-290-1345

International X-Ray Brokers Multi Diagnostic Imaging

57

P P

63

P P P

43

P

17

P P P

70

P P

66

P P

Cadmet

43

P

Capital Medical Resources

www.biomedicalsupportsystems.com • 1-800-290-1345

www.cadmet.com • 800-543-7282 www.capitalmedicalresources.com • 614-657-7780

Healthmark Industries

P

Multi Diagnostic Imaging

33

Multimedical Systems

92

Total Scope, Inc

P P P

82

P

71

P

87

P

43

multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549 www.multimedicalsystems.com • 888-532-8056 www.totalscopeinc.com/ • (800) 471-2255

P

22

HMARK.COM • 800-521-6224

51

82

43

multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549

51

P P

P

69

internationalxraybrokers.com/ •

P P P

39

43

51

MMEMed.com • 866-468-9558

Biomedical Support Systems

P

P P

Defibrillator

73

80

51

69

www.injectorsupport.com • 888-667-1062

79

P P

70

P

71

69

6

nuvolo.com • 844-468-8656

78

Calibration Rigel Medical, Seaward Group

multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549

P

82 www.biomedicalsupportsystems.com • 1-800-290-1345 www.crothall.com • (800) 447-4476

Multi Diagnostic Imaging Southeastern Biomedical, Inc

Biomedical Support Systems

Crothall Healthcare Technology Solutions

MMEMed.com • 866-468-9558

43

Asset Management Asset Services

Master Medical Equipment

TRAINING

www.ambickford.com • 800-795-3062

www.jetmedical.com • 714-937-0809

SERVICE

A.M. Bickford

Jet Medical Electronics Inc

PARTS

Anesthesia

Company Info

AD PAGE

TRAINING

SERVICE

PARTS

AD PAGE

Company Info

P

80

P

39

P P

43

P

Fetal Monitoring Multi Diagnostic Imaging multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549

3

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

89

SERVICE INDEX Gas Monitors

Select BioMedical

Biomedical Repair & Consulting Services, Inc.

www.selectpos.com • 866-559-3500

www.brcsrepair.com • 844-656-9418

93

P P

General ALCO Sales & Service Co. www.alcosales.com • 800-323-4282

Soma Technology, Inc www.somatechnology.com • 1-800-438-7662

www.entechbiomedical.com/ • 800-451-0591

Health Tech Talent Management, Inc. www.HealthTechTM.com • 757-563-0448

Multi Diagnostic Imaging multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549

65

P

71

Ampronix, Inc.

HMARK.COM • 800-521-6224

43

P

aiv-inc.com • 888-656-0755

22

Master Medical Equipment MMEMed.com • 866-468-9558

Multimedical Systems www.multimedicalsystems.com • 888-532-8056

AIV aiv-inc.com • 888-656-0755

Elite Biomedical Solutions elitebiomedicalsolutions.com • 855-291-6702

FOBI www.FOBI.us • 888-231-3624

Select BioMedical www.selectpos.com • 866-559-3500

Soma Technology, Inc www.somatechnology.com • 1-800-438-7662

USOC Bio-Medical Services www.usocmedical.com • 855-888-8762

USOC Bio-Medical Services www.usocmedical.com • 855-888-8762 www.innovatusimaging.com • 844-687-5100 multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549

2

P P

82 www.biomedicalsupportsystems.com • 1-800-290-1345 elitebiomedicalsolutions.com • 855-291-6701

Multi Diagnostic Imaging

Multi Diagnostic Imaging

Biomedical Support Systems Elite Biomedical Solutions

www.integritybiomed.com • 877-789-9903

Innovatus Imaging

Infusion Pumps AIV

Integrity Biomedical Services

multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549

Infection Control Healthmark Industries

76 51

P

E.L. Parts nuclearmedimaging.com • 847-421-1656

InterMed Group

P P

www.intermed1.com • 386-462-5220

P P

multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549

80

P

Multi Diagnostic Imaging MedWrench www.MedWrench.com • 866-989-7057

oneSOURCE

2

P P

oneSOURCEdocs.com • 1-800-701-3560

76

P P

www.1technation.com/webinars • 800-906-3373

26

P P

FOBI

23

P

19

P

7

P P

Webinar Wednesday

www.FOBI.us • 888-231-3624

Multi Diagnostic Imaging multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549

AIV aiv-inc.com • 888-656-0755 www.ampronix.com • 800-400-7972

80

P P

Mammography

internationalxraybrokers.com/ •

Multi Diagnostic Imaging multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549 90

TECHNATION

BETA Biomed Services www.betabiomed.com/ • 800-315-7551

Biomedical Repair & Consulting Services, Inc.

International X-Ray Brokers

JUNE 2020

19

4

P P

69

www.brcsrepair.com • 844-656-9418

Biomedical Support Systems www.biomedicalsupportsystems.com • 1-800-290-1345

Integrity Biomedical Services 43

P

4

P P

44

P P

43 7

P P

8 43

74

P P

73

P P P

43 42 51 56

P

26

P P

PACS

Ozark Biomedical

www.ampronix.com • 800-400-7972

P

Oxygen Blender

Ampronix, Inc.

Ampronix, Inc.

23

Nuclear Medicine

Labratory www.ozarkbiomedical.com • 800-457-7576

43

Monitors/CRTs 82

www.ampronix.com • 800-400-7972

Entech

TRAINING

multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549

SERVICE

Multi Diagnostic Imaging

PARTS

P

Company Info

AD PAGE

TRAINING

80

SERVICE

www.multimedicalsystems.com • 888-532-8056

PARTS

Multimedical Systems

AD PAGE

Company Info

www.integritybiomed.com • 877-789-9903

43 2

P P

4

P P

49

P P

93

P P

82 44

P

P P

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

SERVICE INDEX

www.swbiomed.com/ • 800-880-7231

USOC Bio-Medical Services www.usocmedical.com • 855-888-8762

Multi Diagnostic Imaging multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549

P P

63

P P

7

P P

43

Power System Components Interpower www.interpower.com • 800-662-2290

www.ampronix.com • 800-400-7972

Multi Diagnostic Imaging multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549

Soma Technology, Inc www.somatechnology.com • 1-800-438-7662

Health Tech Talent Management, Inc. www.HealthTechTM.com • 757-563-0448

Sodexo CTM www.sodexousa.com • 1-888-Sodexo7

Stephens International Recruiting Inc. www.bmets-usa.com/ • 870-431-5485

P

aiv-inc.com • 888-656-0755

Elite Biomedical Solutions elitebiomedicalsolutions.com • 855-291-6703

ALCO Sales & Service Co. www.alcosales.com • 800-323-4282

Elite Biomedical Solutions elitebiomedicalsolutions.com • 855-291-6701

Jet Medical Electronics Inc www.jetmedical.com • 714-937-0809

Elite Biomedical Solutions elitebiomedicalsolutions.com • 855-291-6701

Engineering Services, KCS Inc www.eng-services.com • 888-364-7782x11

Multi Diagnostic Imaging multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549

P P

43 19

P

71

www.ambickford.com • 800-795-3062

FOBI www.FOBI.us • 888-231-3624

Nuvolo

6

nuvolo.com • 844-468-8656

Phoenix Data Systems

35

www.goaims.com • 800-541-2467

Capital Medical Resources www.capitalmedicalresources.com • 614-657-7780

33

Multi Diagnostic Imaging multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549 surgicalmicroscopes.com • 800-438-3937

Multi Diagnostic Imaging

AIV aiv-inc.com • 888-656-0755

Biomedical Repair & Consulting Services, Inc. Elite Biomedical Solutions Integrity Biomedical Services Multimedical Systems

76

P

82 76 69 76 16

www.multimedicalsystems.com • 888-532-8056

Southwestern Biomedical Electronics, Inc. www.swbiomed.com/ • 800-880-7231

USOC Bio-Medical Services www.usocmedical.com • 855-888-8762

A.M. Bickford

78

P P

2

P P

93

P P

76

P P

44

P P

80

P

63

P P

7

P P

P P

BC Group International, Inc

P P

Clinical Dynamics Corp.

P

Pronk Technologies, Inc.

87

www.ambickford.com • 800-795-3062

96

www.BCGroupStore.com • 314-638-3800

5

www.pronktech.com • 800-609-9802

Radcal Corporation

44

Rigel Medical, Seaward Group 87

P

www.seaward-groupusa.com • 813-886-2775

26

P P

sebiomedical.com/ • 828-396-6010

Southeastern Biomedical, Inc

P P

74

clinicaldynamics.com • 203-269-0090

www.radcal.com • 800-423-7169

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

P

Test Equipment

P P

43

43

Telemetry

www.integritybiomed.com • 877-789-9903

2

P

43

multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549

elitebiomedicalsolutions.com • 855-291-6701

87

87

22

www.brcsrepair.com • 844-656-9418

Respiratory A.M. Bickford

27

www.medigate.io •

Prescotts 4

Refurbish AIV

Medigate

HMARK.COM • 800-521-6224

95

P

23

www.cybermdx.com •

Healthmark Industries

Radiology Ampronix, Inc.

CyberMDX

TRAINING

Southwestern Biomedical Electronics, Inc.

57

43

multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549

SERVICE

sebiomedical.com/ • 828-396-6010

43

Multi Diagnostic Imaging

PARTS

Southeastern Biomedical, Inc

P P

Company Info

AD PAGE

multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549

TRAINING

Multi Diagnostic Imaging

69

SERVICE

www.jetmedical.com • 714-937-0809

PARTS

Jet Medical Electronics Inc

AD PAGE

Company Info

3 57

JUNE 2020

P P TECHNATION

91

SERVICE INDEX

www.cadmet.com • 800-543-7282

Multi Diagnostic Imaging multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549

Tri-Imaging Solutions www.triimaging.com • 855-401-4888

Ampronix, Inc. www.ampronix.com • 800-400-7972

CIRS, Inc. www.cirsinc.com • admin@cirsinc.com

Innovatus Imaging www.innovatusimaging.com • 844-687-5100

71

P

P P P

4

P P

73

www.mysummitimaging.com • 866-586-3744

Engineering Services, KCS Inc www.eng-services.com • 888-364-7782x11

Innovatus Imaging www.innovatusimaging.com • 844-687-5100

InterMed Group

43 17

Summit Imaging

www.intermed1.com • 386-462-5220

International X-Ray Brokers internationalxraybrokers.com/ •

Multi Diagnostic Imaging multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549

P

Tri-Imaging Solutions www.triimaging.com • 855-401-4888

TRAINING

Cadmet

17

multidiagnostic.com • 800-400-4549

SERVICE

www.triimaging.com • 855-401-4888

P

Multi Diagnostic Imaging

PARTS

Tri-Imaging Solutions

86

P

Company Info

AD PAGE

www.ecri.org • 1-610-825-6000.

11

TRAINING

ECRI Institute

SERVICE

www.cbet.edu • 866-866-9027

PARTS

College of Biomedical Equipment Technology

AD PAGE

Company Info

43

P

28

P P P

16

P

8 73

P P P

69 43

P

17

P P P

8

E THE DAT E V A S , 2020 2 1 R E OCTOB E, WI E K U A MILW

BAW IS NOW WBA

WWW.HTMMIXER.COM

92

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

ALPHABETICAL INDEX A.M. Bickford…………………………

87

Elite Biomedical Solutions……………

76

Nuvolo…………………………………… 6

AIV……………………………………… 2

Engineering Services, KCS Inc………

16

oneSOURCE…………………………

51

ALCO Sales & Service Co.……………

82

Entech…………………………………

65

Ozark Biomedical……………………

80

Ampronix, Inc.…………………………… 4

FOBI…………………………………

26

Phoenix Data Systems………………

35

Asset Services…………………………

78

Health Tech Talent Management, Inc.… 71

Prescotts………………………………

78

BC Group International, Inc…………

96

Healthmark Industries………………

22

Pronk Technologies, Inc. ……………… 5

BETA Biomed Services………………

49

iMed Biomedical………………………

79

Radcal Corporation……………………

Biomedical Repair & Consulting Services, Inc.…………………………………… 93

Injector Support and Service…………

70

Rigel Medical, Seaward Group………… 3

Biomedical Support Systems…………

82

Innovatus Imaging……………………… 8

Select BioMedical……………………

23

Cadmet………………………………

71

Integrity Biomedical Services…………

44

Sodexo CTM…………………………

33

Capital Medical Resources……………

87

InterMed Group………………………

73

Soma Technology, Inc………………

19

CIRS, Inc.……………………………

73

International X-Ray Brokers…………

69

Southeastern Biomedical, Inc………

57

Clinical Dynamics Corp.………………

74

Interpower……………………………

95

Jet Medical Electronics Inc…………

69

Southwestern Biomedical Electronics, Inc.…………………………………… 63

Master Medical Equipment…………

51

Maull Biomedical Training……………

66

Medigate………………………………

27

MedWrench…………………………

42

Multi Diagnostic Imaging……………

43

Multimedical Systems………………

80

College of Biomedical Equipment Technology……………………………

11

Crothall Healthcare Technology Solutions…74 CyberMDX……………………………

23

D.A. Surgical…………………………

26

E.L. Parts………………………………

74

ECRI Institute…………………………

86

44

Stephens International Recruiting Inc.… 87 Summit Imaging………………………

28

SVI International, Inc.…………………

92

Total Scope, Inc………………………

39

Tri-Imaging Solutions…………………

17

USOC Bio-Medical Services…………… 7 Webinar Wednesday…………………

56

QUALITY BIOMEDICAL SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR SPECIFIC NEEDS EQUIPMENT INCLUDES: • • • • • •

Patient Monitors Biomedical Modules Telemetry Systems Central Monitoring Gas Analyzers Transmitters

• Case Kits Available for: GE Apex Pro! GE Apex Pro CH! GE Apex Pro FH! Carescape T-14!

• Bezels for the Dash Series Monitors

SERVICES INCLUDE: Flat Rate Repair | Replacement and Exchange Parts | Free Tech Support

(844) 656-9418 www.brcsrepair.com

Carescape T14 transmitter flat rate!

ISO13485:2016 CERTIFIED ISO9001:2015 CERTIFIED

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

Call about our Carescape V100 & Procare Specials!

JUNE 2020

TECHNATION

93

BREAKROOM

FLASHBACK MD Expo: October 2011

The fall 2011 MD Expo returned to Orlando with the support of the Florida Biomedical Society. As tradition has held, it was a success on all accounts.

John K rieg (le Group ft) pre sents R with t he 201 ick Sta 1 Med ab of The In ical D ealer H terMe the Ye d u m an ar awa itarian rd. of

s held tion wa e R ec e p m o ith an lc e T he W mplete w d wa s c o n a e r! id e ll pools c cigar ro authe nti

Expo was held at The finale par ty for the MD Disney.

Raglan Road in Dow ntown

John D re w pr esents to a fu ll house on N etwork an d DIC OM Trou ble Shooting.

94

TECHNATION

JUNE 2020

d wa s lsid e an held poo s a w n r! r rolle ec e ptio ntic ciga lcom e R The We an authe h it w te comple

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

Hospital-Grade Cords Made with Surgical Precision Interpower offers replacement cords and special orders—made to your specifications. With no minimum order or dollar requirements, order the quantity of one (or more) from Interpower®! All Interpower manufactured cords are made in the U.S.A. so you can order just what you need.

Order Just What You Need

Benefit from value-added options. For example, with special labeling you can include identifying information on the cords (e.g., “Operating Room 1”) and should you need to replace a cord, you only have to order one cord.

With 1-week lead-times and no minimum order quantity, Interpower can help you design for global markets providing the end user with the correct connections to the local mains power supply. Whether 1 cord or 5,000, Interpower provides customized solutions. Interpower remains unaffected by shipping delays due to COVID-19 quarantines.

Contact Customer Service for more information.

• Made in U.S.A. • No minimum order or dollar requirements • 1-Week Lead-Times on U.S.A.-made products • Value-Added options available • In-stock Same Day Shipments • Blanket or scheduled orders available

®

®

Order Online! www.interpower.com Business Hours: 7 a.m.–6 p.m. Central Time

INTERPOWER | P.O. Box 115 | 100 Interpower Ave | Oskaloosa, IA 52577 | Toll-Free Phone: (800) 662-2290 | Toll-Free Fax: (800) 645-5360 | info@interpower.com

Handheld Portable Flow Analyzers The CITREX H5 gas flow and pressure gauge offers the most advanced user interface for demanding applications on a high-resolution 4.3 inch multi-touch screen. It is portable, precise and as a user, you can customize the measurement screens to suit your needs.

TSI-4080 System

The TSI Certifier FA Plus is a full-feature system capable of testing virtually all models of ventilators: adult, pediatric, anesthesia, neonatal and high-frequency.

Citrex H5

Phone: 1-888-223-6763 Email: sales@bcgroupintl.com Website: www.bcgroupintl.com ISO 9001 & 13485 Certified ISO 17025 Accredited

Bench Top Flow Analyzers PFC-3000 Benchtop

BC Group Offers a Variety of Test Lungs