TechNation Magazine September 2022

1technation.com

Vol. 13

SEPTEMBER 2022

ADVANCING THE BIOMEDICAL / HTM PROFESSIONAL

WHO’S YOUR MENTOR?

A FOUNDATION OF TRAINING PAGE 42

12 18 36 50

Professional of the Month Sonali Kamalasanan, CBET

Department of the Month T he University of Cincinnati Medical Center Clinical Engineering Department

Roundtable Equipment Acquisition and Disposition

Cybersecurity M edical Device Vulnerabilities and Failing Foward

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CONTENTS

FEATURED

36

THE ROUNDTABLE: EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITION TechNation magazine recently recruited feedback from healthcare technology management (HTM) leaders regarding equipment acquisition and disposition.

ext month’s Feature article: N Internships, Apprenticeships and Mentorship

42

WHO’S YOUR MENTOR? A FOUNDATION OF TRAINING The process of sharing knowledge, skills and techniques provides a system of onthe-job learning that supplements formal classroom or book knowledge. In this article, TechNation explores how a mentor can help train someone newer to a HTM. ext month’s Feature article: N Parts Availability

TechNation (Vol. 13, Issue #9) September 2022 is published monthly by MD Publishing, 1015 Tyrone Rd., Ste. 120, Tyrone, GA 30290.

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

TechNation magazine is dedicated to providing medical equipment service professionals with comprehensive, reliable, information concerning medical equipment, parts, service and supplies. It is published monthly by MD Publishing, Inc. Subscriptions are available free of charge to qualified individuals within the United States. Publisher reserves the right to determine qualification for a free subscriptions. Every precaution is taken to ensure accuracy of content; however, the information, opinions, and statements expressed in the articles and advertisements herein are those of the writer and/or advertiser, and not necessarily those of the publisher. ©2022

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

SEPTEMBER 2022

TECHNATION

9

CONTENTS

PUBLISHER

John M. Krieg

VICE PRESIDENT

Kristin Leavoy

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Jayme McKelvey Megan Strand

ART DEPARTMENT

Karlee Gower Taylor Powers Kameryn Johnson

EDITORIAL

John Wallace

CONTRIBUTORS

Roger Bowles K. Richard Douglas Jim Fedele Joie Marhefka Manny Roman Connor Walsh David Witt Steven J. Yelton

DIGITAL SERVICES

Cindy Galindo Kennedy Krieg

EVENTS

Kristin Leavoy

WEBINARS

Linda Hasluem

HTMJOBS.COM

Kristen Register Sydney Krieg

ACCOUNTING

Diane Costea

EDITORIAL BOARD

Jim Fedele, CBET, Senior Director of Clinical Engineering, UPMC Carol Davis-Smith, CCE, FACCE, AAMIF, Owner/ President of Carol Davis-Smith & Associates, LLC David Francoeur, CBET, CHTM, Service Zone Vice President Midwest Imaging - Siemens Healthineers Jennifer DeFrancesco, DHA, MS, CHTM, System Director, Clinical Engineering, Crothall Healthcare Rob Bundick, Director HTM & Biomedical Engineering, ProHealth Care

INSIDE Departments P.12 p.12 p.14 p.18

SPOTLIGHT Professional of the Month: Sonali Kamalasanan, CBET Shifting Gears: Crafting the Perfect Brew Department of the Month: The University of Cincinnati Medical Center Clinical Engineering Department

P.21 p.21 p.24 p.26 p.28

INDUSTRY UPDATES News & Notes Ribbon Cutting: PM BioMedical AAMI Update ECRI Update

P.31 p.31 p.33 p.34

THE BENCH Biomed 101 Tools of the Trade Webinar Wednesday

P.49 EXPERT ADVICE p.49 Career Center p.50 Cybersecurity p.52 20/20 Imaging Insights: sponsored by Innovatus Imaging p.55 The Future p.56 Sponsored Content: Capital i p.59 The Other Side P.62 p.62 p.65 p.68 p.72 p.82

BREAKROOM Did You Know?

The Vault Where in the World is Ben C.?

HTM Jobs HTM Strong

p.78 Service Index p.81 Alphabetical Index

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SPOTLIGHT

PROFESSIONAL OF THE MONTH: SONALI KAMALASANAN, CBET Passion for the Job

PROF

I

n Atlanta, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) is an important health care provider and one of the largest pediatric clinical care providers in the country. In 2022, U.S. News and World Report named the hospital one of the nation’s best children’s hospitals; marking 19 years with that achievement.

With such an important mission, to care for the Atlanta area’s youngest patients, the hospital depends on competent biomedical services.

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

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“My dad has always been my hero and inspiration. He’s an engineer by profession and that’s what made me inspired towards engineering at first.

But as a kid, I was also fascinated by the medical profession. Once I was a senior in high school, I had to choose a career path and be focused.

I came across biomedical engineering and learned how specialized this field is; where both medicine and engineering intersected,” she says.

Kamalasanan says that she realized that biomedical engineering came with a broad, multidisciplinary curriculum that allows students to develop a strong framework of skills and knowledge. She also realized that it required a heavy course load of

mathematics and science classes, such as chemistry, medical physiology, biology and electrical engineering.

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

Kamalasanan has a Bachelor of Biomedical Engineering degree with six months training in the research and development department at Siemens Medical.

The training and experience have paid off.

“At present, I hold the position of manager of HTM for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and I am also a biomedical engineering consultant

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SPOTLIGHT

for the United Nations. I have been in the HTM industry for more than 25 years and have worked at different levels and different positions during this tenure. I have worked as a BMET, sales and service engineer, manager of biomed, director of biomed and biomed consultant,” Kamalasanan says.

Her specialty areas lean toward the non-technical skills needed in HTM leadership.

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

ACHIEVING THE BEST FOR HER EMPLOYER AND THE U.N. Kamalasanan says that the major challenges she has faced are similar to what other managers who prioritize involvement in all facets of their team and customers have faced.

“During my tenure, I have faced several challenges from setting up a biomedical department; getting the PMs under control; setting up policies and procedures; working with union workers to creating, tracking and staying on budget. I have handled various projects for OR, radiology, cardiology, ophthalmology, labs, etcetera and have been a part of the evaluation team for the purchase of capital medical equipment in hospitals as well as the U.N.,” she says.

Kamalasanan says that as a consultant with the U.N., it is always a challenge trying to draft the technical specifications and evaluate the tenders for various worldwide projects.

“During this evaluation process, it is very important to consider various factors like the country’s adaptability to sustain the equipment in their present local working environment, having availability of local vendors for after sales support and working within the guidelines of international safety and regulatory

standards,” she says.

When not working, Kamalasanan stays busy with her many pastimes.

“I have a lot of hobbies like jewelry making, stitching, painting, and, last but not the least, I do have a green thumb and love gardening,” she says.

“I was fortunate enough to marry my engineering sweetheart and have been happily married for the past 26 years. We have been blessed with two boys, and at present, both are in their undergrad programs with the University of Georgia,” she adds.

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

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

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

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

GET TO KNOW ME! FAVORITE BOOK: “The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins

FAVORITE MOVIE: “Inception”

FAVORITE FOOD: Mexican cuisine

HIDDEN TALENT: Video Editing

WHAT’S ON MY BENCH? My favorite pen, laptop, writing pad, multicolored sticky notes, and my coffee mug.

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

SEPTEMBER 2022

TECHNATION

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SPOTLIGHT

SHIFTING GEARS

Crafting the Perfect Brew BY: K. RICHARD DOUGLAS

T

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

The social drink has been a favorite of Americans since the country’s founding. Served at sporting events, breweries, outdoor festivals and backyard gatherings, it has found a comfortable place in the national psyche.

Independent breweries have sprung up all over the U.S. with microbreweries and craft beers satisfying the diverse tastes of enthusiasts.

An offshoot of this love of beer is home brewing growth; as much of a craft as the methods practiced by the commercial breweries.

Chad Huss, a hospital service technician 3 with Agiliti who works in Wisconsin, just needed to accumulate the required supplies to turn an interest in home brewing into a pastime.

“I have had an interest in trying home brewing for years but wouldn’t make the choice to go out and get started due to the cost of starter kits

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and the uncertainty of how it would turn out. But later on, when I brought it up to my fiancée, her ex-husband had a starter kit that he didn’t use anymore. Therefore, I was able to get the basic equipment to get started for free. From there, I looked up some local home brew supply shops and purchased a recipe kit, bottles and bottle caps. After brewing my first batch I have been hooked ever since,” Huss says.

He says that there is actually very little required to get started in the hobby. A new home brewer can get a starter kit that can range from about $50 to $380. Obviously, the more expensive kits come with more equipment and are a little more advanced.

“But all you really need to get started is a recipe kit ($25-$50), five-gallon stainless steel kettle ($45), a spoon for stirring, fermenting bucket ($18), air lock ($3.50), hydrometer, thermometer, siphon/bottle filler ($26), bottles ($22), caps ($6) and bottle capper ($21). I have saved money by looking for used equipment to buy or wait for a sale by one of the major suppliers. In total around $176,” Huss says.

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

“All you must do is add the liquid extract to water and boil. Partial mash is the in-between process of extract and all grain brewing. You use extract, but also some grain, that gets mashed (infused into the water to extract starches that get converted into sugar).

Finally, all the grain is mashed in the water to extract the starches to be converted into sugar,” Huss says.

One example, within the process, that Huss says has evolved with home brewing experience, is the mashing process.

“I start out at 120 degrees when I put the grain in and wait for a few minutes to get a dissolved oxygen reading and PH. My meters for checking these stay accurate up to 120 degrees. Also, if this was to be a wheat beer, this temperature would serve as the protein rest as wheat has more proteins in it. Putting grain into the water adds some oxygen from the grain, therefore the baker’s yeast in there will

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SPOTLIGHT

eat the oxygen. Then I turn it up to 144 degrees for 30 minutes, which is the beta-amylase starch conversion.

Then to 155 degrees for one hour, which is the alpha-amylase start conversion. Then to 162 degrees for 30 minutes, this will increase the body of beer,” Huss says.

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

GATHERING WITH FELLOW BREWERS AND COMPETITIONS Improving one’s skills comes with experience as a home brewer and Huss has seen the evolution.

“My skills and knowledge have been evolving ever since I started. I would say the biggest changes a home brewer faces are going from extract, to partial mash, to all grain brewing,” he says.

Home brewing clubs serve an important education component much like biomed associations.

“Some clubs host home brew competitions and have a professional looking website, and have positions within the club like president, treasurer, etcetera. Our club is very laid back.

It’s just about getting together to try each other’s beers and provide input.

Mostly talking about beer and techniques and life in general,” Huss says.

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

“Home brew competitions are where home brewers can enter their beers to be judged. There are competitions that are hosted by breweries or home brew clubs. Then there are AHA (American Home Brewers Association) and BJCP (Beer Judge Certification

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

Program) competitions. These are competitions that are judged by judges that have been certified to give you a more professional input about your beer,” Huss says.

He says home brewers can win money and other prizes at larger competitions.

“There is generally a winner for each beer category and then a best of show, which is the best beer at the competition,” Huss adds.

How can readers become involved in this pastime?

“They can get a starter kit and recipe kit from a local home brew supply shop or online supplier. Some of the biggest suppliers are Northern Brewer and More Beer. I also like to shop on Amazon, and there are two local homebrew shops that sell online, such as Wind River Brew in Barron, Wisconsin, and RiteBrew in Little Chute, Wisconsin,” Huss says.

He says that if you’re not sure, you can find information by searching online, or contacting a local home brew club and attend a meeting.

“There are also Facebook groups you can join to learn more and go to a home brew competition. There are usually samples given out to attendees. If anyone wants to reach out to me on LinkedIn, I would be willing to talk to them and answer questions,” Huss says.

When not mixing up the perfect brew, Huss stays busy as an HTM professional.

“I have worked for Agiliti for 12 years and I am currently a hospital service technician 3. I work at one of our on-site programs where I mostly work on Alaris infusion pumps and a variety of hospital beds. In addition, I help manage our inventory levels, training staff, as well as, cleaning and distribution of equipment,” he says.

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

Attention to detail is in everything this biomed does.

Chad Huss enjoys being a home brewer and visiting craft breweries.

SEPTEMBER 2022

TECHNATION

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SPOTLIGHT

DEPARTMENT OF THE MONTH:

The University of Cincinnati Medical Center Clinical Engineering Department

BY: K. RICHARD DOUGLAS

R

eflected in the Ohio River are the many tall buildings that make up Cincinnati. The city sits in the southernmost part of Ohio across the river from Kentucky. The city is known for its zoo, botanical gardens and the Cincinnati Museum. The city dates back to its incorporation in 1819.

The city’s name has roots all the way back to the Roman Empire. The first governor of the Northwest Territory, General Arthur St. Clair, was a member of the Society of Cincinnati, named after the Roman statesman Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus. He didn’t like the former name of the settlement called Losantiville, and he renamed it after the society he belonged to; Losantiville became Cincinnati.

With a population exceeding 302,000, the city depends on good health care. One of the health care sources in the city goes back to nearly the time that Cincinnati was incorporated.

The University of Cincinnati

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Medical Center was established in 1823 and became the country’s first teaching hospital. It currently serves patients in the city and from across the region.

Managing medical equipment at the 726-bed flagship campus and two other facilities within the system is the clinical engineering department. The department is run by Crothall Healthcare.

The department consists of a full complement of dedicated on-site biomedical equipment technicians (BMET I-III), imaging engineers (ISE I-III) and a team of clinical engineering/ information technology (CE/IT) technicians.

The team provides healthcare technology management services to 235-bed West Chester Hospital and the 241-bed Daniel Drake Center for Post-Acute Care. It also services medical equipment for other buildings on the main campus.

“We are a one-stop shop for healthcare technology management.

And, although we don’t handle everything throughout the hospital, we are

more than capable of providing service to the majority of the equipment as outside service contracts expire,” Tarik Zecevic, unit director of Clinical Engineering with Crothall Healthcare Technology Solutions, says.

TAKING COMMUNICATIONS UP A NOTCH The team’s “tiered huddles” approach caught the attention of AAMI in a News & Media article published in June of this year. The story examined previous communication procedures between medical equipment users and the biomed department.

Crothall’s ISO 13485:2016 certified quality management system and customer satisfaction survey process positioned the team well to discover minor communication issues that left unchecked could have become a larger problem. The biomed team decided that it needed to first address communications between team members and instituted a tiered huddle system of meetings each day.

“Tiered huddles help significantly,

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SPOTLIGHT

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

and the process is exactly how they sound. At 7 a.m., a morning huddle starts with the tech on call with the assistant director. Shortly afterwards is the huddle with the directors system-wide, as well as the project manager and CE/IT. Between these two meetings, it sets the tone for the rest of the day on where our focus needs to be,” Zecevic says.

He says that the focus can be on whether to prioritize preventative maintenance or corrective maintenance, or something totally unexpected.

“We are an academic facility and we get a lot of students. Things don’t always go as planned and our industry in general is very reactive no matter how much we would like to be proactive,” Zecevic says.

Zecevic says that at 8:30 a.m., following the first two huddles, they are ready for the hospital’s huddle.

“Should there be any escalations, we are aware of anything that might have happened from the previous day or night.

It’s important to share the information as much as possible should a question pop up from the hospital,” he says.

At 9:30 a.m., on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, there are huddles between the techs and management.

These huddles cover planning, updates and percentages of KPIs. To continue the strategy, Zecevic says that at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays, there’s a meeting between system-wide directors that’s driven by the resident regional manager.

“There we discuss KPIs, wins, recog-

nitions, suggestions, projects and anything that can be shared system wide. For example, if there are any incoming inspections or projects that will affect the whole system and/or changes throughout the system,” he says.

Because the strategy was initiated just before the start of the pandemic, it proved to be beneficial in keeping everything running more smoothly during that period.

The huddles will also prove beneficial to the rigors inherent with the addition of a new/expanded emergency department.

“With the addition of over 1,000 pieces of equipment (mainly Philips), and update of other departments that hold outdated Philips software/ hardware, our focus has been on that project. Scheduling, staging and applying adequate resources will be a challenge,” Zecevic says.

With this project and others, the team also has input into equipment procurement.

“We do have other departments that we are engaged with on capital purchases. Crothall’s database provides the analytics and guidance to support capital purchase decisions based on numerous factors. UC Health just started a new fiscal year and the data shared on capital equipment purchases came from the database,” Zecevic says.

He says that factors considered when sharing the recommendations include the age of the equipment, AHA useful life, OEM support (manufactured),

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

OEM service (parts provided), and service history.

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

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

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

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

“Additionally, we have helped a local university implement their on-site visits with their students as they are developing a new clinical engineering program.

They will be making our facility a scheduled visit throughout the semester while they do their rounds,” he says.

Meeting challenges and finding solutions has kept this Crothall team successfully managing the medical equipment inventory at a historic medical center. It’s all in the huddle.

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INDUSTRY UPDATES

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

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

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

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

other improvements and growth initiatives.”

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

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

The program will include technical and management classes, roundtable discussions, service seminars, an exhibit hall with space for more than 45 vendor booths, and social events.

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

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

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

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

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

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

SEPTEMBER 2022

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

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

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

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

“This certification further strengthens our commitment to our customers and our company quality policy” said Daren Kneeland,

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

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

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INDUSTRY UPDATES

Operate Efficiently, Perform Real Time, Simplify Compliance Let Your CMMS Work For You: TSI LAUNCHES NEXT GENERATION CERTIFIER PLUS FLOW ANALYZER TSI Incorporated has announced the global release of the new Certifier Plus Interface Display Module 4089 for use with the Certifier Plus Flow Analyzer Test System.

“The TSI Certifier Plus Flow Analyzer enables biomedical professionals, device manufacturers and service organizations to test respiratory medical equipment quickly and easily to verify proper equipment operation and ensure patient safety,” according to a press release. “With this new interface display module, the Certifier Plus Test System maintains its portability, reliability and ease-of-use while adding upgraded features that make conducting biomedical equipment testing faster and easier, such as a large touchscreen display, more powerful Li-ion battery and multiple mounting options. The new Certifier Plus test system is easier to setup and operate due to its unique auto-triggering feature which automatically detects the inspiratory and expiratory phases of the breath. User configurations can be created to save test setups and recall at a later time, and configurations can be exported and transferred between Certifier Plus instruments. The new snapshot feature saves screen captures of the Certifier Plus instrument which can quickly be exported via USB and attached to test reports.”

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

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

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INDUSTRY UPDATES

RIBBON CUTTING PM BioMedical

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

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

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

Q: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SERVICES AND PRODUCTS YOU OFFER? A: We specialize in repairing, renting and selling patient monitoring equipment and buying hospital surplus – like a one-stop shop! We are especially excited to be offering our repair services, with it being no secret how the pandemic has affected hospitals over the past couple of years. Whether it be supply chain issues or turn times with their vendors, we are happy to be able to assist these hospitals and companies

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to perform at their highest standards of quality for medical equipment.

Q: HOW DOES YOUR COMPANY STAND OUT IN THE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT FIELD? A: We strive on taking care of the equipment that takes care of us.

Quality is our number one priority!

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

Q: WHAT IS ON THE HORIZON FOR YOUR COMPANY? A: A huge goal of ours is to be able to fully integrate with the biomed shops that need our services. We want it to be easy for them to use us and always be well informed with what is going on with their equipment.

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

Pranil Singh CEO of PM BioMedical

Ali Marwan Youssef COO of PM BioMedical

For more information, visit pmbiomedical.com.

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AAMI UPDATE AAMI Introduces New Hub for AAMI Research, Standards, More

A

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

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

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

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

“Medical device manufacturers, health tech professionals and sterilization professionals look to AAMI as an authoritative source of practical information, support and guidance.

But, until now, accessing those resources hasn’t always been intuitive,” Stern said. “We built AAMI ARRAY to deliver the resources these folks need to advance the safety of health technology – whether that’s through healthcare technology management, industrial sterilization, healthcare-focused AI, cybersecurity and more.”

ARRAY visitors in need of assistance should contact array@aami.org.

ELITE BIOMEDICAL SOLUTIONS SEEKS BMET APPRENTICES WITH AAMI RAP A U.S. national BMET Apprenticeship Program organized by AAMI has gained a valuable new employer partner. Elite Biomedical Solutions (Elite), a leading healthcare technolo-

gy management (HTM) service provider based in the U.S. Midwest, will be expanding its training opportunities with program support.

Elite expects to take on two apprentices within the year, with plans to train additional talent as needed.

“With the launch of our own training program last year, this opportunity only seemed fitting,” said Amy Ward, director of customer support services at Elite. “We look forward to helping the next generation of BMETs.” AAMI’s BMET Apprenticeship Program, recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor as a registered apprenticeship program (RAP), combines traditional education with up to 6,000 hours of on-the-job learning. Prospective BMETs are hired by program partners in their area, who then provide them with training and paid work experience, as well as cover expenses for the requisite educational courses.

Based out of Cincinnati, Ohio, with three depot repair facilities in the Midwest, Elite supports hospital biomed departments with new replacement parts, re-certified parts and repairs that keep clinical equipment performing at optimal levels.

Through their Elite Training Program, Elite offers targeted device coursework, continued tech support, and the kind of hands-on experience that is crucial for building confidence and a career in the HTM field. Now,

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INDUSTRY UPDATES

Better Health Care Starts with Healthy Devices and that Starts with You! Join our team to advance your biomedical technician career and make a difference by providing patient-ready medical devices.

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

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

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

“It sets a bar of excellence for our industry, and that’s what we all want!”

Employers who take part in the program benefit from having entry-level workers on their payroll they can train to their particular equipment and service specialties. “If an employer wants someone to stay after the apprenticeship ends, they’ll already be up to speed – they won’t need retraining,” said AAMI Vice President of HTM Danielle McGeary.

Employer partners have access to free and discounted training curriculum and may qualify for special tax breaks. Apprentices gain valuable hands-on and tuition-free education for an in-demand profession.

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

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INDUSTRY UPDATES

ECRI UPDATE

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

T

he steps taken immediately after a medical device-related incident can make or break an investigation. Thus, it’s critical that staff know how to respond when an incident occurs. Over its 50-year history, ECRI has conducted thousands of investigations to uncover and document facts, determine causes, and prevent recurrence of medical device-related incidents. ECRI’s guidance for establishing an effective response plan derives from the lessons learned investigating cases like the one outlined below.

With no hint of imminent trouble, surgical staff began wrapping up a cardiac cryoablation procedure. They deflated the balloon at the tip of the cryoablation catheter, withdrew it back into its sheath, and began removing the catheter from the patient’s heart. That’s when the patient’s blood pressure dropped precipitously.

Within seconds, a successful procedure became a fatal incident. Fluoroscopy revealed an extremely large volume of gas in the left ventricle and the aorta. Perhaps the balloon had become damaged: a ruptured balloon could allow nitrous oxide coolant gas to be pumped into the heart. Staff tried resuscitating the patient, but to no avail.

The massive gas embolism proved fatal.

Tragically, this patient could not be saved. But some clear thinking by the clinicians who were present, and later by the facility’s clinical engineering and risk management teams, helped investigators identify the cause – it

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wasn’t the balloon – and implement measures to prevent a recurrence.

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

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

2. Preserve the Equipment and the Environment Staff should be educated and periodically reminded about the importance of preserving anything that may have caused or contributed to the incident. This applies to any devices, items or information that could facilitate an incident investigation.

The acrostic S.A.V.E.D. may help staff remember what to preserve: • S = Settings. Document the equipment settings at the time of the incident and whether any error codes were displayed.

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

• V = Valuable Data. Save paper printouts that may have been

generated during the procedure, and print or download data that is stored by the equipment as soon as possible. Be aware that stored data may be lost when the equipment is powered down or overwritten if the equipment remains in use.

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

• D = Disposables. Save disposables, including the packaging if possible.

(The product’s serial number or lot number may be an important detail.) This may require carefully retrieving items from the trash or a sharps container.

With respect to the environment, investigators may want to consider aspects such as temperature, lighting, electrical power, medical gas supply or unusual odors where the incident occurred. In some cases, environmental factors can play a pivotal role.

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

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

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INDUSTRY UPDATES

other patients, and it secures devices and data until such a time that they can be examined and tested by qualified individuals.

It also helps prevent spoliation-of-evidence claims, if there is subsequent legal action.

5. Gather Evidence Gather and preserve other evidence.

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

COMPLETING THE PUZZLE After learning about an incident and initiating a response, the health care organization needs to methodically work through the investigation process. “Investigating an incident is like completing a puzzle,” explains Bruce C. Hansel, Ph.D., CCE, chief scientist for ECRI’s AFI Services.

“Each piece of evidence is a piece of the puzzle. The investigator’s job is to fit the pieces together to form the big picture.”

Health care organizations may wish to tackle this process on their own, or they may determine that it’s best to engage an independent third party to manage and perform the investigation. Either way, they can reference ECRI’s Incident Management and Investigation (IMI) plan to help navigate the process. (Details about an e-learning training course that introduces this plan and shows you how to apply it are provided below.)

To identify the cause of the cryoablation incident described above, the hospital worked with ECRI and the device manufacturer to examine the equipment involved and to assess the evidence collected. Testing showed that the cryoablation balloon was

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

undamaged and had functioned normally – thus, the hospital’s initial assumptions were incorrect. Investigators would need to look elsewhere for the cause.

Fortunately, the clinical team preserved all of the accessories and supplies that had been in use. This allowed ECRI investigators to examine everything that was used during the incident (see the figure). A careful examination of each component allowed the investigators to identify which IV line contained air and trace it to its source.

The likely source of the gas embolism in this case was determined to be air that had not previously been purged from a heparin-saline bag; the delivery of air to the patient was facilitated by the use of an inflatable pressure infuser to deliver the contents of the bag through the sheath flush line. (These infusers lack an air-inline alarm, which would have been available if an infusion pump instead had been used; and the presence of air in the

bag can be difficult to see once the bag is placed in the pressure infuser.) With the cause identified, ECRI was able to provide recommendations to avoid similar incidents.

For Barb Malanga, investigator and program manager for ECRI’s AFI Services, this case emphasizes the importance of verifying staff readiness: “It’s not enough to have a plan – your staff need to be trained to use it.”

TO LEARN MORE . . .

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

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THE BENCH

BIOMED 101 Vacancies and the Importance of Job Titles

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

V

acancies in HTM departments are becoming more common and more frequent than ever. There are no expectations of this slowing down either. Recent polls show that nearly 50% of individuals in the field are older than 50 with an estimation of 35% of the field retiring by 2028.

Despite the growing need of the field for fresh talent, very few students graduate from programs designed to fill this need.

This will create staffing shortages with cascading consequences. Compliance with regulatory requirements and repair turnaround times become more challenging to meet within normal operating conditions. This leads to an increase in overtime costs and supplemental labor expenses to mitigate impacting compliance or patient care because of unavailable equipment. Staff burnout becomes a strong possibility that could lead to additional vacancies creating a cascading effect. This makes it all the more important to fill these openings as fast as possible. It is difficult to fill the openings because the job market is extremely competitive with many institutions in the same position and a limited number of candidates exist.

Unfortunately, there appears to be limited consistency in job titles across the country based on a limited review of open HTM positions in February of 2022. This review consisted of open positions across the AAMI recommended titles of Biomedical Equipment Technician (BMET) I, II, III, Specialist and Clinical Engineer. In each of the BMET titles some consistent words were seen such as technician or tech, biomedical or biomed, and the appropriate skill level. The Radiology Specialist appeared to favor Imaging Engineer over the AAMI title while Clinical Engineer had a variety of titles used. This data was a sample in time and certainly could be influenced by national employers posting far more jobs across the country with the same name as opposed to individual employers posting under one off titles.

Despite this flaw, some lessons can still be learned as some positions were posted with very specific titles that were

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

Michael Heusser

different from the majority or were non-descript in their title requiring the applicant to open and read the posting to determine if they were interested in it. This makes it less likely for that posting to have the proper candidates apply than other postings. One example would be the job posting of Biomedical Technician, but when the description is read some were intended for an AAMI equivalent BMET I, BMET II, or BMET III, while other posts specifically state Biomedical Equipment Technician II. Inconsistent job titles can not only make it difficult for the right talent to find a job posting online, but can also result in human resources compensation surveys having bad data. The sample compensation surveys that were reviewed appeared to show the same example job description for AAMI equivalent BMET I, II, III, and Radiology Specialist. This is concerning because the industry knows these roles to be far different and could have varying degrees of background, but in a market analysis they will all show the same wage data.

It is only a matter of time until all organizations experience this issue. It is important to have a strategy in place to help your organization and industry by proxy. This can be broken down into three categories of prevention, preparedness and response. Prevention efforts could be developing retention strategies and coming up with common titles with other organizations in your area.

Preparedness efforts could be developing those common titles, creating strategies to mitigate a vacancy’s impact to the organization, and educating students about the field.

Response efforts could be utilizing those education efforts as a pipeline and hiring a specialized recruitment service as soon as possible.

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

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

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TOOLS OF THE TRADE Fluke Biomedical OneQA

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

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

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THE BENCH

WEBINAR WEDNESDAY

Session Addresses Cybersecurity in Small Hospitals STAFF REPORT

T

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

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

The presenters discussed how to

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make security achievable via peer collaboration, focused discussion, plan response actions and emerging best practices.

Attendees were able to gain more knowledge by asking the presenters questions after the webinar. One attendee asked, “How do you see rural hospital finding the right skill set and people to improve cybersecurity?”

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

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

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

Attendees provided feedback regarding the webinar via a survey after the presentation. The survey included the question, “Why did you attend today’s webinar?”

“To learn more about ransom-

ware attack prevention and cybersecurity,” Clinical Engineering Manager Paul Graham said.

“I am interested in the subject how to protect medical devices against cyberattacks,” Instructor Dina Georgescu said.

The Webinar Wednesday series is averaging 70 attendees per session with 1,602 attendees this far in 2022.

For more information, including a calendar of upcoming webinars and an archive of on-demand sessions, visit WebinarWednesday.live.

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ROUNDTABLE

ROUNDTABLE

Equipment Acquisition and Disposition

T

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

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

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with the use of integration, it is important to also look at the security of the device from a cyber perspective. Does this unit store or transmit patient information and is the operating system still protected? If it is not, capital planning should be initiated.

Sean Armstrong Medical Equipment Doctor HOW CAN AN HTM PROFESSIONAL HELP DECIDE WHEN IT IS TIME TO RETIRE A MEDICAL DEVICE? ARMSTRONG: Typically, you would determine if the unit is at the end of life and if there are any parts or support from third-party organizations that would facilitate a longer parameter of sustainability. Now,

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

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ROUNDTABLE

cases, usage and age of the equipment are factors to consider especially in regards to lifesaving equipment such as respiratory ventilators.

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

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

KONDORI: Many factors are involved in retiring a medical device. The most important one will be when manufacturers are not supporting device repair and parts/accessories are not available. Also, in many

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN REMOVING MEDICAL EQUIPMENT FROM SERVICE? ARMSTRONG: This might be a bad analogy, but when someone is born, they have a birth certificate; when someone dies, they have a death certificate. The same applies to medical devices. When a device arrives at a facility, an incoming inspection is performed and documented. When a device is removed from service, a work order should be documenting the removal from service. It’s crucial to remove and document PHI/hard drives, asset/biomed labels, etc.

Furthermore, if it is a capital item, the facility is required to pay taxes on the device. Removing it from the asset inventory reduces the tax liability and saves money for the health care organization.

CAGLE: I believe communication is the most important thing to remember.

It is necessary to inform and warn the medical staff that the unit will be removed from service so they can consider replacement options.

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

DANKO: By removing medical equipment from service, you are reducing patient care capacity and access to care. You must consider the clinical

Fred Culver Eagle Medical Inc. requirement and balance those requirements with the potential safety implications and long tail cost of maintenance. Your organization should be better off when it removes medical equipment from service.

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

Removing patient data is the most important step.

WHAT ARE KEY STEPS HTM PROFESSIONALS MUST TAKE WHEN IT IS TIME TO REMOVE A MEDICAL DEVICE FROM SERVICE? ARMSTRONG: HTM professionals should always be a part of capital planning and prepared to replace an item if it is time to remove it from service. This includes establishing a service delivery plan for the new capital which can include technical training, service agreements or taking on risk. The next step is determining the value of the device being removed from service. Is there trade-in value or value from selling it on the third-party market?

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

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

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

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

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

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

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

But the one often-ignored key step that could have profound adverse implications if skipped: calibration.

The EOL calibration confirms that the device was in good working order when decommissioned, thereby removing any potential liability to the hospital.

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

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

WHY SHOULD THE HTM DEPARTMENT BE INCLUDED IN A HEALTH CARE FACILITY’S MEDICAL DEVICE ACQUISITION PROCESS? ARMSTRONG: It is extremely important for HTM professionals to be a part of the device acquisition process especially with integration. Can this

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Tony Danko, CHTM Capital i, LLC

device integrate with our current network and be cybersecurity safe?

Can we negotiate technical training upon acquisition? What is the reliability factor in regard to recalls, alerts and adverse events? All of those technical factors will impact how the HTM department will service the devices for years to come.

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

CULVER: Device acquisition outcomes improve when all angles are strategically contemplated and all stakeholders collaborate on the decision. For instance: • HTM professionals are intimately familiar with device reliability as well device compatibility within the facility.

• GUI’s and/or operating systems can be dramatically different and require unforeseen training.

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

KONDORI: The HTM department is one of the most important departments in the acquisition process.

HTM will make sure functional requirements are met and it’s the right device for that department.

WHAT ROLE SHOULD BIOMEDS TAKE WHEN IT COMES TO THE ACQUISITION OF MEDICAL DEVICES/EQUIPMENT? ARMSTRONG: A lot of manufactures lower their acquisition cost but later make up for it on the future service of the device. A biomed’s role is to develop a service delivery plan that is efficient and effective; the easiest way to do this successfully is to be part of the purchase. There is a lot of information from organizations like ECRI that will give an idea of the medical device’s reliability as well as whether or not there are any negative service trends with equipment. Biomeds should be educators from a technical perspective when it comes to addressing a capital acquisition committee.

CAGLE: The role biomeds should take when acquiring medical devices is to be a source of information. They

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ROUNDTABLE

Matin Kondori SAKOMED LLC

WHAT ELSE DO YOU THINK TECHNATION READERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITION? ARMSTRONG: HTM professionals are the technical experts when it comes to medical devices. Their knowledge and direction when it comes to acquisitions can provide reliability and cost reduction. When it comes to disposition, regulatory compliance and tax liability should be considered by the HTM team. These two topics have a direct impact on how the HTM department performs and in turn have consequences for the whole health care organization that the HTM department supports.

can give to your health care organization. Look at new risks like cybersecurity and establish service delivery plans before the device arrives at your facility. The majority of the time, technical training can be negotiated before purchase.

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

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

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

CULVER: Most biomeds can provide valuable information that leads to a better decision-making process.

Biomeds can provide an assessment of the quality of internal components and can compare/contrast the projected average life span of competing devices.

DANKO: Biomeds should support the acquisition process by providing reports and insights on manufacturer and model consideration. The biomed should research training requirements to support new medical equipment coming into the facility.

The biomed will also execute the transactional on-boarding when the devices come to the organization.

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

WHAT ARE SOME IMPORTANT TIPS FOR BIOMEDS TO CONSIDER DURING THE MEDICAL DEVICE ACQUISITION PROCESS? ARMSTRONG: The most important tip is to do your homework on medical devices. Examine the technology and focus on risk. The more knowledge you have, the better direction you

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

DANKO: It is important for the biomeds to manage clinical expectation during the acquisition process.

Biomeds should talk to clinical staff about their requirements and come to an agreement on the best characteristics for new or replacement devices. Biomeds should create an objective process to develop total cost of ownership and a maintenance strategy to support acquisition decisions. This should be provided during acquisition planning throughout your organization.

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

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

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COVER STORY

WHO’S YOUR MENTOR?

A FOUNDATION OF TRAINING

BY K. RICHARD DOUGLAS

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A

common thread runs among almost every occupation, whether that be policing, teaching, plumbing, food service or selling. There are tips and tricks, procedures and best practices that are all learned through time on the job or through facing a large array of different situations and challenges. All of this on-the-job knowledge supplements formal training, book knowledge and continuing education.

This storehouse of knowledge is obtained through years of working in a vocation.

This lifetime of experience might be wasted if it were only used for performing a job and not shared. In the occupations mentioned above, along with many others, the experienced worker often shares knowledge with colleagues new to the profession.

This process of sharing knowledge, skills and techniques provides a system of on-the-job learning that supplements formal classroom or book knowledge.

The concept of a mentor training someone newer to a profession can be a structured and defined program or it can happen more organically.

In some professions, such as plumbing, masonry or musical instrument repair, the use of a mentor as part of an apprenticeship program is an industry standard. There is no substitute for experience. The training, tips and insights from a mentor can provide lifelong lessons and benefits to the trainee. It often comes with fond memories, respect and appreciation for the mentor.

The HTM profession has relied on several different training approaches to educate biomeds and prepare them for the rigors of repairing, calibrating or maintaining medical equipment. Some biomeds enter the field from another profession that may have required electrical skills or working with tools and have been simply trained on-the-job.

Others have gone through electronics curriculums in technical schools and then made the transition to HTM with that base knowledge.

Many other biomeds have completed dedicated college or technical school coursework that is specific to HTM.

Once on the job, the training continues through shadowing more senior colleague as well as OEM training, webinars and courses offered at conferences.

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

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

“Mentorship in its most basic form is a positive, guiding influence in another person’s life.”

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

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

“Writing down the experience along

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

with tips and tricks help accentuate the experience. Become excellent in documentation. It’s very important to keep good maintenance history of the equipment. It’s comparable to a person’s medical record where we document signs and symptoms, then the corresponding diagnosis and treatment,” Gonzales says.

He says to create lessons-learned and how-to guides, especially for unusual and complicated services or repairs. He says that they can be very useful when you encounter the same issue years later and can be shared with co-workers and fellow BMETs. In mentoring junior colleagues, he also suggests that they take time to teach others.

“Teaching others reinforces the lessons learned from the experience.

Always be willing to share with your teammates or customers. It helps build camaraderie and boost morale within the team, and you’ll get the good reputation of someone who’s willing to assist and teach others,” Gonzales adds.

He recommends that newer biomeds develop creativity and analytical thinking skills.

“When presenting an issue or a problem, be prepared to recommend solutions, options and recommendations.

Be humble – do not be too proud to ask for assistance. Strive for continuous personal and professional growth and be hungry; seek additional responsibilities, continue education, and develop skills,” Gonzales says.

He also suggests that, if given the opportunity; get certified. He says that it adds credibility that an individual is seriously vested in the profession and knows what they are doing.

A MENTOR MAKES A DIFFERENCE A mentor’s role in the early development and training of a biomed cannot be overstated.

“Mentorship in its most basic form is a positive, guiding influence in another person’s life. Most often implied as an older, experienced employee mentoring a younger employee. The successful mentor has much to do with the character of the individual,” says Joseph Beaudoin, CBET, senior biomedical technician in SEPTEMBER 2022

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Clinical Engineering at St. Peter’s Health Partners in Albany, New York.

He says that the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) defines the characteristics of a good mentor as a good listener/sounding board, flexible, values diversity of perspectives, knowledgeable, nonjudgmental, able to give constructive feedback, honest and candid, able to network and find resources, successful in career and willing/able to devote time to developing others, as well as a person who is eager to learn.

“I have had two men that have changed my career and mentored me. I was not in the biomed field, and after a few stints of unemployment, I decided to look into being a biomed. I had family in the hospital setting and they all felt I would be a natural fit. I was able to land

duced him to several good habits for a biomed to have.

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

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

He gave me the best possible beginner biomed experiencepossible,” he adds.

“Fast forward a few years and I was recruited by Dave Mann to work as a BMET 3. I only stayed in this position a short time before I was asked to step into my current role as HTM supervisor at University Hospitals Elyria Medical

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

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

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

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

– Tony Cody a PRN position to test the field. I loved it and soon was on my HTM path,” says Larry Liszeski, CBET, supervisor of Clinical Engineering EMC in the Healthcare Technology Management Department at UH Elyria Medical Center in Elyria, Ohio.

Liszeski enrolled in a local biomed program and joined the local biomed association.

“I was going to network and get engrained into my new career path. With what my contacts told me; I was able to pick my choice hospitals with the best HTM managers. I had two I wanted to work for, based on their reputations; Ron Snodgrass and Dave Mann. Both have been instrumental in my path as an HTM professional,” Liszeski says.

He first worked for Snodgrass right after graduating and going to work as a biomed. Liszeski says that Snodgrass introduced him to biomed and intro-

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Center. Dave and I had many encounters prior to him recruiting me. I knew him from association meetings he hosted and also mutual acquaintances. We often reached out to each other for assistance even prior to working together officially,” Liszeski says.

He says that he had exposure to many of the job aspects from his prior job, but still had growing pains ahead.

“My first year on the job, this new thing called COVID erupted. Dave constantly helped me navigate the new job and all the extra responsibilities. Many projects, recalls, new meetings; Dave has mentored me in my leadership skills and style, helping me avoid all the minefields of this position,” Liszeski adds.

It was also a mentor that helped Matt Yates, tech manager at The InterMed Group in Alachua, Florida, kick off a new biomed department.

“I was an electrician in the engineering department at my hospital. I decided to go

Eternally grateful to this man,” he says.

The lessons Yates learned from his mentor have been duplicated during his career.

“I recognized that one of my young employees was nervous while at work. We sat down and I told him that I did not expect him to know how to do everything.

If he wasn’t sure to ask me. If I didn’t know, we would find out together. I slowly saw him begin to relax and his confidence to grow,” he says.

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

“I had some great mentors that helped me grow as a person as well as a tech.

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

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my professionalism,” says Tony Cody, CHTM, Tech Management/ENTECH director at Banner Health in Colorado.

Beaudoin says that a consistent approachable friendly manner and disposition is key for a good mentor to be effective. He says a mentor should be available.

“Maintaining motivation among the individuals on the team requires consistent mentorship. Know your mentee. A mentor with good mentorship skills brings drive and enthusiasm to the team. A mentor who is ‘eager to learn’ fosters trust in the relationship by being ‘honest and candid’ with the mentee.

‘Eager to learn’ is an admission, by the mentor to the mentee, of limited knowledge and humble character,” Beaudoin says.

He says that as a mentor, “I should acknowledge my own limitations and approach new learning opportunities with enthusiasm.”

MANAGEMENT’S ROLE IN DEVELOPMENT How does HTM management challenge senior and junior technicians to maintain motivation and drive in the field or within personnel development plans?

“We do quarterly check-ins where the technician is able to share their successes and then discuss development items. I encourage them to select items that they believe will be beneficial in their growth rather than something to just check a box. This varies depending on their level. Some are looking at attending whatever manufacturer training they can get to that makes sense in their role. Others are working on passing on the knowledge they have to reduce the loss when they retire,” says Stephanie Drake, clinical engineering manager with Intermountain Healthcare IMC/ TOSH in Salt Lake City, Utah.

She says that even within the health care system, they find opportunities to send techs out or bring others in to share information on new items or old ones where they can develop best-practices.

“Motivation can be a struggle, but

I believe seeing their accomplishments and having those recognized either one-on-one or in a group meeting, seems to be an encouragement,” Drake says.

She says that in the area of improvement, she is hoping to be able to send her technicians to some of the leadership courses she has taken.

“Such things as communication are amazing for everyone at every level in their career. Knowing the ‘why’ behind something helps a person to be more willing to commit to improvements. Attending these courses would allow them to see that better,” Drake adds.

“In an effort to start that process, I have asked my team to attend a communication course as one of their development items. I had them sign up for work-related courses, discussing humor in the workplace as well as more personal courses for ham radio and working with kids in bowling,” Drake says.

She says that this gives them guidelines, but allowing the choice of what they wanted, has given them the freedom to grow in the areas they find beneficial.

“Every person has different things that motivates their behaviors. Some are motivated by money, others with achievements and others may be motivated by impact. It is important to understand each individual when you want to help them develop to meet their potential,” Cody says.

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

“HTM technicians and leaders are naturally problem-solvers and understand what it takes to meet the demands of our everchanging environment.

Sometimes we just need a little reminder. If someone isn’t excited by a learning opportunity, then I like to talk with them about how this opportunity can impact them and the patients we serve,” Cody says.

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

OTHER SOURCES OF CONTINUAL LEARNING In addition to mentors and on-thejob learning opportunities, there are a number of other avenues that allow HTM professionals to grow their careers and expand their knowledge.

Those can include OEM training and training through an independent service organization (ISO).

Another source that offers a lot of variety as well as continuing education credits are conferences. Both the AAMI eXchange and the MD Expo offer a number of educational sessions.

The recent AAMI eXchange in San Antonio, Texas, featured educational sessions all three days.

The 2023 eXchange event will be in Long Beach, California in June.

The next MD Expo will be in sunny Southern California in the city of Temecula later this year. The event will take place at the Pechanga Casino & Resort. The dates are October 11-13. Educational sessions will be offered on October 12 and 13, interspersed with a reception, food and drinks, keynote address, exhibit hall and live music.

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

State and regional biomedical associations also offer opportunities to gain knowledge from peers as well as through educational sessions at their conferences.

With new biomeds coming into the profession to back-fill a need for staffing, the opportunities to grow and flourish have been made possible by experienced HTM pros, biomed leadership and learning opportunities through other sources.

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

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EXPERT ADVICE

CAREER CENTER Don’t Let Job Stop Dream

BY KATHLEEN FURORE

I

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

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

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

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

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

“You may be able to ask for an adjusted schedule based on completing your work and showing that the side gig is not cutting into your regular, full-time job,” Anderson says. “If you can have an open, honest

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

discussion – and if you can answer whether you will be leaving to support your side-gig full time, without worrying that you’ll lose your job – I say go for it. These kinds of supervisors are rare!”

Kasdan agrees, and notes that someone who loves their existing job likely has a supervisor who cares about them.

“If that’s the case, he or she should recognize the fact that you’re not just an employee but also a human being with your own dreams and aspirations,” Kasdan says.

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

However, Anderson does add one caveat.

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

“Instead of asking for a different schedule, I would set a time limit and/or revenue goal to help you boost your confidence in the side gig, and then think about asking for a different schedule or eventually leaving full-time employment. That could be as simple as [saying to yourself], ‘I’ll see where I am in six months,’ or ‘I’ll see how long it takes me to match my full salary with my side-gig.’ ” Leadership brand and career strategist Karen Huller, founder of Epic Careering, also cautions that the right approach depends on the supervisor and organization.

She says anyone wondering if they should discuss the situation with a supervisor should ask themselves a few questions before scheduling that meeting with the boss: • Is the company under-resourced?

• How much am I asking to cut down?

• Is the company historically friendly to flexible reporting?

Kathleen Furore •

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

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

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

If you do decide to move forward with the conversation, Huller says now is the time.

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

But do realize the risk, she adds.

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

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

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

– Kathleen Furore is a Chicago-based writer and editor who has covered personal finance and other business-related topics for a variety of trade and consumer publications. You can email her your career questions at kfurore@yahoo.com.

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EXPERT ADVICE

CYBERSECURITY

Medical Device Vulnerabilities and Failing Foward

BY STEVEN HUGHES, FAC-COR FACP/PM VHA-CM, VISN 21 BIOMEDICAL ENGINEER, VA SIERRA PACIFIC NETWORK

A

lways fail forward not backward.

Failure is not a negative thing, but a place for improvement and an opportunity to learn. Failure is a part of life. We all learn by failing. You are constantly making iterative changes in everything you do from the last time you performed it. Failing forward forces improvement on how things are currently done, provides transparency of processes, takes responsibility of situations, and creates new workflows and processes that makes things better by reducing time, money and resources.

In health care the margin for error is very small and any critical mistake can literally mean life or death.

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

Medical devices in addition to waiting for operating system or software patches must also wait for medical device manufacturer (MDM) testing and approval of some patches or the creation of a mitigation strategy to a vulnerability before remediating thus increasing their risk. Many MDMs are designing and allowing for real time patching of the underlining OS and third-party software via information given in Manufacturer Disclosure Statement

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for Medical Device Security (MDS2) and Software Bill of Materials (SBOMs), but even then, builds of operating systems and software can creep into an unsupported state if not monitored. For example, there are several different builds of Windows 10 – some are supported, and some aren’t. Many MDMs aren’t aware of end of life (EOL)/end of service (EOS) dates for software and operating systems in their own products due to unforeseen changes made later in the software/operating system design and life cycle and that risk is passed onto the HDO. INVENTORY Knowing what you have makes it easier to patch and manage your current and future vulnerabilities. This could be a simple spreadsheet of your inventory or an integrated system with your CMMS that scans your network traffic and sniffs packets to determine system OS, latest patch installed, antivirus version with latest update, third-party COTS software with version, etc. All of this is important to keep track of in case something needs to be patched or upgraded to circumvent a new known vulnerability. If possible, work with your MDM and see if they allow credentialed scanning and approve the installation of agents to automatically track operating system and software updates as well as provide an inventory of your networked medical devices and give a “heartbeat” of information of the “current status” of the medical device. This provides a huge improvement in automating your inventory. If

Steven Hughes agents can’t be installed there are several solutions available that can integrate with your current networking equipment and/or IT software to analyze network traffic and provide this information.

EVALUATE Perform a security risk assessment of your current vulnerability management program and look for areas for improvement that will reap the most ROI of that change with minimal effort or it may even be maximal effort if the “juice is worth the squeeze” which creates huge, monumental change and improvement. Look at what devices require the most work to maintain/update, have the highest risk to patient safety, devices that are no longer supported, etc. and formulate a game plan to address these issues and bring it up to senior management. Make sure you document this plan and ensure everyone is aware of the risk of what the current state is and where it could be. Some organizations use a plan of action and milestones (PoA&M) to track these risks with a plan to rectify the issue given, known circumstances and accepting the current risk of using the device.

Always isolate your devices with VLANs, ACLs and/or firewalls with rulesets allowing only minimal allowed traffic (given by your MDM) in and out of medical devices on the network to mitigate and reduce risk. Keep track of EOS and EOL dates of your devices, operating systems, software, etc. to compare with your current inventory

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EXPERT ADVICE on a reoccurring basis and formulate strategies accordingly.

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

Create a regularly updated list of points of contact (POC) for your MDM and links to sites for your system support. This is also great to have during after-hours support as well, which can also start out as a

simple shared spreadsheet and eventually grow into full blown hosted web-based database. At the VA we have implemented a national patch database where HTM staff can look up POCs and share the latest patching approvals, disapprovals and information by MDMs for the systems they maintain with direct links to their vendor/service portal, product security updates, bulletins, security advisories, product software download center, validated patches, etc.

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

Most organizations set reachable thresholds as a goal or key performance indicator (KPI) for an improvement in something that needs drastic change and through the implementation of process improvement it becomes a regular state of being rather than an unattainable goal. This goal or KPI can

be as simple as say patching and or upgrading/replacing half of all networked devices and slowly increment each month, quarter, year, or timeframe you deem reasonable to achieve. The next goal could be 75% or even 100% given new processes in place, time, money, and resources, but remember this must be achievable and temper expectations as well as communicate that there may not even be path forward for an upgrade or replacement for some medical devices.

Realize that if you don’t fail, you may not be taking enough risks to make progress. We must change our current culture and recognize that failure is a stepping stone to your next opportunity. In order to learn from mistakes, correct them, improve and succeed.

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

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20/20 IMAGING INSIGHTS Troubleshooting TEE Probe Leakage Failures

Ted Lucidi

BY TED LUCIDI, CBET

L

ast month, we presented some background content on leakage testing of TEE probes. The process can seem overwhelming and confusing, and it definitely continues to challenge even the most well-experienced HTM professionals. Allow me to begin by firmly stating that routine TEE probe leakage testing is NOT the responsibility of the HTM team.

That being said, they should have a clear understanding of the process, the equipment needed to perform the test, and how to help end-users troubleshoot leakage test failures.

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

Unlike flexible endoscopes, TEE probe leakage testing REQUIRES the probe be immersed in a test liquid, typically tap/sterile water or a chemical disinfectant. This poses a challenge, especially if there actually IS a break or opening somewhere on the probe. As soon as the probe

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would be immersed in the test liquid, the liquid would enter, and begin flooding, the probe.

Even though facilities and end-users may be performing TEE leakage testing, they may not be following a process that yields the best outcomes. It’s crucial for end-users to perform a thorough visual inspection of the probe PRIOR TO performing a leakage test. Think of it this way … if a hole or opening can be visualized, then there’s no need to perform a leakage test. Departments need to have a comprehensive process for performing TEE leakage testing, answering the questions, “What if I see an area of concern?”, and “What if the leakage test fails?” Merely following the same process every time despite changes in a probe’s physical condition is what leads to costly catastrophic failures.

Additionally, if the probe fails the visual inspection, or the leakage test, it is going to be removed from service. In this scenario, there is no need to immerse the probe in high-level disinfectant. Ideally, upon

seeing an area of concern, an end-user would perform a low-level disinfection (cleaning the probe with an approved disinfectant wipe) and remove it from service.

From a comprehensive perspective, TEE leakage testing is designed to identify holes or openings on the probe that CANNOT BE VISUALIZED. Whether your end-users are using a Fluke ULT800 or BC Group ULT2020 (the two most common meters in-use), it’s possible for them to encounter false-positive leakage test failures. TEE leakage meters perform two tests as part of the full testing protocol: a bath (or conductivity) test and the leakage test.

A bath (or conductivity) test confirms that 1) the proper test lead of the leakage meter is immersed in a test liquid and 2) that the test liquid has enough particulates to adequately conduct electricity. If this test fails, or an error message occurs during this test, the issue IS NOT PROBE-RELATED. To successfully pass the leakage test, the value of leakage, in micro-

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EXPERT ADVICE

amps (uA), must be both, above a lower threshold and below an upper threshold. The lower threshold confirms that 1) the probe is PROPERLY connected to the meter’s test adaptor(s), and 2) that the probe is immersed deeply enough in the test liquid. If end-users encounter a “Leakage Too Low” error message, while using the BC Group meter, the issue IS NOT PROBE-RELATED. The Fluke meter uses a very slowly flashing red “fail” LED to indicate the same.

In this scenario, problems with the set up or connectivity are indicated. Possible sources could be failed or intermittent lead wires, poor connectivity between the probe and the meter’s test adaptors, as well as the probe not being immersed, or immersed deeply enough, in the test liquid. Recently, we’ve seen a rise in false positives from customers who use GE TEE probes. Typically, TEE probes are connected to the leakage meter using a single connection. In 2018, GE began requiring the use of two probe adaptors, versus one.

Without the use of the additional adaptor, users WILL intermittently encounter “Leakage Too Low” messages.

The higher threshold is maximum leakage current permissible (as defined by the meter, not international standards). The Fluke ULT800 uses an upper limit of 185 uA, while the BC Group ULT2020 can be programed with a user-defined value. If end-users encounter a “Leakage Too High” error message, the issue MAY be probe related.

As of 2018 GE , along with requiring the second probe adaptor, raised their allowable leakage current limit to 350uA. Most GE 6VT-D probes have nominal leakage at or above 185uA. Using the Fluke meter or setting the BC Group meter’s user-defined limit to less than 350uA could result in false positive test results.

Typically, those performing routine TEE probe leakage testing

TEE Leakage Test Best Practice

are following a documented procedure. They may not have a good, or solid, understanding of the science behind the leakage testing process or how best to troubleshoot error messages or failures. HTM professionals can assist their customers by not only helping them understand the testing process, but also potentially eliminating having to remove a probe from service that has falsely failed a leakage test.

Innovatus provides technical support on the products that we service (ultrasound probes and MRI coils), and many tech support calls are related to TEE probe leakage testing. We’re here to assist you and your customers with this topic and others. We have visual inspection

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guides on our website that can be posted or used for training end-users.

We can also assist with troubleshooting leakage test failures. For questions, assistance, or more information, please reach out to info@ innovatusimaging.com If you have a TEE probe that has failed the leakage test, we can help! We have comprehensive repair capabilities on standard and 3D TEE probe models.

For more information, email at TedL@innovatusimaging.com or visit www.innovatusimaging.com/ultrasound.

– Ted Lucidi, CBET, is a clinical, technical and commercial specialist at Innovatus Imaging.

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THE FUTURE Is the Future Here?

BY JOIE N. MARHEFKA, Ph.D.

T

he future is … here? Over the past few years, Penn State New Kensington, where I teach, has been working to prepare our students for careers in the future. We have placed a focus on future-ready skills, including an entrepreneurial mindset and technologies related to Industry 4.0. Industry 4.0 is a term used to describe the fourth industrial revolution, or the digital transformation of manufacturing.

Industry 4.0 technologies include automation, cloud computing, robotics, artificial intelligence, data analytics, Internet of things (IoT), additive manufacturing (3D printing), cybersecurity, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). In addition to technology fluency, future ready skills include human conscious citizenship and an entrepreneurial mindset. Many of the technologies associated with Industry 4.0 and future ready skills are applicable in fields outside of manufacturing, including healthcare technology management (HTM).

Therefore, we are working to make sure that students have these skills and are familiar with these technologies by the time they graduate and are ready to start a career in their chosen field.

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

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

IoT and cybersecurity are two other Industry 4.0 technologies that were highlighted at the conference and are applicable throughout the medical device field. Medical IoT involves interconnected “things,” such as devices, monitors and sensors, that share data through the Internet. Today, this involves devices within and outside of the hospital, as telehealth becomes more common. Managing medical IoT and addressing cybersecurity issues that come with interconnectivity were the focus of many presentations and vendor technologies at the conference. It is certainly important for students to be familiar with these challenges and associated technologies as they will be essential skills in their future careers.

Joie N. Marhefka, Ph.D.

The entrepreneurial mindset was also on full display during the AAMI Gator Tank, where several contestants pitched innovative ideas. The importance of an entrepreneurial mindset – which includes creativity, flexibility and problem-solving – extends beyond those trying to start companies or commercialize innovations. This mindset is beneficial in any type of career, including one in HTM, so we aim to help our students to develop entrepreneurial skills, which will prepare them well for their future careers. In my classes, I plan to have my students participate in an innovation challenge to complement the problem-solving focus that is already such a large component of these classes.

Other conference presentations discussed Industry 4.0 technologies such as 3D printing, robotics and artificial intelligence and their applications in HTM. These are additional technologies that will be integrated into jobs in the future. I will strive to make sure that my students are familiar with them upon graduation.

Seeing all of these technologies and skills on display at the AAMI eXchange reinforced my belief that, not only are they essential for HTM careers in the future, but that they are already impacting the HTM field in big ways. I’m glad that our school is embracing Industry 4.0 and future-readiness and will do my part to best prepare our students for the HTM careers of the future – a future which, in some ways, is already here.

– Joie N. Marhefka, Ph.D., is the biomedical engineering technology program coordinator at Penn State New Kensington.

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

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acquisition planning, purchasing, onboarding, inventory accounting, planned maintenance, corrective maintenance, warranty and contract management, as well as equipment decommissioning.

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THE OTHER SIDE Is the Biomed Labor Shortage Creating Partnerships?

Jim Fedele

BY JIM FEDELE

I

am certainly feeling the impact of the biomed labor shortage, recruiting has become a rather large part of my job these days. This is affecting all aspects of health care. Third-party servicers, in-house departments and even OEMs are struggling to keep positions filled.

Recently, I got to enjoy some justice on an OEM who would not sell us a part to allow us to make a very simple repair.

However, thanks to a staffing issue, we were able to prove what cooperation looks like in our new world.

I got a call from my lead imaging technician asking for help with a vendor that would not sell us parts.

The outside case of the unit was damaged and needed to be replaced.

My tech explained that the case can be replaced easily by removing a few screws and would only take a few minutes to complete. The company said that only their tech could replace the case and the cost would be an additional $6,000 for the labor. Because our supply chain people are exceptionally good at influencing our vendors, I told him it would not be a problem to solve this issue. I called my supply chain contact who manages the business category and explained the situation.

She said she would get to work on solving this for us.

It was not long before I got a call back from her with unwelcome news.

She explained to me that because my tech wasn’t trained on the unit, they would not sell us the parts. However, my tech is trained on the unit, before we hired him, he worked for the vendor. The negotiation went back and forth between us and the vendor, ultimately the vendor discounted the labor for the installation but would not sell us the parts. Their reason was the tech had received the training five years ago and the units were now quite a bit different. An argument that I would have understood for any other situation but not for a cracked case. We cut them a purchase order and scheduled the replacement.

As we all are aware COVID-19 has also challenged the ability to get things done in a prompt fashion. The lengthy quarantining and infectious nature of the disease can quickly cut a department’s staff in half. Factor in the labor shortage, and it feels like all of us are struggling to get things done. I am also witnessing the OEMs struggling to meet their own service contract requirements on time. As luck would have it, a few days after the OEM declared they weren’t selling us parts, one of their units failed that was under contract with us. The unit was in high demand and our customer needed it fixed immediately. We called the OEM, requested urgent service and waited for the call back. The service

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

tech called and explained that he had COVID and would not be able to get to us for eight days. He explained that his back up would not be able to get to us for a couple of days as well.

They then asked if my tech, whose training was not adequate to put covers on, could check out the unit.

My mind was blown on how fast they pivoted knowing what they just did to us a few days earlier. However, because of the urgency of the situation my tech checked it out and was able to fix it.

Thanks to this situation our negotiation position has changed with this company. I am now using this story when working with OEMs that have not been willing to sell us parts or train our people. I do not see an end to the labor shortage we are currently experiencing. I know in our company alone 18% are age 60 and older. I have been having conversations with our more cooperative OEM and they are experiencing the same issue. I am hopeful that this forces some long awaited cooperation with OEMs in regards to servicing equipment.

– 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.

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Science Matters

Future cities of algae-made limestone The world’s cement production makes 7% of annual greenhouse gas emissions, mostly through the burning of quarried limestone. A new method lets tiny algae make lime.

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Source: Wil Srubar of University of North Carolina Wilmington, TNS Photos Graphic: Helen Lee McComas, Tribune News Service

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3 The gray product is crushed to a powder – cement 4 Cement mixed

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Senior Clinical Engineering Manager (Onsite)

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Biomedical Equipment Technician

The Regional Biomedical Technician is responsible for performing testing, evaluating, repairing, and performing preventative maintenance on medical equipment at the customer’s facility. They will work within a limited geographical area to visit assigned clients on a weekly basis.

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X-Ray Field Service Engineer

Biomedical Supervisor

Biomedical Equipment Technician with Interest in Developing Replacement Parts

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The David Grant Medical Center Medical Equipment Repair Center

BY K. RICHARD DOUGLAS

F

ifty miles northeast of San Francisco, and seven miles east of Fairfield, in northern California, sits Travis Air Force Base. It leads the country in the amount of passenger and cargo traffic compared with any other military air terminal. It is home to several units in addition to the 60th Air Mobility Wing. It is also home to the David Grant USAF Medical Center. The facility, operated by the 60th Medical Group, sees 400,000 patients annually.

Military Treatment Facilities in eight states Active duty HTM professionals are trained in the Western Region of the United through the same school that many current States.” civilian biomeds graduated from.

Haskin adds that each site is visited “Active duty technicians are trained annually for routine maintenance. through the DoD Biomedical Equipment “We also support the facilities with Maintenance program at the Medical technician support for installations of Education and Training Campus (METC) various equipment including PCRI on new at Fort Sam Houston, in San Antonio, radiology equipment before patient use.

Texas,” says Haskin.

Additionally, we work hand-in-hand with “Additionally, before deployment, physicists during initial inspections/ technicians attend DoD advanced courses acceptances of new radiology equipment,” including the Advanced Field Medical he says. “MERC technicians also provide Systems course, and a manufacturer CT “David Grant Medical Center (DGMC) quality control oversight for supported school to prepare them for down-range is the Air Force Medical Service’s bases during annual visits.” support of a field CT system with little to flagship medical treatment facility in the Both service contracts and database no outside support,” he adds.

United States,” says U.S. Air Force management are handled by unique, Part of the reason the team is well Senior Master Sgt. Bruce Haskin, 60th dedicated entities that are a part of the trained is that METC training is so Medical Support Squadron section chief military biomed infrastructure. comprehensive. Haskin points out that of clinical engineering.

“An in-house contract services team members may have also taken some The HTM professionals managing the department, a subsidiary of medical advanced courses through the DoD school. medical equipment at Travis are part of the logistics, oversees annual service contracts Medical Equipment Repair Center and manages one-time repairs and WIDE-RANGING UNIQUE CUSTOMERS (MERC). services,” Haskin says.

The MERC team at Travis Air Force Base, Leadership in the MERC includes Paula “All equipment inspections,

BY K. California, has a worldwide reach. They RICHA Binns, chief of clinical engineering; Kevin preventative maintenance, calibrations, RD DOUG have also loaned personnel to important Hoellein, CBET, chief of the Medical LAS other services, repairs, and modifications humanitarian missions.

Equipment Repair Center; Master Sgt. are recorded into the Defense Medical he Sonor “This facility has a high operations an Deser Aubrey Durkin, NCO in charge, Medical Logistics Standard Support database countr tempo y unlike for tdeployments is a region throughout the Equipment Repair Center; and Haskin. passe world,” system,” Haskin adds. says Haskin. of “Our s southe any southe other. the technicians The MERC also includes 31 It encom astern have rn Haskin says this includes documenting in many Arizon countries in CBET Europe, The city Califor served a as well , manag technicians, who service an inventory of the amount of time the technician(s) niaand of TucsoAfrica andthe Middle desert spent er of asEast.” TMC. n, Arizon parts 10,187 pieces of equipment. clinica region on the equipment, and the specific services of Mexic “Twoamembers the DGMC team . l engine “TMC sits withinof o.

The group has wide-ranging done to the equipment. The system ering also has were recently ‘deployed’ Antonio, this to Santhat at provid responsibility for multiple facilities. provides historical information, e prima a netwo cost of specia Texas, to support humanitarian medic The metro relief list-sys ine, intern ry care rk of 21 “At David Grant Medical Center, we services (including contractnearly -Tucso efforts after multiple hurricanes costs), Garcia numb tems; clinics struck n area er the al medic and family Guille , a service multiple clinics, and have a joint historical cost, life expectancy, specia BMET BMET II; engine of rmina the Univemillion people is popul ine United States and nearby countries,” says lty service as well Darell ering “Mina ated venture with the Veterans Administration rsity maintenance timelines and . The Lynn, III; Jaye Johnso Hendr as a well other pertinent Natio Haskin. ” s. as the supports city is with BMET nal Park. of Arizon ickson where we service equipment items to serve all of Clinical follow data to determine when the III; Jim TMC: U.S.equipment III; Scott n, BMET , Sgt.home and Sagua RyantoSchaffer andhospic Senior It is 60 a“Tech. borde ing faciliti these areas II; John VA patients,” says Haskin. “As a MERC, MacL r with miles Nathan Roone Pangrac, should be replaced. larges ro Howard geriatr Airman as inspected es ande, ambu BMET achlan north Mexic t y, ic psych city in latory affiliated we support 34 Department of Defense , BMET of themillion of service BMET I; gym,” III; o and Training is also uniqueHand to the military.

Arizon reconstituted service with equipment surger and Joe Smith Rebecca s is the $4 she a. ling y center and an imagin engineer second those Clinic says. , imagin , emplo people the medic g service I; and al engine al needs 14 Direct TECHNATION yee (TMC MARCH 2018 is the Brish s engine Mark Weltz, g WWW.1TECHNATION.COM ering or of ), Tucso of all er. centra says servic IT Infras report tions ty-bas which is senior n of Medic Susan s to TMS lly mana ed hospit a stande contra al Cente each up of Sneda tructu ged al license alone, “Hosp cts depar 16 memb ker. The re and Opera r 1803_TNMag.indd 14 ital specia tment by clinica were not ble for pediat d at 600 communiCEAMteam The ers. 2/1/18 9:46 l engine mana ric beds. their the contra ger was includ team under is made orthop emergency lty areas ering; depar includ cts for es edics,” respon care, tment Cahill Ellis Brittin Brish’s direct equip cardio e: says In si.

2016, , imagin ment Karla , BMET logy leader equipm Calde that chang in and Brish, g service ship II; ron, MBA, BMET s lead; Walter ed assign ent service Tim 12 Cassel Rober ed I; agreem and all medic TECHN l, senior Dirk Call, depart to the clinica to engine ATION ents al ment er; Brian BMET imagin APRIL l engine were to III; be g service “This 2018 Darr, move managed. ering biome s leader dical s as many was well-r equipm time or expert of them eceived ent of a service did not by clinica ise to l have contra manage ct,” Brish the delive the rables says.

DEPA OF TH RTMENT E MO NTH T

The Tuc son Me dical Cen ter Clin ical Eng ineerin g Dep artme nt

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66

P

30

smarttanktester.com •

RepairMED www.repairmed.net • 855-813-8100

SPBS, Inc www.spbs.com/ • (800) 713-2396

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

32 35 3

P

P P

Asset Management Asset Services www.assetservices.com • 913-383-2738

Capital i capitali.us • 417-708-2924

27

Asset Tracking www.ReNewBiomedical.com • 844-425-0987

70

P P

Beds/Stretchers HERO herobiz.com • 800-834-1122

www.ReNewBiomedical.com • 844-425-0987

64

P P

Southeastern Biomedical, Inc sebiomedical.com/ • 828-396-6010

www.alcosales.com • 800-323-4282

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

Capital i capitali.us • 417-708-2924

CEAI Clinical Engineering Association of Illinois ceaiweb.org •

HERO herobiz.com • 800-834-1122

Life Spark Medical

66 BC 27 71 64

P P

30

smarttanktester.com •

Medical Equipment Doctor, INC. www.medicalequipdoc.com • 800-285-9918

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

ReNew Biomedical www.ReNewBiomedical.com • 844-425-0987

RepairMED www.repairmed.net • 855-813-8100

SalesMaker Carts www.salesmakercarts.com • 800-821-4140

Siella Medical siellamedical.com • 888.688.6822

SEPTEMBER 2022

61

P P

32 70 32

P

P P

57

P P

CMMS Capital i

27

capitali.us • 417-708-2924

20

nuvolo.com • 844-468-8656

TruAsset, LLC

23

www.truasset.com • 214-276-1280

Computed Tomography www.injectorsupport.com • 888-667-1062

Tri-Imaging Solutions

77

P

58

P P P

77

P P

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

ALCO Sales & Service Co.

70

Cardiology

www.triimaging.com • 855-401-4888

Biomedical

TECHNATION

ReNew Biomedical

Injector Support and Service

ReNew Biomedical

P

Cardiac Monitoring

Nuvolo 76

TRAINING

www.ambickford.com • 800-795-3062

78

35

www.spbs.com/ • (800) 713-2396

A.M. Bickford

SERVICE

SPBS, Inc

PARTS

Anesthesia

Company Info

AD PAGE

TRAINING

SERVICE

PARTS

AD PAGE

Company Info

Maull Biomedical Training www.maullbiomedicaltraining.com • 440-724-7511

35

P

Defibrillator ReNew Biomedical www.ReNewBiomedical.com • 844-425-0987

SakoMED sakomed.com • (844) 433-7256

70

P P

25

P P

Diagnostic Imaging Lexicon lexiconmedparts.com • 615-545-8587

Mammo.com mammo.com •

Probo Medical www.probomedical.com • 3174947872

57 47

P P

40-41

P P

Endoscopy Cadmet

P P

www.cadmet.com • 800-543-7282

P P

hmark.com • 800-521-6224

Healthmark Industries Multimedical Systems

76

www.multimedicalsystems.com • 888-532-8056

67

ReNew Biomedical

54

P

48 32

P

ESUs (Surgical) www.ReNewBiomedical.com • 844-425-0987

70

P P

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

SERVICE INDEX

66

www.alcosales.com • 800-323-4282

CEAI Clinical Engineering Association of Illinois

salesmakercarts.com • 800-821-4140

71 57 76

Infection Control Healthmark Industries hmark.com • 800-521-6224

adeptomed.com • 833-423-3786

AIV aiv-inc.com • 888-656-0755

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

Infusion Pump Repair www.infusionpumprepair.com • 855-477-8866

Infusystem infusystem.com • (800) 658-5582

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

ReNew Biomedical www.ReNewBiomedical.com • 844-425-0987

Siella Medical siellamedical.com • 888.688.6822

48

4 54

P P

22, 51

P P

16 27, 35, 63

P P

32 70

P

P P

67

aiv-inc.com • 888-656-0755

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

Infusion Pump Repair www.infusionpumprepair.com • 855-477-8866

Infusystem infusystem.com • (800) 658-5582

RepairMED www.repairmed.net • 855-813-8100

Siella Medical siellamedical.com • 888.688.6822

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

SPBS, Inc www.spbs.com/ • (800) 713-2396

SPBS, Inc www.spbs.com/ • (800) 713-2396

22, 51

P P

16 27, 35, 63

P P

32 67 3

P P

Mammo.com

P

35

P

47

P P

17,63

P P

7

P P

Monitors Clinical Technology Solutions PM Biomedical pmbiomedical.com • 800-777-6467

Siella Medical

67

siellamedical.com • 888.688.6822

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

3

P P

MRI Innovatus Imaging www.innovatusimaging.com • 844-687-5100

8

Online Resource HTM Jobs

72-73

www.htmjobs.com •

MedWrench www.MedWrench.com • 866-989-7057

46 74

P

Patient Monitoring AIV aiv-inc.com • 888-656-0755

Clinical Technology Solutions ctsbiomedical.com • (877) 643-6134

ReNew Biomedical www.ReNewBiomedical.com • 844-425-0987

RepairMED www.repairmed.net • 855-813-8100

SakoMED sakomed.com • (844) 433-7256

Southeastern Biomedical, Inc sebiomedical.com/ • 828-396-6010

USOC Bio-Medical Services www.usocmedical.com • 855-888-8762 EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

35

Mammography

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

P P

P P

Labratory

Webinar Wednesday 54

70

67

siellamedical.com • 888.688.6822

ctsbiomedical.com • (877) 643-6134

Infusion Therapy AIV

www.ReNewBiomedical.com • 844-425-0987

mammo.com •

Infusion Pumps Adepto Medical

ReNew Biomedical Siella Medical

ALCO Sales & Service Co.

SalesMaker Carts

TRAINING

P

General

lexiconmedparts.com • 615-545-8587

SERVICE

32

www.multimedicalsystems.com • 888-532-8056

Lexicon

PARTS

IV Pumps

Multimedical Systems

ceaiweb.org •

Company Info

AD PAGE

Fetal Monitoring

TRAINING

SERVICE

PARTS

AD PAGE

Company Info

54

P P

17,63

P P

70

P P

32

P P

25

P P

57

P P

3

P P

SEPTEMBER 2022

TECHNATION

79

SERVICE INDEX siellamedical.com • 888.688.6822

P P

67

www.interpower.com • 800-662-2290

www.truasset.com • 214-276-1280

www.spbs.com/ • (800) 713-2396

83

P

hmark.com • 800-521-6224

HERO herobiz.com • 800-834-1122

HTM Jobs

64 72-73

www.htmjobs.com •

PM Biomedical pmbiomedical.com • 800-777-6467

aiv-inc.com • 888-656-0755

AIV aiv-inc.com • 888-656-0755

54

Rental/Leasing Elite Biomedical Solutions elitebiomedicalsolutions.com • 855-291-6703

Infusystem infusystem.com • (800) 658-5582

Clinical Technology Solutions ctsbiomedical.com • (877) 643-6134

Elite Biomedical Solutions 22, 51

P

elitebiomedicalsolutions.com • 855-291-6701

27, 35, 63

P

www.multimedicalsystems.com • 888-532-8056

Repair

Multimedical Systems PM Biomedical pmbiomedical.com • 800-777-6467

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

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

PM Biomedical pmbiomedical.com • 800-777-6467

ReNew Biomedical www.ReNewBiomedical.com • 844-425-0987

66

Clinical Technology Solutions ctsbiomedical.com • (877) 643-6134

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

Engineering Services, KCS Inc www.eng-services.com • 888-364-7782x11

PM Biomedical pmbiomedical.com • 800-777-6467

RepairMED www.repairmed.net • 855-813-8100

22, 51

P P

Siella Medical

7

P P

USOC Bio-Medical Services

70

P P

Test Equipment

Replacement Parts

siellamedical.com • 888.688.6822 www.usocmedical.com • 855-888-8762

A.M. Bickford www.ambickford.com • 800-795-3062

P

BC Group International, Inc

P P

Life Spark Medical

6

P

Pronk Technologies, Inc.

7

P P

Radcal Corporation

17,63 22, 51

Respiratory

www.BCGroupStore.com • 314-638-3800 smarttanktester.com • www.pronktech.com • 800-609-9802 www.radcal.com • 800-423-7169

Southeastern Biomedical, Inc

A.M. Bickford www.ambickford.com • 800-795-3062

ReNew Biomedical www.ReNewBiomedical.com • 844-425-0987

66

P

70

P P

Software

sebiomedical.com/ • 828-396-6010

5

www.medigate.io •

College of Biomedical Equipment Technology www.cbet.edu • 866-866-9027 www.ecri.org • 1-610-825-6000.

Probo Medical www.probomedical.com • 3174947872

80

TECHNATION

SEPTEMBER 2022

P

48 7

P P

54

P P

17,63

P P

22, 51

P P

32

P

7

P P

32

P P

67 3

P P

66 BC

P P

30 2,70 17 57

P P

Training

ECRI Institute

Medigate

35

Telemetry AIV

Refurbish

23

Surgical Healthmark Industries

Recruiting

20

Sterilizers SPBS, Inc

Power System Components Interpower

TruAsset, LLC

TRAINING

Siella Medical

7

SERVICE

pmbiomedical.com • 800-777-6467

nuvolo.com • 844-468-8656

PARTS

Nuvolo

Patient Monitors PM Biomedical

Company Info

AD PAGE

TRAINING

SERVICE

PARTS

AD PAGE

Company Info

11

P

60

P

40-41 WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

SERVICE INDEX

Tri-Imaging Solutions www.triimaging.com • 855-401-4888

54

P

58

P P

Ultrasound

www.ReNewBiomedical.com • 844-425-0987

SakoMED SPBS, Inc

8

www.innovatusimaging.com • 844-687-5100

Probo Medical

40-41

www.probomedical.com • 3174947872

P P

70

P P

25

P P

35

www.spbs.com/ • (800) 713-2396

P

X-Ray Engineering Services, KCS Inc www.eng-services.com • 888-364-7782x11

Innovatus Imaging

TRAINING

P

sakomed.com • (844) 433-7256

www.cadmet.com • 800-543-7282

SERVICE

ReNew Biomedical

Tubes/Bulbs Cadmet

PARTS

Ventilators

P P

58

www.triimaging.com • 855-401-4888

Company Info

AD PAGE

Tri-Imaging Solutions

TRAINING

70

www.ReNewBiomedical.com • 844-425-0987

SERVICE

ReNew Biomedical

PARTS

AD PAGE

Company Info

Innovatus Imaging www.innovatusimaging.com • 844-687-5100

Tri-Imaging Solutions www.triimaging.com • 855-401-4888

6

P

8 58

P P P

ALPHABETICAL INDEX A.M. Bickford…………………………

66

64

PM Biomedical………………………… 7

Adepto Medical………………………… 4

HTM Jobs………………………… 72-73

Probo Medical……………………… 40-41

AIV……………………………………

54

Infusion Pump Repair…………………

Pronk Technologies, Inc. …………… 2,70

ALCO Sales & Service Co.……………

66

Infusystem…………………… 27, 35, 63

Radcal Corporation……………………

17

Asset Services…………………………

76

Injector Support and Service…………

77

ReNew Biomedical……………………

70

BC Group International, Inc………… BC

Innovatus Imaging……………………… 8

RepairMED……………………………

32

Cadmet………………………………

54

Interpower……………………………

83

SakoMED……………………………

25

Capital i………………………………

27

Lexicon………………………………

57

SalesMaker Carts……………………

76

CEAI Clinical Engineering Association of

Life Spark Medical……………………

30

Siella Medical…………………………

67

Illinois…………………………………

71

Mammo.com…………………………

47

Southeastern Biomedical, Inc………

57

Clinical Technology Solutions……… 17,63

Maull Biomedical Training……………

35

SPBS, Inc……………………………

35

College of Biomedical Equipment

Medical Equipment Doctor, INC.……

61

Tri-Imaging Solutions…………………

58

Medigate………………………………… 5

TruAsset, LLC…………………………

23

MedWrench…………………………

46

USOC Bio-Medical Services…………… 3

Multimedical Systems………………

32

Webinar Wednesday…………………

Nuvolo…………………………………

20

Technology……………………………

11

ECRI Institute…………………………

60

Elite Biomedical Solutions………… 22, 51 Engineering Services, KCS Inc………… 6 Healthmark Industries………………

48

HERO…………………………………

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

16

SEPTEMBER 2022

TECHNATION

74

81

BREAKROOM

E

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

Annette Sm, BM ET

& HTM studen t

al I at , biomedic y e rn u B b tions Jaco edical Solu m io B te a Ultim

“There is still mor e to learn, but fo r now I’m happy to know how the defibrillator works .”

dical Leevi Immanuel, biome at Roman an ici hn tec g rin ee engin Catholic Hospital

tunity to fix had the oppor y ne ur B b co Ja 5! an Alaris 801

FOLLOW TECHNATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA! @TechNationMag

lly executed “Performance tests are typica oss several using calibrated simulators acr part of an vital sign parameters and are all intenance ma ve tati ven acceptance test, pre carrying fer pre I ally cycle or repair. Person ” s. nth mo 6 out this test after every

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82

TECHNATION

SEPTEMBER 2022

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Interpower® hospital-grade replacement cords far exceed minimum agency standards.

Made in the U.S.A., Interpower NEMA 5-15, 5-20, 6-15, and 6-20 hospital-grade replacement cords provide correct amperages and voltages for medical devices such as portable CT scanners, X-ray machines, medical-grade treadmills, ECMO machines, and ventilators—essential machines demanding electrical power.

Interpower North American hospital-grade replacement cords come with NEMA hospital-grade plugs bearing the “green dot.” They are continually tested to surpass UL 817 (18.2.4.1) and C22.2 No. 21-14 requirements for hospital-grade power cords and cord sets.

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No minimum orders Value-added options such as lengths, colors, packaging & labeling Blanket and scheduled orders available Expert customer service

Interpower cords and components are manufactured in accordance with Interpower’s product quality plan: hipot testing, continuity testing, ground testing, and inspections after each process.

All cords provide the end user with the correct North American connections to the local mains power, which means our cords are ready to use right out of the box. Order 1 cord or 5,000 cords.

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The IPA-3400 is a high accuracy easy-to-use system that incorporates full touch screen control of all processes.

IPA-3400 INFUSION PUMP ANALYZER US Patent Number 10,100, 828

Large 7-inch Color Touch Screen ▶Large 7-inch Color Touch Screen This patented design uses a ▶Price includes One Module▶Price includes One Module dual syringe stepper motor ▶Calibration in Flow Modules ▶Calibration in Flow Modules driven system that provides ▶Auto Start ▶Auto Start continuous monitoring of ▶High Accuracy ▶High Accuracy the fluid flow. ▶0.1 mL to 1600 mL/Hr ▶0.1 mL to 1600 mL/Hr The system also Dual Syringe System ▶Smooth Dual Syringe System runs▶Smooth quietly and smoothly, and erforms ▶Performs all IEC 6-601-2-24 Tests Required Tests allows for a all IEC 6-601-2-24 Required bi-directional , 3 & 4 2flow 1, fluid 1, 2, 3 & 4 powered ls els nn fora use during the el Mode Ch Channel Mod vailable built-inA cleaning Available ) deable) cycle.

Upgradeable eld (Field Upgra

$4988*

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odule *Price includes Flow IP Module A-3400 (IPA-3400-FM), IPA-3400 more information(IPA-3400-FM), 161), NIST Traceable Accessory Kit (BC20-00161), Calibration NIST Traceable Calibration on our IPA 3400 tware, Operator ’s Certificate, Manual BC Flow Software, Operator’s Manual

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