TechNation Magazine October 2022

1technation.com

Vol. 13

OCTOBER 2022

ADVANCING THE BIOMEDICAL / HTM PROFESSIONAL

PARTS AVAILABILITY

PAGE 56

PANDEMIC DISRUPTIONS REMAIN

12 14 18

Department of the Month Parkview Health Biomedical Services Department

Company Showcase Block Imaging

Professional of the Month Robert Fuller, CBET

48

Roundtable Internship, Apprenticeship, & Mentorship

70

Cybersecurity To Baseline or Not To Baseline

RENTING MADE EASY. CALL US TODAY FOR A QUOTE!

SIMPLE SOLUTIONS FOR PATIENT MONITORING • PARTS • PATIENT CABLES • RENTALS

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

20 MORGAN | IRVINE, CA 92618 CALL: 1.855.888.8762 VISIT: USOCMEDICAL.COM

CONTACT US

TODAY FOR ALL YOUR DEVICE NEEDS! ISO 9001:2015 and 13485:2016 Certified

Elite READY Elite University Come train at Elite. Now offering customizable technical

training programs for BMETs of all stages. All training modules are taught by Elite’s level 2-3 biomedical equipment technicians, and includes a corresponding hands-on lab at Elite’s fully equipped training facility.

Elite Apprenticeship Elite has partnered with AAMI to utilize the national BMET Apprenticeship Program that was organized by AAMI. Elite is expected to take on two new apprentices within the year, with plans to train additional talent.

Elite On-Site Elite Biomedical Solutions provides on-site service and repairs that keep clinical equipment performing at optimal levels. Contact our headquarters to inquire for your facility.

Visit Our Website Or Call www.elitebiomedicalsolutions.com | 1.855.291.6701

BEST IN

2022

SUPPLYING YOUR

GE AT&AOEC Cables PRICE YOU CAN AFFORD Kenneth Saltrick, President of Engineering Services in Twinsburg, Ohio, knows from his long experience that C-arm machines themselves are absolute workhorses.

9900, 9800 R E C E P TA C L E CABLES

For customers looking to blend the gap between expensive OEM and unreliable used assemblies, WE have your solution.

Our complete repair contains a new cable assembly, utilizing all OEM cable and components with a harvested plate and connector housing as they are proprietary items. These completely repaired products will have a significant cost savings with build quality above new OEM products and carry a warranty of 180 days, which is untouchable in the market.

9900, 9800 INTERCONNECT CABLES

We want your HV Cable Cores!

Call or email us the condition of the cable(s) and we will submit an offer to purchase the part. We will then inspect and test the part to see if it can be repaired. If it is deemed repairable, we will process the transaction and mail you a check the next day.

Email photos and requests to: info@eng-services.com

Buying Repaira ble 9800 / 990 0 HV Cable Cores

CONTACT US TODAY! 330.425.9279 X.11 | WWW.ENG-SERVICES.COM

Your PowerMATE Partner AIV’s Special Purpose Relocatable Power Taps Check out the new PowerMATE -CM with current monitoring!

NEW!

Current Monitoring Capabilities!

MDEXPO - CA VISIT OUR BOOTH #124!

775A

WHAT’S WHAT’SINSIDE INSIDEMATTERS MATTERS WHAT’S INSIDE MATTERS

We deliver an advantage you can’t get elsewhere: We deliver an inside advantage you can’t get elsewhere: We deliver aninside inside advantage you can’t get elsewhere:

supply chain supporting hundreds ofof of Internal supply chain supporting hundreds • •Internal Internal supply chain supporting hundreds ultrasound probes and MRI coils ultrasound probes MRI coils ultrasound probes andand MRI coils expertise includes transducer Engineering expertise includes transducer • •Engineering Engineering expertise includes transducer arrays, plastic molding, 3D3Dprinting, cable arrays, plastic molding, 3D printing, cable arrays, plastic molding, printing, cable harness fabrication, and precision lenses harness fabrication, precision lenses harness fabrication, andand precision lenses processes informed bybyour inin in Repair processes informed by our legacy • •Repair Repair processes informed ourlegacy legacy FDA registered manufacturing FDA registered manufacturing FDA registered manufacturing X-ray of GEGE C3-10-D X-ray ofC3-10-D GE C3-10-D X-ray of

MORE REASONS THAN EVER TOTO EVER TOTO INSIST ON INNOVATUS IMAGING INSIDE! MORE REASONS THAN EVER TO EVER TO INSIST ON INNOVATUS IMAGING INSIDE! MORE REASONS THAN EVER EVER INSIST ON INNOVATUS IMAGING INSIDE! BeBe anBe Innovatus Insider and learn the latest atat Booth 400 at MDExpo, Oct. 11 - 13 an Innovatus Insider and learn the latest at Booth 400 at MDExpo, Oct. 11 an Innovatus Insider and learn the latest Booth 400 at MDExpo, Oct. 11 - 13- 13 @ @customercare@innovatusimaging.com @ customercare@innovatusimaging.com customercare@innovatusimaging.com

844.687.5100 844.687.5100 844.687.5100 innovatusimaging.com innovatusimaging.com innovatusimaging.com PITTSBURGH • TULSA • DENVER PITTSBURGH • TULSA • DENVER PITTSBURGH • TULSA • DENVER

CONTENTS

FEATURED

48

THE ROUNDTABLE: INTERNSHIP, APPRENTICESHIP, & MENTORSHIP TechNation reached out to several people in the HTM industry to find out more about internships, apprenticeships and mentorships.

ext month’s Feature article: N Asset Tracking

56

PARTS AVAILABILITY: PANDEMIC DISRUPTIONS REMAIN Hospital leaders continue to seek cost savings across departments. Cost increases and availability problems have made sourcing parts and budgeting for parts more difficult.

ext month’s Feature article: N Cybersecurity Gaps as Devices Age

TechNation (Vol. 13, Issue #10) October 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

OCTOBER 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 SPOTLIGHT p.12 Department of the Month: Parkview Health Biomedical Services Department p.14 Company Showcase: Block Imaging p.18 Professional of the Month: Robert Fuller, CBET p.20 Association of the Month: {Alaska State Biomedical Association (ASBA) P.25 p.25 p.30 p.34 p.38

INDUSTRY UPDATES News & Notes Ribbon Cutting: EndoTechnologies AAMI Update ECRI Update

P.40 p.40 p.43 p.44

THE BENCH Biomed 101 Tools of the Trade Webinar Wednesday

P.65 EXPERT ADVICE p.65 Career Center p.66 [Sponsored] Avante Health Solutions p.70 Cybersecurity p.72 [Sponsored] Renew Biomedical p.74 The Future p.76 [Sponsored] Innovatus Imaging p.80 [Sponsored] Nuvolo P.84 BREAKROOM p.84 Did You Know? p.86 The Vault p.88 Where in the World is Ben C.? p.93 NCBA Scrapbook p.97 HTM Jobs p.102 HTM Strong p.98 Service Index p.101 Alphabetical Index Like us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/TechNationMag

MD Publishing / TechNation Magazine

Proud supporters of

1015 Tyrone Rd., Ste. 120, Tyrone, GA 30290 800.906.3373 • Fax: 770.632.9090 Email: info@mdpublishing.com www.mdpublishing.com

10

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

ONLINE CLASSES ONLINE CLASSES

ENROLLING ENROLLING NOW! NOW! www.cbet.edu www.cbet.edu

AAS AASinin18 18Months!

Months!

Transfer TransferCredits Credits Accepted Accepted Accredited College Programs Accredited College Programs The College of Biomedical Equipment Technology is accredited by the

The College of Biomedical Equipment Technology is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training (ACCET), an Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training (ACCET), an accrediting agency continuously recognized by the U.S. Department of accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department Education as a continuously reliable authority on educational quality since 1978.of Education as a reliable authority on educational quality since 1978.

Strategic Partnerships

Strategic Partnerships We maintain strategic partnerships with healthcare organizations,

service providers, biomedical equipment manufacturers to We maintain strategic and partnerships with healthcare organizations, provide externships, hands-on training, mentorship, and career service providers, and biomedical equipment manufacturers to services to our students globally. Our international network of provide externships, training, mentorship, career strategic partners hands-on makes it possible for us to establishand real-world services to our studentsfor globally. international network of training opportunities students Our seeking careers as BMETs. strategic partners makes it possible for us to establish real-world training opportunities forRates students seeking careers as BMETs. High Placement

WePlacement assist students Rates in finding employment after training. We help High students secure jobs through various means including job

searches, careerinfairs, direct communication employers to We assist students finding employment afterwith training.

We help identify upcoming students secure jobs requisites, through resume various writing meansassistance, including and job interview coaching. are eligible to access the College’s searches, career fairs, Graduates direct communication with employers to placement assistance programresume at no additional identify upcoming requisites, writing cost. assistance, and interview coaching. Graduates are eligible to access the College’s placement assistance program at no additional cost.



210.570.1452

training@theimagingacademy.com ţŗăíňíňǧǧ ţḫĕíń ăǧíňǧăčăďĕń ÿÿčôń '210.570.1452

'5ţŗăíňíňǧǧ ţḫĕíń ăǧíňǧăčăďĕń ÿÿčôń 5 theimagingacademy.com theimagingacademy.com

AANew New Approach Approach to Imaging to Imaging Education

Education

SPOTLIGHT

DEPARTMENT OF THE MONTH: The Parkview Health Biomedical Services Department

BY K. RICHARD DOUGLAS

N

orthwest Ohio borders the western shore of Lake Erie and includes the city of Toledo. Northeast Indiana includes the city of Fort Wayne and includes opportunities for lake-living and camping. Parkview Health serves the health care needs of the region.

The health system was formed in 1995 with its roots going back to 1878 and the original Fort Wayne City Hospital.

Today, it serves a combined population of 895,000 with more than 14,000 employees and is the region’s largest employer. It is based in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

“The biomedical services department of Parkview spans seven hospitals and over 100 physician offices, spanning over 7,000-square miles of northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio, maintaining in excess of 48,000 pieces of equipment. We report under the IS division of Parkview Health and employ 27 technicians, a leadership team and support and integrations teams,” says Paul Neher, CBET, supervisor of

12

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

biomedical services at Parkview Health.

He says that the biomed team spans three generations of workers. Twelve members of the team have at least 20 years in biomedical engineering experience and four of those have more than 40 years of experience in health care.

A few of the facilities that the biomed team covers are Parkview Regional Medical Center (781-staffed beds), Parkview Randallia (166-staffed beds), Parkview Dekalb (57-staffed beds) and Parkview Ortho Hospital (37-staffed beds).

The team uses its CMMS as the funnel point for data collection and report generation.

“Through equipment record keeping, corrective and preventative maintenance records, parts orders, and vendor tracking, our team generates reports not only for internal use, but also for the use of our customers and regulatory agencies,” Neher says.

Additionally, patient data is fed from various systems into the EPIC electronic medical record (EMR). The biomed

team ensures that the data is securely routed to the IS infrastructure collection system and then to the EMR. “The biomedical services team performs preventative and corrective maintenance on a vast range of medical equipment within our facilities, including therapeutic and diagnostic equipment, sterilizers and beds, etcetera, as well as the normal equipment scope. We integrate and manage the flow of data from the medical equipment to the patient EMR. Our IS integrations specialists manage the cybersecurity and integrity of data for all medical equipment within our scope. Instead of regular video feed TVs within the hospitals, our team maintains a network of streaming IPTVs throughout the system,” Neher says.

The department also reviews equipment purchase and service contracts. It makes recommendations to fit the needs of the facilities and customers. Department members research equipment issues for hospital professionals and administrative staff, participate on hospital safety committees,

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

SPOTLIGHT value analysis steering committees and capital equipment committees.

“Biomed performs reporting of device tracking for the Safe Medical Device Act (SMDA) to regulatory agencies. We receive, distribute, and act on equipment hazard alerts and recalls, and conduct device event investigations.

We also report performance monitors and provide an evaluation of the medical equipment management plan (MEMP) effectiveness to both hospital leadership and regulatory agencies.

Additionally, our teams review reports for services done by the original equipment manufacturers and vendors to validate that the work they perform meets contracted expectations,” Neher adds.

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE HTM departments and professionals were challenged during the COVID-19 pandemic to take on many unplanned projects and meet the urgent needs of a surge of sick patients. The creation of surge units tested the best skills of the biomed community. The Parkview team sprang into action to assist in this endeavor as well.

“In addition to the regular building projects of new constructions and expansions, the Parkview biomedical services team has been instrumental throughout COVID with the installation of emergent care areas, including

some overnight conversions of spaces into patient areas,” Neher says.

He says that the department was essential in the acquisition and disbursement of thousands of pieces of medical equipment to manage the surge of COVID needs, as well as the integration of those devices into the EMR. The department did this without taking a preventative maintenance waiver from the Joint Commission.

The team members helped their facilities maintain a strong commitment to the community throughout the pandemic and the increased demands placed on the system.

“COVID presented many opportunities for teamwork and unique problem solving, as Parkview Health kept up the policy of not turning away anyone in need of care. Parkview biomedical services added many devices to support the rapid increases in COVID patients, such as IV pumps, feeding pumps, vital signs monitors, thermometer devices and respiratory therapy equipment,” Neher says.

He says that room use was changed to meet the requirements for isolation and the acuity of the patients, as well as emergently building isolation and therapeutic rooms to spaces not designed for that purpose.

“Daily, our team members were redirecting monitoring licenses,

hardware, and network functionality across our entire system to meet the changing census needs of our patients.

And the new daily norm seemed to be deploying new step-down monitoring centers from biomed spares, networking them, rebuilding the central monitoring station sectors and licenses without the aid of the manufacturer. While this was stressful and challenging, biomedical services banded together with other support and service teams to meet this need with teamwork and the care needs of our patients,” Neher says.

He says that in addition to these functions, the department has served on many committees and multi-disciplinary teams to determine best equipment practices and equipment purchases.

“Our members also assist staff with educational opportunities to best determine the clinical applications of the equipment purchased and implemented,” Neher says.

He says that members of the biomedical services team are active members of the Association of the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) and the Indiana Biomed Society (IBS).

This Midwest team of HTM professionals rose to the pandemic’s toughest trials and used its resourcefulness to help area patients and support their facilities.

The Parkview Health Biomedical Services Department serves seven hospitals and more than 100 physician offices.

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

13

SPOTLIGHT

COMPANY SHOWCASE Block Imaging

F

ounded in 1997, Block Imaging is a second-generation family-owned and operated business in the greater Lansing, Michigan area.

W hat star ted as an imaging trade business has grow n into a company that provides refurbished medical imaging equipment, par ts, ser vice, and mobiles. Block I maging now ser ves health care providers worldwide, with more than 160 team members at six locations across the globe.

Long established as a top-tier imaging service provider, Block Imaging recently expanded its operations via a brand-new facility on the West Coast. The Sacramento, California, facility is a 17,000-squarefoot building featuring 21 staging bays that houses operations for the repair and refurbishment of high-voltage (HV) tanks and X-ray tubes and an imaging parts depot serving customers throughout the western United States.

14

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

Block Imaging’s expanded presence in California extends its service coverage area, improves the speed at which parts are delivered, and provides even more opportunities for its team to provide outstanding customer service.

“OUR CALIFORNIA FACILITY HAS RECENTLY ALLOWED US TO DISPATCH OUR ENGINEER WITH THE REQUIRED PART FOR A CUSTOMER WITH A DOWN SYSTEM AND HAVE THEM ON-SITE IN LESS THAN 90 MINUTES.” - CHAD SEELYE “Saving the day is something that we love to do! Our California facility has recently allowed us to

dispatch our engineer with the required part for a customer with a down system and have them on-site in less than 90 minutes. When a customer can receive support like that, it creates an unforgettable experience,” Block Imaging’s Vice President of Parts Sales, Chad Seelye, shared.

This new growth is a sign of the company’s success and doesn’t stop at its new California location. Block Imaging also offers a parts ordering platform: Sourcing Window Pro. Sourcing Window Pro is a robust parts purchasing platform that allows centralized purchasing groups to receive instant quotes from multiple suppliers on one platform.

The innovative online parts purchasing tools allow Block Imaging to provide a parts ordering experience that is unlike any other in the market.

Everything the Block Imaging team does centers around their mission, People Matter. Whether offering an online tool to make buying parts more efficient or

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

SPOTLIGHT

providing excellent customer service via same-day parts shipping – their team is constantly aware of how their work impacts patient care.

“The investment in building a high-trust, highly relational team at Block Imaging has truly been our advantage,” Seelye said. “We have a team passionate about taking care of customers – from packing and shipping quality tested parts to installing refurbished systems to providing ongoing service or technical support. Our team knows that what we do every day impacts a patient scan at some point, and that’s something that sets us apart!”

Block Imaging’s new California facility and its new solutions for customers are exciting for everyone because it signals the ability to do even more to support health care professionals and the thousands of patients they care for daily.

“OUR TEAM KNOWS THAT WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY IMPACTS A PATIENT SCAN AT SOME POINT, AND THAT’S SOMETHING THAT SETS US APART!” - CHAD SEELYE

For more information, visit us at blockimaging.com.

Left Photo: Vacuum chambers used for HV tank and X-ray tube processing in Block Imaging’s California facility.

Right Photo: Two of the 21 staging bays at Block Imaging’s California facility.

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

15

VERIFY THE INTEGRITY OF EQUIPMENT The Insulation tester, Leak Tester Tester and Cable Continuity Tester are easy-to-use devices for verifying the functionality of equipment for safety

McGan Insulation Tester Detect & locate defects such as pinholes, cracks and bare spots in the jacket or coating of laparoscopic and bi-polar electrosurgical instruments

Leak Tester Tester Test the functionality of automated & handheld endoscope leakage testers with healthmark’s new Leak Tester Tester.

Cable Continuity Tester Test the quality of monopolar and bipolar cords with this user-friendly, durable device. A green light notifies the user that the cable passed testing.

INTELLIGENT SOLUTIONS FOR INSTRUMENT CARE & INFECTION CONTROL HMARK.COM | 800.521.6224

For more of Healthmark’s intelligent solutions for instrument care and infection control, visit

HMARK.COM

No-Risk Transducer Repair Services If your ultrasound transducer is deemed beyond repair at any point, you will not be charged for the repair attempt.

www.mysummitimaging.com

SPOTLIGHT

PROFESSIONAL OF THE MONTH: ROBERT FULLER, CBET No Substitute for Experience

BY K. RICHARD DOUGLAS

T

here are biomeds today who have been at their craft for decades. Those technicians embody the value of the experienced HTM professional who possess a wealth of knowledge and information.

An example of a biomed with this degree of experience is Robert Fuller, CBET, BMET III, working at McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence, South Carolina.

Fuller has more than three decades of HTM experience and is

18

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

known for devoting his full attention to any equipment he is working on.

He has worked for McLeod Health since 1989 and has held the CBET certification since 2012.

A college counselor helped point Fuller to discover the biomed profession.

“It is a long story but basically, I was like a lot of high school graduates that did not know what they wanted to do when they graduated. I started out in business management but did not like it and dropped out of that. I went to a college counsel-

or and took an assessment test to see where my interest might be. My scoring on the test leaned toward some type of field in electronics,” Fuller says.

He says that he started asking the counselor about each type of electronics curriculum and which ones where available at Midlands Technical College.

“They had a biomed program, and I kept going back to that one with more questions. And that is the one I picked. If I had not had that talk with that particular counselor, I

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

SPOTLIGHT

don’t know where I may have ended up,” Fuller says.

The college training was followed by OEM training.

“I attended Midlands Technical College and completed the associate degree program. At the time they called it an associate degree in occupational health with a major in biomedical equipment.

I also received an advanced certificate in biomedical equipment and a diploma in electronics.

Once I got into the field, I have received a lot of manufacturer training on specific medical devices,” Fuller says.

Fuller started his biomed career working for Chesapeake X-ray as a biomed. He worked on X-ray processors and assisted with the installation machines. He then ran a one-man biomed shop at Byerly Hospital in Hartsville, South Carolina.

“In May 1989, I started working at McLeod Regional Medical Center and have been there ever since. I have been a BMET I, BMET II, BMET III, BMET supervisor and BMET director.

Presently, I am a BMET III. Basically, I have found that I am happiest at the BMET III position,” he says.

A WORK ATTITUDE FROM THE START Putting his extensive experience to good use, Fuller is currently working on an EPIC conversion, while also managing routine tasks.

“I am involved presently with a conversion project from Cerner EMR system to EPIC. We will be connecting our ventilators to the system so they can capture that data to the medical charts. Our department is involved with any medical device connecting to this system – heart monitors, fetal monitors, ventilators, X-ray systems and many others,” Fuller says.

Fuller sits in on several meetings

every week to assist with planning.

“The challenge when working on a project this large is learning each person’s part and educating them on your part; getting people to trust you,” Fuller says.

He said another challenge is being able to get new assignments completed and still complete preventaive maintencance tasks and the rest of his regular work load. Time management becomes very important.

When not at work, Fuller practices his welding skills on a combination unit (Arc, TIG, MIG) that he bought.

“I have many hobbies. I do a little amateur photography, woodworking and just repairing things. I like to travel. I always have been interested in the off-road industry. I like to try new things.

So, I am teaching myself how to weld,” Fuller says.

He has been married since September of 1989 and has a son and daughter.

After decades honing his skills as an HTM professional, Fuller says that from early in his career a strong focus on the customer and hard work make up the core of his approach.

“I’m just a regular, average person. I decided early on in my career to set a standard in the way I document, deal with my customers and present myself. If I am doing it the right way, then I don’t have anything to worry about. I also learned early in life, working for a hardware store, that good customer service skills will get you a long way in any field. I came from a family that has always worked hard. So, I have always worked hard. I do not like to sit around and do nothing,” he says.

That attitude may explain, at least in part, why he is a professional of the month.

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

BIOMETRICS FAVORITE MOVIE: The first 22 Marvel Movies series.

Any action or sci-fi movies.

FAVORITE FOOD: Mexican HIDDEN TALENT : I had four years of art in high school because I could draw pretty good.

FAVORITE PART OF BEING A BIOMED? That customers have always treated me like family and being around people.

WHAT’S ON MY BENCH? Most of the time I am up in respiratory care working on their equipment. I have a computer stand mounted to my cart. I have a picture of my family on my bench.

It is a reminder to me that if the medical device is not safe enough to be put on them, it will not leave my possession until it is safe enough. I have my Vt900A gas flow analyzer and Certifier plus analyzer that I primarily use in respiratory.

I have Microsoft Word open on my laptop. I have typed up some pre canned statements and information that I copy and paste into my work orders depending on which items I work on and then fill the blanks.

This way I have a consistent way to document with key information.

It also gives whoever reads my work orders the condition of the medical device when it leaves my hand. I use Microsoft Excel to keep up with my ordering so I can help my customers budget for next year. Also, when working with different projects, and they need an equipment list, Excel is a great tool to get the report like the customer wants. And last, I have tools that the hospital bought me, and I have some of my own to help make things a little easier.

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

19

SPOTLIGHT

ASSOCIATION OF THE MONTH: Alaska State Biomedical Association (ASBA)

BY K. RICHARD DOUGLAS

A

laska holds many records when it comes to U.S. states. Of the 20 tallest mountains in the U.S., 17 are in Alaska. The state has 6,640 miles of coastline. That is nearly eight times California’s coastline. Alaska is the largest state in the U.S. The state’s motto is “North to the Future.”

Although the summers are generally mild, the winters can be difficult. The combination of the vastness of the state and the harsh winter weather can make many jobs that require travel more challenging. To put the size of the state into perspective, Alaska is larger than Texas, California and Montana combined. It is 665,400 square miles.

From an HTM perspective, this presents a number of challenges when it comes to servicing remote locations, getting parts to remote locations or simply providing biomed technician coverage throughout the state. It is a daunting challenge to say the least.

For the same reason, uniting the biomeds in Alaska, in these distant, and sometimes isolated locations, is not only a challenge but vital. The pandemic, and the more remote separation from the

20

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

lower-48, proved this to be true.

This is a key focus of the state’s new HTM association; the Alaska State Biomedical Association (ASBA). It will fill a void and provide some new cohesiveness to the biomed professionals in this far-north territory.

“The ASBA is making history as we speak. For the first time, southeast, central and western Alaska healthcare technology managers have met together to share knowledge and comradery. Our membership includes technicians who support remote facilities in the northern most cities of the USA and remote sites, military personnel, educators from high schools and universities, managers, directors and students, in-house programs and third-party service providers,” says Jason Cook, CHTM, who started the group.

Cook is the director of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium Healthcare Technology Management program.

Most recently, he served as the director of Alaska Clinical Engineering, which provides statewide biomedical and imaging field services for tribal health organizations.

Cook has also served in several biomed/HTM societies. He has held roles with the Philadelphia Area Medical Instrumentation Association and the

Washington State Biomedical Association. This experience equips him with the knowhow to put an HTM association together in Alaska.

The new association has not yet appointed officers. It has coordinators for the time being. Besides Cook, the other coordinators include Jeff Slone and Craig Cumbie.

“Nearly 40 percent of the state’s population is in one city and the majority of our membership is spread out in remote Alaska, so our meetings are virtual,” Cook says.

“We have not obligated the members to commit to the rigors of appointing officers yet. We are getting to know each other for the first time. The initial purpose of our organization is to create a network of information sharing and education, which was desperately needed during the height of the pandemic. No frills or formalities; just functionality. It’s kind of the Alaska way,” Cook adds.

He says that as the new members and coordinators get to know each other’s strengths, he is confident that leaders will emerge to take the ASBA to the next level.

The ASBA’s mission is broken down into several goals to help the state’s

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

SPOTLIGHT

HTM professionals. Cook says that the mission includes: “Create an environment which allows the members access to educational and technical information, professional development and networking. Exchange ideas for new instrumentation, standards and government regulations. Promote better communication between manufacturers and biomedical programs and inspire local students to join the field of healthcare technology management,” he says.

Other components of the ASBA’s mission include upholding the principles of quality biomedical departments and technicians, matching those with excess resources to those with needs, promoting and organizing local service training, preparing for ICC CBET certifications and sharing employment opportunities.

during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, biomedical/clinical engineering/healthcare technology management in Alaska realized its worst-case scenario. We were physically isolated from our industry counterparts and vendor contacts in the lower-48 because of travel restrictions,” Cook says.

He says that department directors, managers and technicians scrambled to find ways to maintain the safety of healthcare technology with limited staffing and resources.

“Because of our daily experience managing the challenges of supporting medical technology in Alaska, we were able to think outside of the box and find solutions. We learned many lessons.

However, one of the greatest lessons learned was that we could have benefited

greatly from an Alaska State Biomedical Association,” Cook adds.

Cook explains the uniqueness of working as a biomed in the state and why it created special challenges during the pandemic.

“Many of the locations around the state can only be reached by plane or boat. All travel was restricted for a period of time. Vendors could not fly into the state. Many facilities are off the road system. The only way to get to Alaska, a state that has minimal vendor service representation, is by plane, boat or driving through Canada for two to three days,” he says.

The young organization will provide many benefits to its membership and solve many existing problems as members plan for the first conference in 2023.

STAYING IN CONTACT ACROSS THE MILES The new group facilitates meetings through Zoom, in order to accommodate all of the biomeds in more remote locations. Cook says that although 40 percent of the state’s population resides in Anchorage, the majority of members are spread out across the state.

The association’s meetings are monthly; the third Wednesday of the month at 12 p.m.

“The most recent meeting topic was ‘How to maintain equipment safely when the manufacturer goes out of business.’ We had a lively discussion, sharing ideas and experiences.

Each member has had experience supporting equipment when the manufacturer goes belly up and they asked questions and shared what has worked and suggestions. After this discussion, we had an intense match of Biomed Jeopardy. We split up into teams and competed. Answering questions related to AAMI certifications that spanned CBET, CRES and CHTM topics,” Cook says.

While the COVID-19 pandemic created a number of challenges for biomeds in the continental U.S., the lessons it taught biomeds in Alaska included the need for a central HTM organization.

“Approximately two years ago,

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

21

ULTRASOUND SOLUTIONS FOR EVERY SCENARIO

EVEN FOR THIS

PROBO MEDICAL

Your Ultrasound Partner FREE TECH SUPPORT QUALITY, TESTED PARTS ULTRASOUND SERVICE TRAINING PROBE REPAIR WITH FREE LOANERS NEXT DAY RENTALS SERVICE ACROSS THE US Mention this ad for 10% OFF your next part or repair.

HAVING PROBLEMS WITH YOUR ULTRASOUND PROBE? Scan the QR code and get an instant quote by using our free ultrasound probe evaluation tool.

WWW.PROBOMEDICAL.COM

Save Time. Save Money.

Save Lives.

Vizzia Technologies provides fully managed Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS). The InVIEWSM software platform helps hospitals reduce costs, streamline processes and improve patient care.

RTLS SOLUTIONS

Asset Management

Reports & Analytics

Environmental Monitoring

Patient Workflow

SERVICING Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) | Top 100 Health-Tech Company (2021) | 100% Healthcare Focus (Since 2005) DEFIBRILLATORS, VITAL SIGN MONITORS, EKG/ECG’S, VENTILATORS, PUMPS, & MANY MORE! Learn AED’S, How Hospitals Saved Millions

1-855-849-9421 | VIZZIATech.com | info@vizziatech.com

INDUSTRY UPDATES

NEWS & NOTES Updates from the HTM Industry VIZZIA TECHNOLOGIES NAMED A TOP 100 HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGY COMPANY Vizzia Technologies, a software and managed service provider of real-time location systems (RTLS) for health care organizations, was named to The Healthcare Technology Report’s list of the “Top 100 Healthcare Technology Companies of 2022.”

Vizzia was recognized in the software and data category for the second year in a row. Fellow awardees include Novartis, Stryker, Edwards Lifesciences, and Centura Health.

The Healthcare Technology Report provides market research and insights to include investment and corporate development activity. The New York City-based firm is run by a seasoned team of industry professionals who are highly knowledgeable of the healthcare technology sector, according

to a press release.

“Vizzia Technologies collaborates with leading clinicians and global technology manufacturers to improve enterprise efficiencies and patient care,” the release states. “The company conducts innovative research with an Internet of Things laboratory at the University of New Mexico’s School of Engineering (Vizzia IoT Lab).”

“We are honored to be recognized among this group of healthcare technology leaders,” said Jim Forbes, chief strategy officer of Vizzia Technologies. “For over 15 years, Vizzia has focused on leveraging technology to improve health care processes and patient care.”

‘UNKNOWN QUEUE’ RESULTED IN VA PATIENT HARM A flaw in a Cerner electronic health record (EHR) deployed at the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane, Washington included an “unknown queue” that resulted in thousands of patient care issues, according to Deputy Inspector General David Case in the Office Of Inspector General, Department of Veterans Affairs.

“Over the past year, the OIG has been examining how the new EHR has been affecting users and patients.

Most recently, the OIG determined that the new EHR system directed thousands of medical orders to an unknown queue that was not evident to the clinical and administrative staff responsible for addressing them. The OIG also found that the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) determined the lack of knowledge and maintenance of the unknown queue created significant risk and caused harm to nearly 150 veterans. As recently as July

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

2022, hundreds of orders remained in the unknown queue across VA sites implementing the new system. The Deputy Secretary’s response to the unknown queue report asserted that issues with the unknown queue have been resolved. However, VA stated that mitigation work continues, and Oracle Cerner leadership confirmed in Congressional testimony last week that further technology updates are required,” Case said.

“Looking back to October 24, 2020, through May 8, 2022, VHA identified 1,134 total patient safety events related to the new EHR. VHA’s analysis identified one catastrophic patient harm (death or major permanent loss of function) and two major patient harm cases (permanent lessening of bodily functioning), one of which was related to the unknown queue,” he added later.

Case’s complete statement is available at tinyurl.com/3s6vh9x9.

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

25

INDUSTRY UPDATES

FSI INTRODUCES eBINDERS FOR CMMS USERS FSI, a provider of CMMS solutions for health care organizations, has launched eBinders – an electronic binder that automates compliance reporting. The product gives health care service professionals a way to organize and keep track of compliance reports and dashboards from one location within FSI’s healthcare-specific CMMS platform, CMS. With over 80% of U.S. hospitals accredited by the Joint Commission, compliance preparation and preventive maintenance is a priority for thousands of health care service professionals nationwide. Compliance violations, safety issues and inefficient processes can hurt an organization’s bottom line, and with staffing shortages and labor challenges being felt across the industry, helping facilities and healthcare technology management (HTM) teams save time and build more efficient processes were main drivers in developing the software.

“Health care service professionals should feel confident for any and every inspection. Whether it’s pulling up relevant documents at your desk or walking the floor with an inspector, eBinders gives back time to our facilities and healthcare technology management partners,” said Derek Smith,

26

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

director of technology at FSI FSI and The Joint Commission identified common challenges amongst health care service professionals, and created eBinders with the following core benefits: • Save time on reviews by eliminating physical reports and organizing binders • Cut down on errors with standardized naming conventions for each automated binder report • Automate reporting by creating monthly, recurring inspection-ready reports that are available anytime, anywhere • Enhanced search functionality to quickly locate files by month, building, compliance indicators, custom tags and more Launched in 2002, FSI was created by and for health care service professionals and engineers, offering a purpose-built CMMS specifically for health care-managed operations. FSI’s 1,000 plus hospital segments rely on a full suite of services and software that empowers their teams to use data to make smart decisions: including on-site data collection, barcoding and CAD services.

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

INDUSTRY UPDATES

US MED-EQUIP ACQUIRES FREEDOM MEDICAL US Med-Equip, a provider of rented medical equipment and services, has acquired Freedom Medical to meet the growing equipment and service needs of hospitals and other health care partners throughout the country, according to a press release.

As front-line health care professionals continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, disorders related to obesity and other life-threatening illnesses, hospitals nationwide are gaining on-demand access to the highest quality medical equipment and therapeutic beds to help patients heal, according to the release.

Houston-headquartered US Med-Equip partners with top hospitals across the nation for the rental, sales, service and asset management of movable medical equipment (diagnostic and clinical devices) ranging from infant incubators to ventilators and more. In addition to movable medical equipment and asset management services, Freedom Medical is nationally known for providing patient beds and therapeutic support surfaces

with WAVE technology designed to help improve patient outcomes.

The release states that the acquisition doubles US Med-Equip’s number of locations, increases its workforce by 50 percent and accelerates its national expansion to provide critical equipment to hospitals when they need it.

“While hospitals work to ensure they provide the best care possible, our health care partners count on patient-ready medical equipment to back up their hospitals’ equipment fleet at a moment’s notice,” US Med-Equip CEO Greg Salario said. “The Freedom Medical team shares our mission to support clinicians helping comfort and heal every patient who entrusts them with their care.

As we join forces, we will be in a stronger position to serve our hospital partners like never before possible.”

US Med-Equip acquired Freedom Medical from R.A.F. Industries Inc., a Philadelphia-based long-term focused capital provider.

AUTOMATED END-TIDAL CO2 TESTING What is the

?

The SmartTank is an all-in-one automated tester for end-tidal CO2 and anesthesia gas monitors/modules.

Why should you care?

Save time and money. Reduce risk.

SCHEDULE A VIRTUAL DEMO

Call or Text 435.254.3010 info@smarttanktester.com

SmartTankTester.com EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

27

INDUSTRY UPDATES

FOBI MEDICAL LAUNCHES FOBI NOW! FOBI Medical introduced FOBI Now! at this year’s AAMI conference.

“A first-of-its-kind mobile application for the biomed industry, FOBI Now! makes researching parts or service simple and quick,” according to a press release. “The easy-to-use application saves time by offering a new way to find solutions for parts and service issues. Simply open the phone application, request what you need then get back to the critical tasks you need to accomplish. FOBI’s customer service associates will research solutions for you.”

Justin Barbour, vice president of business development at FOBI Medical, was the driving force behind FOBI Now!.

“After watching how many hours were spent by technicians just to research parts or service providers, I knew there had to be a better way. Technicians are most efficient when their time is spent on actual equipment maintenance,” Barbour said.

According to the press release, FOBI Now! eliminates time spent on research allowing biomeds to complete more critical tasks. It reduces the stress and frustration of trying to locate what is needed and gives biomeds a “virtual” partner to help find the solutions needed.

For years, FOBI Medical has focused on providing customers a way to maximize their technician’s value while meeting their customers’ needs. As Keith Przybyla, president of FOBI Medical explains, “FOBI Now! is just another way FOBI Medical is distinguishing itself as a leader in the healthcare technology management field.”

FOBI Now! is live and free. Simply search the app store on a smartphone.

SAGE SERVICES GROUP LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE Sage Services Group has launched a new website and visual brand. After celebrating its 15-year anniversary, Sage Services Group President Joe Harper said he knew it was time for an update.

“As our business has grown, it was time to give our brand and our website a facelift,” Harper said. “We want our customers to have the best experience possible, and our new website makes it easy to submit a repair request, shop for cables and accessories, and find replacement parts.”

Sage Services Group has experienced significant growth in recent years, landing on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies, according to

28

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

a press release.

The new website (sageservicesgroup.com) reflects the company’s new logo, visual branding and core marketing message. It also has a catalog of patient monitoring accessories, making it easy for health care technology managers to find cables and replacement parts at reasonable prices, according to the release.

Sage Services Group is headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina with an additional repair facility in Inman, South Carolina. The organization is now the largest patient monitoring depot repair organization in the eastern half of the United States, according to the release.

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

The quickest path to becoming a skilled, in-demand, reliable imaging engineer.

TRI-IMAGING’S APPRENTICE PROGRAM Experience the best in imaging engineer training with our efficient, effective, immersive program where you will have real world experiences that will equip you with the skills necessary to service the “big iron” imaging equipment.

COMPREHENSIVE

SMALL CLASSES

REAL EXPERIENCE

READY TO GET STARTED?

Visit www.triimaging.com or email training@triimaging.com to request the course overview and curriculum.

SOLUTIONS

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

INDUSTRY UPDATES

RIBBON CUTTING EndoTechnologies

E

ndoTechnologies LLC is a veteran-owned company with more than two decades of expertise serving the health care community.

CEO and President Spencer Johnston recently took some time to share more information about the company and how it helps service and maintain endoscopes for health care providers.

Q: WHAT IS ON THE HORIZON FOR YOUR COMPANY? A: Our goal has remained the same since my father started the company 21 years ago. We are committed to providing high-quality repairs at the best value in the industry. We work hard to cultivate a partnership with our facilities in order to help maintain their readiness and eliminate unnecessary down time.

Q: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SERVICES AND PRODUCTS YOU OFFER? A: We are a veteran-owned company that offers full service on Olympus flexible scopes as well as all manufacturers of rigid scopes. Our most popular service is an allinclusive agreement that covers Olympus GI scopes for a set cost per month. This puts us on the same team as the facility and promotes a two-way relationship that includes in-services, training, and pattern recognition as we receive repairs. We also offer certified pre-owned equipment that comes with a oneyear warranty. Whether a facility is upgrading its current equipment, adding to it or opening a brand new GI suite, we can save them considerable money over the OEM

Q: IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE OUR READERS TO KNOW? A: We are on a national level, but we started in my parents’ garage.

Customer by customer, we have grown slowly through word of mouth and reputation. We understand the need to take care of the customers and the attention to detail required to do so.

30

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

Spencer Johnston, CEO route while maintaining the quality the customer expects.

Q: HOW DOES YOUR COMPANY STAND OUT IN THE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT FIELD? A: Put simply, it’s our service. I am a fan of sustained growth through taking care and keeping the customers we already have, while growing our base. Our techs have over 65 years of experience and combined with an open line of communication with the customers about recurring problems, our goal is to mitigate most repairs.

For more information, visit Endoti.com or send an email to SpencerJ@endoti.com.

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

Now!

Requesting parts and services has never been easier...

1

It's quick, simple and free

Download

2

Locate FOBI Now! in the app store or point your phone's camera at the QR code below.

Launch

3

Request Now you're ready-to-go!

Just send us your request!

From your phone's main screen, simply launch FOBI Now! and enter your contact information.

The one-of-a-kind FOBI NOW app saves you the time and frustration of researching parts or service solutions. Simply, open the app, request what you need and let us find you a solution while you get back to the important tasks at hand.

Click on the QR Code to download

www.FobiMed.com

888.231.3624

M E D I C A L

ISO 13485:2016

SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATIONS FOR Professional of the Month, Shifting Gears and Department of the Month!

Operate Efficiently, Perform Real Time, Simplify Compliance The User Friendly Full CMMS Solution

We’d love to feature you, your colleague or the entire department in one of TechNation’s monthly features!

1

Think of a Biomed/CE Department deserving of recognition.

2

Scan the QR code or email editor@mdpublishing.com.

3

We will contact you for additional information if your nomination is accepted!

• Track Parts Inventory • Inventory Reorder Alerts • Set Preorder Reminders for Parts • Track Parts Usage • Report on Parts Usage Let’s discuss if TruAsset can save you time without sacrificing simplicity or features!

Call us to learn more about our newest features!

214-276-1280 sales@truasset.com Advancing the Biomedical/HTM Professional

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

www.truasset.com OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

33

INDUSTRY UPDATES

AAMI UPDATE First-of-its-kind Medical Device Interoperability Standard Revised for Industry Ease of Use

S

oon after the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) and UL Standards & Engagement published ANSI/AAMI/UL 2800-1, which covers interoperability of medical products, the AAMI/UL 2800 Joint Committee (JC) knew it would need revision.

The original document stretched over 500 pages and covered virtually all aspects of interoperability. It was the first standard dedicated to the topic, but difficult to navigate, especially for manufacturers that only needed pieces of information.

“The committee recognized that interoperability is becoming more relevant not only in medical devices, but also digital health and health IT-enhanced software,” said JC member Geetha Rao, Ph.D., CEO of Springborne Life Sciences and a strategic advisor to medical device, health care and philanthropic organizations. “We recognized the need for this standard to be more flexibly applicable and to enable the alignment with new and emerging interoperability standards.”

To enable medical device manufacturers to use the standards in tandem with other interoperability standards documents, and to make the information more accessible, the JC opted to divide ANSI/ AAMI/UL 2800-1 into a four-part series.

The information within remains essentially unchanged; however, breaking up the

34

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

scope into four parts allows for easier and more targeted updates as time goes on.

The following documents replace ANSI/AAMI/UL 2800-1: • ANSI/AAMI/UL 2800-1, Second Edition: Standard for Safety— Medical Device Interoperability This main Standard covers the main life cycle process for managing safe and secure interoperability. It specifies a baseline set of requirements for interoperable medical products and systems.

• ANSI/AAMI/UL 2800-1-1, First Edition: Risk Concerns for Interoperable Medical Products This Standard identifies relevant safety and security objectives for interoperable systems. The JC developed the list based on history and experience with opportunity for expansion as technology advances. “We see an opportunity for this standard to be maintained and updated with the latest standardized safety and security objectives,” said Rao. • ANSI/AAMI/UL 2800-1-2, First Edition: Interoperable Item Development Life Cycle This Standard provides an interoperable development life cycle that supports the life cycle process outlined in 2800-1,

•

Second Edition. The 2800 JC recognized that other development life cycles are equally valid and also align with 2800-1. Medical product manufacturers and developers can use either 2800-1-2 or another valid standard along with the main standard.

ANSI/AAMI/UL 2800-1-3, First Edition: Interoperable Item Integration Life Cycle This Standard specifies a baseline set of integration lifecycle requirements for assuring safe and secure interoperability of items assembled or otherwise integrated into interoperable medical systems. Like 2800-1-2, medical product manufacturers and developers can use this standard on its own or with the main standard.

The ANSI/AAMI/UL 2800 series is the result of a years-long collaboration between AAMI and UL. “We take a lot of pride in having a standards development process that is open, inclusive, transparent with collaboration at the forefront,” said Diana Pappas-Jordan, standard program manager for UL and JC cochair. “We rely on stakeholders having diverse backgrounds and viewpoints to ensure that a variety of viewpoints have been considered as we work together to achieve consensus.”

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

INDUSTRY UPDATES

FDA representative Shawn Forrest of the Digital Health Center of Excellence (DHCoE), Office of Strategic Partnerships and Technology Innovation (OST), and Sandy Weininger, a senior electrical/ biomedical engineer at the FDA and JC member, explained the importance of this work in a joint statement.

“Medical device interoperability is an essential objective to enable more efficient patient care, more robust science, and improved insights into device performance across diverse populations,” they said.

“ANSI/AAMI/UL 2800-1 is a valuable resource to support stakeholders in developing and implementing safe and secure interoperable medical devices by providing a detailed framework to coordinate these processes.”

ADDRESSING THE NEED FOR INTEROPERABILITY STANDARDS Public health concerns, adverse patient events related to interoperability issues, and the advancement of connected health technology prompted the need for medical device interoperability standards. In 2012, representatives from AAMI and the FDA held a summit on the topic and published a report based on what they learned.

Both the original ANSI/AAMI/UL 2800-1 and the 2800 series address

challenges identified in the summit, such as the absence of a single, common definition for “interoperability” in medical devices.

Rather than potentially conflicting with multiple international definitions, the documents “focus on relevant, important aspects of interoperability that allow the user to address the requirements of any jurisdiction,” Rao explained.

The 2800 series also provides a broad framework that aligns with internationally harmonized and FDA-recognized standards.

HOW DEVICE MANUFACTURERS CAN USE THE SERIES While the ANSI/AAMI/UL 2800 series doesn’t provide specific direction on how to mitigate patient safety risks in interoperable products, it does provide a comprehensive framework that organizations can build upon. Medical device manufacturers, healthcare delivery organizations and others that develop or need to integrate medical products and systems can use the series to develop targeted standards that address relevant safety and security issues.

DISCLOSURES AND RESPONSIBILITY AGREEMENTS In addition to standards related to security, integration, and risk, manufacturers should take note of requirements for

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

disclosure and a responsibility agreement.

Disclosure requirements include operator disclosure, information disclosure, and work product disclosure, whether through documentation or information disclosed between devices (see ANSI/AAMI/UL 2800-1-1, Section 5 and Annex D).

Responsibility agreements, also outlined in 2800-1-1, outline how stakeholders with interoperable devices will monitor and address emergent properties; specifically, unforeseen adverse events.

With the 2800 series, creators of medical devices and systems have a more user-friendly set of standards that address interoperability in relation to security, development, and systems integration.

They work in tandem with existing life cycle processes, including those in ISO 13485 and ISO 14971.

While Pappas-Jordan expects the JC to oversee enhancements and technical updates to the 2800 series over time, it remains a comprehensive resource for developers of medical devices, products and systems.

“We need and want to be responsive and flexible to various and changing needs,” she said. “These standards are an excellent example of that.”

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

35

Get Inspired While You Work.

Check Out Our Podcast!

133

average listeners for each podcast

PROMOTED ON:

• WebinarWednesday.live • 1technation.com • Spotify • Apple Podcast • and other national channels

EST. 2021

THE

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

WE’RE ON

FACEBOOK!

LIKE US:

www.facebook.com/TechNationMag 1technation.com

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

www.InternationalXrayBrokers.com admin@intxray.com

TM

Core repairs include: Infusion Pumps, All Monitors, ESUs, Defibrillators, Light Sources

Biomed Device Repairs Flat Rate Prices Industry Leaders Satisfied Customers ISO 9001 : 2015 Certified

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

Email: biomed@repairmed.net Phone: 855-813-8100 Website: www.repairmed.net

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

37

INDUSTRY UPDATES

ECRI UPDATE Information Security Considerations when Decommissioning Medical Devices

W

hat do you do with a medical device when it reaches the end of its useful life? If the device was used to store, generate, or communicate protected health information or other sensitive data, you can’t just dispose of the device “as is.” You’ll first need to take steps to minimize security risks.

When a medical device either reaches the end of its useful life or otherwise is no longer needed for use, it is ready to be decommissioned – by disposal, by sale, by refurbishment, by reassignment to another location within the facility, or by other means. Decommissioning needs to be a structured process, however.

Many medical devices can’t simply be discarded or given away “as is.”

Health care facilities must take steps to prevent the device from posing a risk to the community – for example, by cleaning and decontaminating it. And they must take steps to prevent the exposure of protected health information (PHI) or other sensitive data that may be on, associated with, or accessible using the device. From an information security perspective, that second point is critical.

38

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

DATA SECURITY CONCERNS The decommissioning process for any medical device that may contain sensitive data needs to account for the proper disposition of that data, regardless of the ultimate destination for the device (i.e., reuse or destruction). Imaging devices, for example, generate data that constitutes PHI; and most have the ability to store or archive that data until it is transmitted to integrated clinical systems. Cardiac device programmers grab data from the patient for analysis. Smartphones that are used in a clinical environment include patient care and other sensitive data from secure communications between clinicians. These are just a few of the many technologies and scenarios that would be of concern if data is not safeguarded before a device leaves the facility’s control.

The need to safeguard PHI and other patient data is an obvious concern. Health care facilities can be subject to fines or other punishment if unsecured PHI is made accessible to unauthorized parties.

“But PHI breaches are not the only concern,” cautions Chad Waters, senior cybersecurity engineer in ECRI’s device evaluation group.

“Some devices include sensitive IT data that could be used as intelli-

gence in a cyberattack against your organization.” Examples include network configuration settings and user, device, or network credentials, such as a wireless Pre-Shared Key (PSK) or Active Directory accounts.

The most appropriate method for removing sensitive data from a device will depend on the intended destination for the device. If the device is to be destroyed, then the storage media itself (e.g., a computer’s hard drive, an SD card, a USB drive) can be destroyed – that’s the best-case scenario from an information security perspective. But if the device is to be transferred for use in another setting, the storage media must be handled in a way that allows the device to remain functional Organized from most to least secure, some of the most common data destruction methods are: • Removing and physically destroying the storage media • Sanitization of the storage media, by erasing or wiping the data using software tools.

• Performing a factory reset • Using device-provided methods to delete data (e.g., delete diagnostic studies).

This may be performed within the device user interface, or by deleting data

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

INDUSTRY UPDATES

at the operating system (OS) level. With such methods, the data itself may not be deleted; rather, the pointers to that data are deleted.

Note that the last two options make data retrieval difficult, but not impossible.

STEPS TO FACILITATE DECOMMISSIONING Several steps can be taken in advance to facilitate eventual decommissioning when a device is no longer needed for use at a health care facility.

One key step is to maintain an up-to-date inventory of all devices and systems that store, generate, or communicate PHI or other sensitive data. This information will help you identify devices that require data security measures when decommissioning. ECRI recommends recording data security details for each device in your computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) or similar equipment database for easy retrieval. Facility-owned mobile communication devices should be included in this effort.

For many devices, data security details can be found on the device’s Manufacturer Disclosure Statement for Medical Device Security (MDS2) form. The MDS2 is a standardized form intended to be filled out by medical device manufacturers to communicate information about their devices’ security and privacy characteristics to current device owners and potential buyers. The manufacturer’s answers to the questions in MDS2 forms can be used to conduct a high-level assessment of a product’s security profile.

Additionally, ECRI recommends encrypting data stored on a device whenever possible – and documenting when the data on a device has been encrypted. Encryption protects data and makes it inaccessible to an unauthorized party. Thus, encryp-

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

tion provides protection in the event that the chain of custody of the device is broken. Documenting that process will assist future audits and is useful in the event of a HIPAA-related investigation.

STEPS WHEN DECOMMISSIONING MEDICAL DEVICES ECRI recommends the following steps when decommissioning any medical device that may contain sensitive data: 1. Request guidance from the device manufacturer about all the locations where data is stored on the device and about recommended methods for removing sensitive data during decommissioning. Ask if there are software utilities available to wipe sensitive data. The device’s instructions for use may offer some guidance, but facilities may need to contact the manufacturer directly for this information.

2. Destroy or remove the data on the device using the most secure method practical, given the intended destination for the device (i.e., reuse or destruction). As noted above, options include (from most to least secure): removing and physically destroying the storage media, erasing or wiping the data, performing a factory reset, or using device-provided methods to delete data.

3. Disassociate the device from any management server or cloud service. A remote patient monitoring system, for example, may be associated with a cloud service during use. If care isn’t taken to disassociate the device from the cloud service when decommissioning it, the potential exists that the device could later rejoin the cloud manage-

4.

5.

6.

ment system if reactivated, providing an unaffiliated user with access to data from the original facility. Disassociation may be performed at the device, at the server/cloud interface, or both. Refer to documentation for specific instructions.

Remove all IT and interoperability configurations. This can include, but is not limited to, IP addresses, wireless settings, Active Directory accounts, and DICOM configurations.

If using a salvage company or other third party to dispose of the device or its storage media, wipe data prior to transfer and obtain documentation confirming that the storage media will be destroyed. It is advisable to get a business associate agreement (BAA) with that service provider to ensure compliance.

Document in your CMMS and/or configuration management database (CMDB) that the device has been decommissioned, including serial numbers and details about the method used to destroy or secure the data.​​

TO LEARN MORE . . .

This article is adapted from ECRI’s “Information Security Considerations When Decommissioning Medical Devices” (Device Evaluation 2022 Jun 22). The complete article is available to members of ECRI’s Capital Guide, Device Evaluation, and associated programs. To learn more about membership, visit https://www.ecri. org/solutions/device-evaluations, or contact ECRI by telephone at (610) 825-6000, ext. 5891, or by e-mail at clientservices@ecri.org.

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

39

THE BENCH

BIOMED 101 I Wish I Knew More About the Path to HTM

Chace Torres

BY CHACE TORRES

T

he number one thing I wish I could wave a wand and change about the healthcare technology management (HTM) field is awareness.

I want the HTM career path to be a tangible, sought-after profession held in the same regard as others in the medical industry.

Every kid growing up learns about what a nurse or doctor is, but not a biomed. Yes, doctors are incredibly vital to our society. However, a biomed is a doctor in their own right.

Biomeds diagnose and fix issues both internally and externally on our patients; medical devices. Like treating illnesses and injuries, a biomed has to deal with complex situations that require education, insight and attention to detail on par with other medical professionals.

Why does it still hold true today that the only way people hear about the HTM field is primarily through word of mouth? It’s a complex question with several answers adding up to a lump sum of outreach. Out of approximately 10,000 biomeds in the United States, we are within eyesight of many of our senior leaders retiring.

We need to build recognition of what

40

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

biomeds are and how rewarding the job is as soon as possible. AAMI has taken strides to expand outreach and avenues to bring in more people, but it is not an end-all solution. We have STEM organizations, technical programs, media, and even our own family members who don’t know about the HTM profession. Networking with people you already have relationships with can make a resounding difference. If we don’t speak up, no one will hear us.

I do not expect every biomed to start a podcast or YouTube channel, or dive into social media. They are fantastic avenues to reach out to others across the world. Yet, like all movements, it starts with a grassroots approach. If we can do that, we stand a far better chance of closing the gap on the impending labor crisis we all know is coming.

The field continues to improve and has built upon the efforts of our predecessors. I think it falls on current biomeds, including myself, to invest in the new generation coming into the field. Giving a slight nudge and letting younger techs know they are capable of more and can achieve greater heights will ultimately enrich our future. As a biomed, we have to recognize we don’t know everything

and that is OK. Humility in this field yields far more than being an expert in all. Understanding you have the biomed community to lean on for support is vital. Whether it is through asking fellow techs for help, reading service literature, calling tech support or seeking education; the tools are there for our success.

If you ever question the importance of what we do or need to reaffirm your passion walk into the ICU and see a patient hooked up to multiple devices. See the family that wants them to make it through that struggle and know that everything you do in PM’ing, calibrating and repairing devices day in and day out is making a difference. The passion we have for elevating care and ensuring patient safety is what we need to expand on. When people hear the sincerity of that passion, they are far more likely to become invested in passing it on.

For more information on this topic, check out the TechNation Podcast at tinyurl.com/3w8rkh8w.

- Chace Torres, CHTM, is a lead techician at SPBS and host of the Bearded Biomed podcast.

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

Is Your CMMS Holding Your Hospital Back?

Has your vendor been unable to deliver on their promises?

Is their platform limiting your capability?

Is it expensive, yet still hard to maintain?

Concerns like these are common.

Then the switch is made to EQ2’s HEMS - and you suddenly have the CMMS you thought you were buying all along.

See a demo of HEMS and our powerful mobile apps in action: 888-312-4367 or EQ2LLC.com.

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

41

WANTED GE Cardiology and Monitoring Equipment We are looking to purchase GE cardiology and monitoring equipment.

Contact us today to receive an offer on your used equipment.

YOUR SOURCE FOR EQUIPMENT SALES, SERVICE AND PARTS

MEDICAL EQUIPMENT SALES AND SERVICE

SERVICING DEFIBRILLATORS, VITAL Contact us to learn how we can work for you.

SIGN MONITORS, EKG/ECG’S, VENTILATORS, PUMPS, Toll-free: 888.310.7322 • info@sebiomedical.com • www.sebiomedical.com AED’S, & MANY MORE!

THE BENCH

TOOLS OF THE TRADE Jac-cell Medic

ATI-014AFC Insulation + Continuity Tester

J

ac-cell Medic’s ATI-014AFC is a fourth-generation insulation tester with foot control. It is a portable insulation and continuity testing device for verifying insulated laparoscopic handles and tubes, insulated monopolar and bipolar bayonets, and insulated LEEP vaginal speculums and forceps.

For more information, visit jaccell.com

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

43

THE BENCH

WEBINAR WEDNESDAY Series Shares Insights STAFF REPORT

T

he Webinar Wednesday series continues to deliver valuable knowledge to healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals. The sessions cover a variety of topics and provide continuing education credits to attendees.

OPTIMIZE HOSPITAL OPERATIONS The Webinar Wednesday presentation “How Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Optimized Hospital Operations with Asset Tracking Technology” sponsored by Cox Prosight was eligible for 1 credit from the ACI. As health care continues to become more and more patient-centric, hospitals and health systems must evaluate how their workflows are impacting the patient experience and what role technology plays in optimizing workflows. Presenters Jaiganesh Balasubramanian and Patrick Thibodeaux discussed how hospitals, like Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center (OLG), are leveraging asset tracking solutions to optimize and modernize workflows and ultimately improve the patient experience.

Balasubramanian and Thibodeaux shared valuable insights, including some use cases that asset tracking can address within hospitals as well as the benefits of an asset tracking solution used to optimize hospital operations and streamline workflows.

They shared how to expand beyond asset tracking solutions and fully

44

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

leverage the investment in a hospital along with best practices from OLG on how to innovate and scale with RTLS technology.

During a question-and-answer session, one attendee asked, “Can we integrate existing software and systems into Cox Prosight?”

“Absolutely. There are a lot of integrations we currently support, and many more we’ll support in the future,” Thibodeaux said.

Another attendee asked, “how is Cox Prosight different from traditional RTlS platforms on the market?”

“A lot of key differences, but some to highlight include Cox Prosight is a full stack solution,” Thibodeaux said.

He explained that it provides cost savings because Cox Prosight’s approach is to have one vendor offer everything to provide a seamless experience.

Another benefit deals with enhanced cybersecurity.

“We have put greater emphasis and designed our system to meet the latest regulations,” he said. “This makes the system very robust against cybersecurity and malware and other issues.”

“The third is affordability, with our solution being designed in the cloud, as well as using Bluetooth low energy. We feel that we have reduced the cost by over 50% on what it takes to deploy asset tracking, or a real-time location system for hospitals making it more affordable,” he said.

Attendees provided feedback via a

survey that included the question, “What part of the webinar did you like the most?”

“The benefits of asset tracking on time saving,” said Technical Sales Representative-Healthcare Diane Wall.

“Real life RTLS experience for a medical facility,” is what Medical Equipment Planner/BMET Charles Hardenstein said he liked the most.

“I liked the visualization of the hospital layout,” Biomed Tech Keeley Matson said.

“Well balanced between their uses and possible uses. Good comparisons of various technologies and the benefits/uses of the various choices,” Jay Hall, owner of Medical Equipment Planning and Solutions, said.

MEDICAL DEVICE MANAGEMENT, SECURITY The session “Winning Strategies for Medical Device Lifecycle Management and Security” sponsored by Ordr was eligible for 1 credit from the ACI. Managing and securing connected medical devices in healthcare delivery organizations has never been more critical. These devices are fundamental to patient care, but are proliferating, often run outdated operating systems, and are not designed with security in mind. As a result, HTM and clinical engineering teams struggle with delivering operational efficiencies while creating a safer environment of care.

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

THE BENCH What are proven tactics and strategies for medical device life cycle management and security?

Ordr Director of Healthcare Product Management Ben Stock and First Health Advisory Executive Vice President and CSO - Clinical & Operational Technology Matt Dimino shared best practices that they have obtained from years of working with leading healthcare delivery organizations. They also shared a health care security maturity model, a framework for creating a medical device security program, coupled with technology that can accelerate the move towards a secure connected health care environment.

The presenters also answered questions from attendees.

One attendee asked, “Has newer equipment been easier to keep secure than older equipment? Any changes?”

The presenters said that it depends on the manufacturer but that some manufacturers are starting to make it easier.

“They’re starting to incorporate controls. They’re starting to allow you to make changes to the device and not keep you locked out of the device,” Stock said.

Another attendee asked about getting resources to help create a medical device security program.

The presenters said it is important to keep a record of requests and all work done. They suggest using the CMMS to log all of the HTM department’s time spent on requests regarding all work including cybersecurity.

Attendees provided feedback about the webinar via a survey that included the question, “How does the HTM industry benefit from Webinar Wednesdays?”

“Great topics that are useful, insightful and can be applied to our daily activities,” said Ron Perfater, director clinical engineering operations.

“Very good breadth and really good depth of subject matter. Excellent guidance, what to watch out for, how to sustain, and big picture as

well as stumbling blocks. Very good balance. And not so vendor-oriented as to look biased; just right!,” shared Jay Hall, owner Medical Equipment Planning and Solutions.

“This is a great way to obtain ACI CEUs and gain industry knowledge,” James Breidel, healthcare engineering technician III. X-RAY TESTING The presentation “X-ray Testing Made Easier - Simpler Procedures for e.g. Dental CBCT” was sponsored by RTI Group. It was eligible for 1 credit from the ACI with 152 individuals registered.

In some situations, performing tests on imaging X-ray equipment can present challenges. One example is the growing install base of Dental CBCT where getting reproducible measurements of CTDI may be an issue. Another example is the positioning of measurement probes at certain distances above the tabletop to measure, for example, skin entrance dose. Each of these examples require specific holders or cumbersome procedures to complete. Both are difficult to replicate. It could be of interest to explore alternative methods that provide equivalent results.

RTI Group’s Erik Wikström provided webinar attendees with insights into certain measurement situations where there may be a need for alternative setups in order to achieve reproducible and practical results as well as an efficient procedure.

A portion of the webinar was a question-and-answer session with attendees.

One individual asked, “We use Excel to calculate the dose a certain distance from the tube, correcting it using the inverse square law. Can we do that with RTI instruments?”

“Yes, of course,” Wikström said.

“There are different ways of doing that. You have the values, and you can just do the math and key it into Excel but there’s also a way of exporting that data directly into an

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

Excel spreadsheet. So, you don’t have to do the manual keyboard entry.”

Another attendee asked, “Where is DAP used for dental, CBCT instead of CTDI? “In Europe, it’s being used mainly because of the repeatability and reproducibility issues. And we understand that it’s being looked at in certain areas and certain states in the U.S. as well as Canada. So, we’re looking forward to having ​a ​e asier way of doing it and a more reproducible and precise way of doing the PMs and inspections in the not too distant future … in many cases.”

Attendees provided feedback regarding the webinar in a survey that included the question, “What part of today’s webinar did you like the most?”

“This is my first webinar with RTI. It covered some of the issues with CBCT dental units. The speaker was also informative and the examples were helpful,” said Carlos Rodriguez, owner Rodriguez Dental Technical Service.

“The way the instructor explained inverse square law to calculate the dose when changing the position of the probe,” Sachin Gandhi, an imaging engineer.

“The test procedures are done with a series of diagrams and clear illustrations made it a good presentation,” Biomedical Technician I Michael Vallarta said.

For more information, visit WebinarWednesday.live.

Thank you sponsors:

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

45

The Trusted Name in Women’s Health Systems

Systems

You’ve long trusted to provide you with radiology services, parts, and support— now we have a team fully committed to digital mammography with more than a decade of experience powering it.

Want to explore 's end-to-end mammography solutions further?

Parts

Contact Us Today Visit Us Online: Mammo.com Email Us: Hello@mammo.com 26170 Enterprise Way, Suite 400, Lake Forest, CA 92630

Service

We are...

• On-Site Repair • Depot Repair • Parts Sales and Parts Identification • Loaner Availability • Technical Support • Training • Injector System Sales • Preventative Maintenance Tools Call our contrast injector specialists today to find out how we can save you money!

(888)-667-1062

We are To learn more visit WeAreISS.com or call 888.667.1062

ROUNDTABLE

ROUNDTABLE

Internship, Apprenticeship and Mentorship

T

he growing need for new healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals is nothing new to those familiar with the industry. For at least a decade people have expressed concerns regarding the day when the many baby boomers will retire from the field creating a large void in qualified biomeds.

Filling the gaps created by baby boomer retirements has resulted in some unique ways in which to educate and train the next generations of HTM professionals. TechNation reached out to several people in the industry to find out more about internships, apprenticeships and mentorships. Participating in the roundtable article are College of Biomedical Equipment Technology President Richard L. “Monty” Gonzales, TRIMEDX Chief Human Resources and Diversity Officer Dawn Griffin, Nuvolo Vice President of Industry Solutions Heidi Horn, IAMERS General Counsel Robert Kerwin, AAMI Vice President of Healthcare Technology Management Danielle McGeary, Elite Biomedical BMET II Greg Seibert and ReNew Biomedical Apprenticeship Instructor and Field Service Tech Richard Woods.

48

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

Q: WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO LOOK FOR WHEN SEEKING A MENTOR? GONZALES: Trust, without a doubt.

Forming relationships of trust with leaders in the industry serves as the bedrock for any successful career. And, it’s a two-way street. Mentors have a tremendous responsibility to those looking to them for guidance and support as they grow as healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals.

your goals and needs. Beforehand, ask yourself where you want to be in three to five years and find a mentor in that role. Selecting a mentor often requires asking professionals if they can provide the guidance you are seeking. Have they overcome challenges like what you are or will face? Do they have the capacity and willingness to serve as an advisor?

Look for mentors that are not afraid to be direct. It’s great to surround yourself with professionals that highlight your strengths, but seek out those who care about your professional development and goals. Seek out those who aren’t reluctant to point out areas of improvement and encourage you to take on challenges. At TRIMEDX, we have a formal, structured mentor program for leaders, the MENTORXCHANGE program. This program invests in the growth and development of leaders to create a strong leadership pipeline, develop strong professional relationships and reinforce our culture of continuous learning. In addition to the MentorXchange program, we support and encourage informal mentoring and networking partnerships throughout the organization.

GRIFFIN: The most important component to identify when seeking a mentor is finding the right professional to support

HORN: When seeking a mentor, there are essentially two kinds and you need both to grow your career. There’s the kind

Richard L. “Monty” Gonzales College of Biomedical Equipment Technology

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

ROUNDTABLE

that is extremely knowledgeable about the work you do and can teach you new skills and share information about the industry to help you get better at your job. The other kind is usually a person of influence who can teach you how to navigate the political obstacle course that every organization has, give you projects that will help you showcase your abilities and even help promote you by being your champion and singing your praise to leadership. If you can find a mentor that fills these roles, make sure you hold onto them.

KERWIN: Willingness to spend the time. I recommend looking for a natural teacher who truly enjoys helping.

MCGEARY: When it comes to having a mentor, it is important to find someone that you feel comfortable talking to and admitting challenges to. Mentors should be compassionate and vested in your career success. I also always suggest having a mentor that is not directly in your chain of command. Sometimes you may want to talk to someone about a challenge who is not your boss and having perspectives outside of your organization can be valuable and diverse.

SEIBERT: First and foremost, a mentor should be enthusiastic about their career. They should be honest and trustworthy. A mentor needs to be able to be there for the support and motivation of their apprentice/intern.

WOODS: Look for a mentor with experience in HTM, a good reputation in their organization and someone who networks with others. A mentor should be easy to talk with and give constructive feedback. They should also keep a positive attitude and try to help you see the good in all situations.

Q: HOW CAN A MENTOR HELP A BIOMED ADVANCE IN THE HTM FIELD? GONZALES: Mentors play so many important roles as guides, sound-

Dawn Griffin TRIMEDX ing-boards, experts, and sometimes just listening and supporting. The interesting thing about mentors is they typically don’t self-select. Mentors are chosen by those looking up to them for the examples they set and that is probably the most important thing a mentor can provide, a good example.

GRIFFIN: There are many reasons why you should consider a mentoring relationship in the HTM field. One of the biggest is how it boosts the confidence of mentors and mentees alike. The great thing about mentoring is it only has one requirement: willingness to learn and share. The mentor is someone who can answer a mentee’s questions, provide guidance, sharpen skills, focus goals and offer a broader perspective of the organization.

Mentoring is a great way for a mentee to develop their career and to learn from an experienced professional. At TRIMEDX, we believe mentoring and on-the-job training greatly enhance the growth, confidence and network of our associates. We encourage mentoring and on-the-job training because it creates a highly engaged culture committed to one another.

HORN: Good mentors can help advance the careers of anyone in the HTM field who has the drive, intelligence, social

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

skills and willingness to learn. In my 20-plus years in HTM, I have seen dozens of people enter the field as entry-level BMETs years ago and today some are running their own large HTM departments, some are senior imaging specialists for large manufacturers, and some went on to be executives at organizations that sell to the HTM industry. All of them had mentors who took them under their wing, coached and guided them along the different stages of their career. However, it’s worth noting that their mentors recognized they had the drive, intelligence, social skills and willingness to learn. If they didn’t, it would be a waste of the mentors’ time.

KERWIN: Assisting in prioritizing, educational planning and helping to understand the culture MCGEARY: Everyone should have a mentor no matter where they are in their career. Everyone has challenges in their day-to-day job, no matter what level they are at. As you progress in your career, what you need a mentor for changes but that need will always be there as learning never stops.

SEIBERT: Along with teaching the basics of the job, a mentor can instill a sense of purpose and pride for the work. The mentor can show the best way to set/hit personal goals. They can also help navigate the best ways to communicate with all different types of coworkers.

WOODS: Hopefully, the mentor has learned from their experience in the field and can guide a new biomed on their journey in the HTM field. A mentor can provide connections and networking, which can be instrumental in helping someone establish a career.

For example, one of our techs relocated to another state for personal reasons.

By networking with previous connections in the area, I connected him to a hospital with an opening for a biomedical tech.

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

49

ROUNDTABLE

Q: WHAT ARE SOME BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATING IN AN INTERNSHIP? GONZALES: Internships and on-the-job training opportunities are a great opportunity for newly minted biomedical equipment technicians to engage with mentors and demonstrate their value. There are very few students that complete an academic program of study who know everything they need to know about the career they are embarking on. Internships serve as a means for students to test their knowledge, enhance their skills, gain experience and build strong relationships with potential employers. In our experience, the overwhelming majority of students that we have placed in internships have been hired by the employers supporting the program.

GRIFFIN: There are significant benefits to participating in an internship program, including gaining hands-on experience, building a professional network, creating opportunities for future employment and acquiring professionalism and time-management skills. At TRIMEDX, we offer internships within various business units, such as biomedical engineering, software engineering, human resources, marketing, etc. We provide our interns with on-the-job training through shadowing experienced professionals. Ultimately, our goal is to share an inside perspective on how to work in a hospital or healthcare technology environment, as well as to help them to gain critical skills that can serve as the foundational elements on their journey and long-term career.

HORN: Internships are beneficial for people who are in a BMET degreed program or trade school to get some hands-on experience in a health care setting. Internships are a way to learn not only maintenance skills, but also how hospitals and HTM departments work, and that’s hard to teach from outside a hospital. For those of us who have been in the industry awhile, we know that being a good BMET is not just about being able to maintain the equipment. You also need to know how

50

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

profession, without making a career-deciding commitment. Someone may think they want to work in a particular field, but after “seeing behind the curtain,” decide otherwise. The internship is a temporary arrangement, so the intern has no obligation to stay afterward.

Heidi Horn Nuvolo

to properly enter information into the CMMS, communicate well with the clinicians, know how to order parts, what patient rooms you shouldn’t enter and the list goes on. These are all things you will learn as an intern.

KERWIN: Besides the “real life experience” the internship can help one ask the ultimate question: Is this a career I want?

MCGEARY: Internships are a great way to learn and supplement your formal education. You learn so much theory in school and an internship really teaches students how to apply that knowledge in a real-world environment. For BMETs, internships are a great way to see all the equipment in use clinically as well. Take the time to scrub into cases and see the equipment in action. Once you get a full-time job, you will not have the opportunity to do this. Learn as much as you can during your internships!

SEIBERT: I think the biggest benefit of an internship is the intern gains confidence in what/how to do the work. It can also really help with networking and getting to know others in the field. Internships also offer a chance to see different types of workspaces and develop skills.

WOODS: An internship allows a person to experience firsthand what it is like in a

Q: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN INTERNSHIP AND AN APPRENTICESHIP? GONZALES: Both internships and apprenticeships are important features of growing the career field. We work with health care organizations, nationally, to place students in internships and on-thejob training opportunities. Internships are much less formal and typically shorter than apprenticeships. For example, the AAMI apprenticeship program is designed to last between 12-24 months. Both options are great for students looking to get a start in the HTM career field.

GRIFFIN: Internships are work-based learning, while apprenticeship programs are work-based training. In an internship, we aim to provide early professionals with a holistic experience of the job, industry and specific tasks to help prepare them for a professional career.

Apprenticeships are typically for those who are ready for a career change or have an interest in the field but don’t currently have the desire, means or life flexibility to go to college. It could also be someone in or just out of high school looking to gain specific training in a particular field or role. The journeys of both programs are vastly different.

However, at TRIMEDX, we aim to provide all associates — full-time associates, interns, apprentices and everyone in between — with the experience, development and training to set them up for success, whether at TRIMEDX or other organizations.

HORN: In the HTM industry, the differences between an internship and apprenticeship are: 1) length of time 2) the career stage of most of the participants, and 3) who is sponsoring the program. Internships typically are sponsored by the hospital or other

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

ROUNDTABLE

hiring organization – meaning the organization, along with the college, determines the training involved.

Internships are usually geared toward younger people who are either in an HTM educational program or just graduated. While most internships are paid these days, it is a nominal amount, and they usually only last a few months.

The only formally recognized apprenticeship program in HTM is AAMI’s BMET apprenticeship program. AAMI’s apprenticeship program is a two-year, highly structured program that combines education and paid, on-the-job training. The curriculum and training goals are established by AAMI and require the apprentices to achieve three, industry-recognized certifications.

People becoming apprentices have been a wide spectrum of age ranges, many coming from other careers.

Robert Kerwin IAMERS

KERWIN: For some, an internship is tied to an academic requirement and an apprenticeship is supported, but outside the schooling. Depending upon the state or jurisdiction, there are also issues relative to compensation.

MCGEARY: Apprenticeships are formal and typically registered through the U.S. Department of Labor. Apprenticeships combine full-time work with

hands-on learning, require 144 hours of formal learning a year and industry recognized credentials, such as certifications. Internships are less formal in the sense that they are not through the U.S. Department of Labor and do not have specific requirements that an employer must follow. Internships can vary from place to place whereas apprenticeships have a formal curriculum that must be followed no matter where you work.

SEIBERT: An internship is usually a semester or two during school. It gives the intern a chance to try the job out in different environments. An apprenticeship is usually a full-time position working side-by-side with a mentor to learn the job first-hand.

WOODS: An internship is a low-paid or sometimes volunteer position in which the intern learns about the field and the company. Internships allow someone to determine if a field of work is right for them and if they want to commit to further education. An apprenticeship is a paid position where the apprentice learns the trade on the job and sometimes includes classroom study. An apprenticeship is for someone who decides to commit to a career and is willing to take the time and effort to learn.

Q: HOW DOES AN APPRENTICESHIP COMPARE TO OTHER EDUCATION/TRAINING OPTIONS? GONZALES: Apprenticeships have been an important part of workforce development in the United States for a long time. Unlike a traditional education, where a student devotes the entirety of their development towards an academic pursuit, such as a degree, apprenticeships provide an opportunity for students to engage in a work environment, learning on the job, while simultaneously pursuing a formal education.

GRIFFIN: Apprenticeships generally include structured criteria, and have a mentor, with defined criteria over an extended period. An apprenticeship will require a longer-term commitment.

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

Danielle McGeary AAMI

HORN: Degreed education programs are a great way for people interested in HTM to get the skills they need to become a BMET or clinical engineer.

Unfortunately, there are fewer and fewer of these programs being offered.

Since it’s hard to teach someone how to maintain equipment without actually touching the equipment, most programs require students to attend at least some of their classes in person. Therefore, they must live near the school, and the student must pay for their education. A major benefit of earning a degree is that there is very high demand from employers for graduating BMET and clinical engineering students. Also, most organizations today require degrees to go into management (if that’s something you aspire to). The AAMI BMET apprenticeship program, on the other hand, offers people interested in becoming a BMET the opportunity to learn their trade from their local hospital – assuming the hospital has enrolled in the program – and get paid while they are learning. It really opens the doors for a lot of potential BMETs that can’t move or afford to go to trade school or college. Nuvolo was so impressed with the ability of the AAMI BMET apprenticeship program to bring new BMET recruits to the industry, that we donated $10,000 to help pay for the apprentices’ certifications.

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

51

ROUNDTABLE

KERWIN: Apprenticeship is, for all intents and purposes, your first job or work experience in the area. The responsibilities are different as one is typically expected to assume responsibility.

MCGEARY: Apprenticeships are very formal and there is a standard curriculum. Apprenticeship are a great way to start a career or to change careers – especially for those who do not have the means to pay for traditional education. At the end of the apprenticeship, apprentices receive a formal certificate from the DOL and AAMI (for the BMET apprenticeship) that designates that the apprentice has been trained to a minimum competency level and standards. This is different from a formal degree program.

SEIBERT: Usually an apprenticeship is a full-time, paid position where the apprentice concentrates fully on their field of choice. They gain the knowledge and experience while working with a mentor to see what success looks like in that field. College can be very costly and sometimes it does not even offer the chosen career path of the individual.

WOODS: My personal experience is this: years ago, I attended DeVry, where after 18 months, I received an electronics technician diploma. This cost quite a bit of money (thanks again, Mom and Dad!), but I was now qualified for an entry-level engineering technician job with Texas Instruments. Had an apprenticeship been available, I could have begun my career without prior schooling. The expensive education I received from a university would have been given to me by my employer.

Q: WHAT ARE SOME BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATING IN AN APPRENTICESHIP? GONZALES: There are several benefits associated with participating in an apprenticeship. Perhaps the biggest benefit is that they provide opportuni-

52

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

Greg Seibert Elite Biomedical ties for rapid entry into the career field, learning and earning at the same time.

Apprentices have the unique opportunity to engage with industry leaders, learning from professionals with decades of experience and a passion for mentoring new technicians. At the same time, apprentices receive a salary and engage in related learning and instruction. We have supported the AAMI BMET apprenticeship program for the past few years, as an RTI provider, delivering the required educational components of the apprenticeship program.

I should mention that this process is also very rewarding for those of us supporting apprentices.

GRIFFIN: An apprenticeship allows for extensive hands-on training, career development and advancement, targeted support and, most importantly, a pathway for the next step on one’s professional journey. TRIMEDX offers comprehensive apprenticeship opportunities. In fact, last November, TRIMEDX joined the AAMI BMET apprenticeship program as an employer partner. We combine traditional education with up to 6,000 hours of on-the-job learning in the HTM field.

The program is intended to provide our apprentices with the training they need to succeed while helping facilitate a strong HTM pipeline.

HORN: The benefit of the AAMI BMET apprenticeship program is that apprentices can get the needed training at any hospital near them that is participating in the apprenticeship program. They don’t have to move if there is not a college near them with an HTM program. They also earn a salary while they are being trained. This opens up opportunities for people interested in the HTM field who may not have had the option to move or pay for college.

For employers, having an apprentice is a great way to see if the apprentice will be a good fit for the organization before they become a full-time employee.

KERWIN: I am hearing those who participate in an apprenticeship frequently receive permanent job offers.

MCGEARY: For apprentices the benefit of participating in an apprenticeship is that they get work experience and are paid while learning. Apprentices come out of the program debt free and ready to work with portable credentials. It is a great way to start a career. For employers, the benefit is they can train apprentices on their specific equipment, with their tools and to their company’s culture for minimal cost. Apprentices also have a 97% retention rate. It’s a great way for an employer to take anyone and make them a BMET while demonstrating they are training new BMETs to nationally set minimum standards and competencies set by AAMI. With the apprenticeship model, now everyone, regardless of economic background, can become a BMET. SEIBERT: An apprenticeship provides a clear pathway to a career. It gives the apprentice an education and hands-on experience along with income. When an apprentice finishes their program, they are provided a certified credential that is recognized most anywhere.

WOODS: An apprenticeship allows a person to earn while they learn. At

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

ROUNDTABLE

ReNew Biomedical, our apprentices attend classes while on the clock and, most importantly, learn from their fellow technicians on the workbench.

This on-the-job training, in my opinion, is significantly more valuable than any classroom training. Primarily, because of this hands-on experience, our apprentices are already working independently in the field.

Q: WHAT ELSE DO YOU THINK TECHNATION READERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THESE TOPICS? GONZALES: Without the strong role models and leaders in our industry, apprenticeship programs and internships would not be possible. From my perspective, as the president of the College of Biomedical Equipment Technology, we are indebted to those in the field willing to put some skin in the game and work with newly minted or aspiring technicians seeking opportunities. Such an approach is the only way we will be successful in closing the workforce gap.

GRIFFIN: TRIMEDX is deeply invested in creating a positive associate experience including offering many professional, development, and learning opportunities to those interested in the health care industry. TRIMEDX offers an additional program outside apprenticeships and internships. We invest an average of $8 million annually in technical training for our associates. Each biomed technician participates in ongoing technician training and has access to our TRIMEDX Tech Plus One entry-level technician mentoring program and our Manager Plus One management development program. We pair experienced professionals with new talent to help them learn the ins and outs of the field from veteran professionals. With this, we can build on our great technicians’ work and insights, while providing continuous learning opportunities.

HORN: Everyone working in the HTM industry is aware of the shortage of technicians. With about half of all

HTM professionals now over the age of 50, the problem is going to get worse as more in the field retire. The only long-term solution is to make sure the industry is bringing in new BMET recruits to replace those that are leaving.

BMET schools in the U.S. aren’t graduating enough people annually to keep up with demand. I strongly urge hospitals and service organizations to look into the AAMI BMET apprenticeship program as a viable source for recruiting new BMETs who will be loyal to your organization. While there is some work involved with training the BMET apprentices, it’s better than being short-staffed and doing 2-3 people’s jobs with no relief in sight.

Richard Woods ReNew Biomedical

KERWIN: Sometimes, though it’s not often said, it’s easier to get your foot in the door by participating in an internship or apprenticeship. Though there are no doubt costs and sacrifices, they offer a path forward.

MCGEARY: AAMI has over 400 folks across the country that want to be a BMET apprentice. Currently, AAMI does not have enough employer partners to place all these folks. The apprenticeship can be completed for

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

about $3,000 an apprentice plus the apprentice’s 40-hour a week salary. If you are looking for entry level BMETs, that you are willing to train through the BMET apprenticeship, AAMI has the pipeline to help you.

Please email HTM@aami.org for more information.

SEIBERT: I think an apprenticeship is a great option for those who know what they want to do and want to get working in their field of choice right away. It can provide a steady income without all the college debt. We are already starting to see a shortage of BMETs throughout the country. Here at Elite Biomedical Solutions, we have proudly partnered with AAMI and their BMET apprenticeship program to help mitigate this shortage. Along with the AAMI program, we also offer a weeklong class for new BMETs. It’s a fun, hands-on class worth 30 CEUs through AAMI Credentials Institute designed to help new BMETs acquire the knowledge and confidence needed to start a successful career.

WOODS: Healthcare technology is changing daily and so are the people who care for the machinery. Pick a program that offers a supportive team environment, quality classroom materials and hands-on instruction.

Ask to train under biomeds who follow OEM guidelines and double-check their work for accuracy.

You will be able to tell which mentors take the most pride in their work by how they organize their workspace and seek to gain product knowledge through manufacturer training opportunities. ReNew Biomedical has been a strong supporter of slow and steady training instruction alongside Department of Labor recognized Journeyman and supportive management. Always remember that a healthy learning environment produces the most qualified and respected technicians.

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

53

Trusted A.M. Bickford is the authorized US distributor and calibration service provider for the FI-8000P Riken Gas Indicator.

• The all-in-one solution for measuring gas concentration of Sevoflurane, Isoflurane, Desflurane, and Halothane.

• Updated software and firmware.

• Approximately 50% faster than previous model.

• Intuitive user experience.

• One-touch switching between gases.

Work Smarter, Not Harder!

Increase efficiencies by connecting your HTM, facilities, construction, and real estate departments

Use Nuvolo Connected Workplace – built on ServiceNow™ – to connect your people, locations, work, projects, and applications in one software solution.

When you eliminate silos and disparate systems, your hospital’s support teams can share information and work seamlessly together to create and maintain an exceptional patient experience.

Learn more and schedule a demo at: www.nuvolo.com/industry/healthcare

COVER STORY

PARTS AVAILABILITY PANDEMIC DISRUPTIONS REMAIN

56

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

SPOTLIGHT COVER STORY

BY K. RICHARD DOUGLAS

B

uying anything in America has become more of a challenge than it was just a few years prior. Prices are off the charts. Inflation recently hit 9.1 percent and the consumer price index (CPI) has indicated that many consumer costs have risen substantially.

Buying decisions have consequences, especially when they must fit into a budget. Value and quality must be matched to the best price available.

Hospitals and health systems have come under more pressure in recent years as budgets have tightened while the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) penalties have hurt some hospitals and health systems. In 2020, with the challenging environment that the COVID-19 pandemic caused, CMS still penalized 83 percent of the 3,080 hospitals it evaluated.

Hospital leaders continue to seek cost savings across departments.

This includes the healthcare technology management (HTM) department, which needs to find efficiencies through resourceful thinking.

Cost increases and availability problems have made sourcing parts and budgeting for parts more difficult during the last year.

Several factors, remnants of the pandemic, have helped to pile on the factors that have caused back-logs with many parts. Lockdowns in several cities in China impacted various shipping ports, causing supply chain problems. Those problems existed through May and

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

then began improving.

By mid-July, the volume at the Port of Shanghai had been increasing since mid-May, with the 14-day average ocean shipment volume down only two percent compared to mid-March. So, supply chain problems, originating at the ports in China were improving.

The improvements in the China shipping ports may be only part of the story. The corrected situation still resulted in a backlog.

“Staffing shortages resulted in limited production of products and depletion of existing stock. You can’t ship what you don’t have on the shelf. This creates an issue for HTM departments because the push has been a reduction of on-hand parts and utilization of just-in-time ordering,” suggests Mike Busdicker, MBA, CHTM, AAMIF, FACHE , system director of Clinical Engineering/ Intermountain Environment of Care at Intermountain Healthcare in Midvale, Utah.

He says that shipment of consumable supplies and parts was not the only issue. Receiving ports were experiencing — and continue to experience — shortage of staff and a delayed ability to offload product.

This creates a backlog at receiving ports and delayed shipment of supplies and parts to health care facilities.

“There are a number of parts manufactured in China, but that is not the only country where our parts come from. In fact, there might be components of the parts manufactured in China and shipped to other

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

57

COVER STORY

countries for installation into the main part. Therefore, there is a delay in component shipment from China, a delay in receiving, a delay with installation of the component, a delay in shipment of the part, and then a delay in receiving,” Busdicker adds.

RIGHT TO REPAIR With a national movement making inroads into the right to repair issue, and all that entails, the hope has been that the tide would turn in the medical device sphere. There has been no lack of effort in turning the tide and bringing more accessibility to documentation and parts. During the pandemic, this problem was exacerbated by the restrictions on OEM field service engineers’ entry into health care facilities and their availability.

“The push for medical right to repair has reached a bit of a stalemate. While we haven’t been able to pass any laws, we worked this spring to bring together hospitals, ISOs and biomed associations to stop a manufacturer-backed bill in Congress that would have made the problems of repair restrictions worse. Holding the line is good, but our hospitals and patients deserve legitimate progress on this issue.

We’ll keep pushing until medical right to repair becomes law,” says Kevin O’Reilly, director, Campaign for the Right to Repair at U.S. PIRG. O’Reilly is referring to a letter signed by leaders from health systems representing 253 hospitals across 26 states, along with independent service organizations (ISOs) and biomeds in response to changes to the definition of “remanufacturing” suggested by Rep. Scott Peters of California.

The letter was sent to the House Energy & Commerce committee opposing new language to the

58

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

“IN THIS INDUSTRY, COMPANIES COME AND GO, THEY ARE BOUGHT AND SOLD, PEOPLE RETIRE, AND NEW COMPANIES EMERGE, SO YOU ALWAYS NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON WHO IS OUT THERE.” - CHARLES “CHUCK” OVEREEM Medical Device User Fees Amendment (MDUFA) that could, as U.S. PIRG has pointed out, “severely reduce competition in the medical device repair industry.”

The lack of progress in the medical device portion of the movement is reflected in the real-life experience of biomeds who have experience purchasing parts.

“We have not seen any noticeable change with the improvements with right to repair. Our ability to source parts has stayed about the same. Our biggest problem has been getting it shipped in a timely manner. As far as we can tell, shipping seems to be the problem. With COVID and supply chain issues, shipping has become a nightmare. Even if you find a part, there is no guarantee that you will get it in your timeframe,” says Charles “Chuck” Overeem, biomedical equipment lifecycle planner, at ProHealth Care in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

PARTS PROCUREMENT TIPS The process of obtaining parts efficiently, at the most affordable costs, while maintaining the highest quality, is a product of strategic thought. The groundwork has to be covered first.

“The process remains the same,

obtaining all relevant information up front from your techs and engineers being key. Have the correct make, model and even serial number of the equipment in question. Get an accurate part number, version number and software revision and then start contacting your parts supply network,” Overeem says.

He says that the goal remains the same; obtain quality repair parts at a cost savings in a timely manner.

“You need to have a network of vendors. I like to have at least three that I will contact for each part. I will contact each of them for every part I need and have them compete on quality, price and timeliness. You should rate them however [whatever way] works best for you, but never only call your number one; always reach out to all three,” Overeem suggests.

He says that if for some reason your number one does not have what you need, you don’t want to wait for that determination and then contact number two or three; that will delay your repair needlessly.

“Every time we contact a vendor, while searching for a part, we record the price they quote, even if we do not buy it from them. You also need to track part quality; things like DOA, failure under warranty or even failure soon after warranty and how did they take care of you. A part is of no value to you if it fails and you have to buy it again and again or the vendor does not respond urgently to a warranty issue, and you end up with extended down time,” Overeem adds.

He says that even after establishing a top three, always be on the lookout for other vendors.

“In this industry, companies come and go, they are bought and sold, people retire, and new companies emerge, so you always need to keep an eye on who is out there. I would rather have more vendors than I need rather than to find out that

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

COVER STORY

someone I counted on is no longer there and not knowing where to go next,” Overeem says.

Busdicker says that reduction of equipment downtime can be crucial in the ability to treat and care for patients. He says that the availability of parts often has a significant impact on the rapid repair of equipment.

“Service histories can be utilized to determine high usage and high failure rate parts for specific models of medical equipment. These histories can be obtained by working with the equipment manufacturer, utilizing a parts provider, or generating reports from a computerized maintenance management system.

Once this information is available, a department can establish stock levels of the identified parts,” Busdicker says.

Overeem says that as equipment ages, particularly after the end of life and end of support declarations, parts will eventually become harder and ultimately impossible to find.

“I recommend that you keep administration advised of the increasing difficulty in finding parts so they can plan accordingly. It would be better to have time to research and negotiate a price on a new piece of equipment before yours is unrepairable and they have to rush just to get something to use,” he says.

Busdicker points out that a number of parts utilized in medical devices are not produced by the equipment manufacturer.

“At times, these parts can be sourced directly through the company supplying the part to the equipment manufacturer or they can be sourced through an alternative parts supplier. It is important to review the part specifications and ensure they are a match to the part being replaced,” he says.

He suggests that another alternative in the purchasing of parts

involves utilizing an organization that specializes in this area.

“The major players in this arena have done a tremendous amount of work in validating the quality of parts providers. Even with that said, organizations should still evaluate potential suppliers to ensure they are following quality standards, can provide detailed reports, continually measure performance, and are providing safe products,” Busdicker adds.

LOCKDOWNS The reverberations of the pandemic only intensified an already challenging environment of OEM restrictions on parts and documentation. Often, the availability of parts comes down to the service model employed. Also, while the pandemic is mostly a thing of the past in the U.S., it is impacting some other countries and their commerce.

“THE PANDEMIC IS IMPACTING STAFFING ACROSS THE WORLD AND GENERATING DELAYS IN MANUFACTURING, SHIPPING AND RECEIVING OF PARTS. AGAIN, THIS IS CAUSING EXTENDED EQUIPMENT DOWNTIMES AND THE ABILITY TO TREAT AND CARE FOR PATIENTS.” - MIKE BUSDICKER

“The pandemic is impacting staffing across the world and generating delays in manufacturing, shipping and receiving of parts.

Again, this is causing extended equipment downtimes and the ability to treat and care for patients,” Busdicker says.

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

He says that during the height of the pandemic, most health care organizations would not allow outside service providers into their facilities.

“This caused an issue for equipment covered under service agreements and equipment not serviced with staff employed by the hospital.

The in-house staff could not acquire parts required for the repair because of the lack of training and limited technical knowledge on the down equipment,” he says.

Busdicker points out that repair parts can be a steady revenue stream for organizations like a manufacturer or medical equipment suppliers.

“In some cases, these companies will lock down the ability to purchase parts by requiring technician training. In extreme cases there are companies locking down the ability for independent service organizations and in-house service departments to purchase parts at all. These scenarios can cause equipment service costs to be very high and result in extended downtimes,” he says.

“Parts availability and any training requirements should be an area of discussion prior to acquiring new medical equipment. During this time organizations can leverage the purchasing process to work with manufacturers and equipment suppliers in the acquisition of parts, training or other required elements of service capabilities,” Busdicker adds.

The availability of parts, and the pricing of parts, will both improve when the residual effects of the pandemic are finally in the rearview mirror. Also, as the right to repair movement gains more ground and finds more success in the medical device segment, the availability of parts should improve. These changes will take time, but are moving in the right direction.

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

59

rigelmedical.com

Shining a light on patient safety... ...the Uni-Therm high current electrosurgical analyzer.

The latest technology in high frequency power measurement.

Small, easy-to-use with a large colour display and innovative navigation, this a fast, efficient tool for testing the performance of ESU generators.

Features include: • HF leakage test • Power distribution from 5 to 5115Ω

• Current measurement up to 6A RMS continuous • Return plate alarm test (REM/CQM) • On-board data storage

Passionate about patient safety.

To see the Uni-Therm for yourself, request your live online demonstration today at rigelmedical.com/unitherm

LIMITED EDITION

BEN CALIBRATING

Come see us in sunny Temecula, CA Take a photo of Ben C. Have fun & be creative!

BOO TH

#122

OCT OB 11-13 ER

The most INTERESTING photos will be selected to be part of our social media and other promotions throughout the year!

The top submitters will WIN an Gift Card!

Submit your photo by using your camera photo to scan the QR code.

www.medwrench.com

Bed & Stretcher Parts, Wheelchair Parts & Casters

GET 10% OFF!

alcosales.com

ORDER ONLINE AND GET 10% OFF YOUR 1ST WEB ORDER!

coupon code: FIRSTORDER

SPICE UP YOUR INBOX Sign up for the monthly TechNation newsletter and get a first look at magazines, promos, webinars, MD Expos, and more!

800.323.4282 • www.alcosales.com

1technation.com/technation-newsletter-subscription/

DIRTY POWER? IMAGING EQUIPMENT DOWN AGAIN? YOUR SOLUTION IS THE MEDICAL POWER FILTER THAT WILL EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR EQUIPMENT. Clean Power is Just the Beginning. www.lexiconmedparts.com 615-545-8587

62

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

April 11–13, 2023 • Houston, TX

for CALL

PRESENTERS

REGISTER NOW!

NOW OPEN! mdexposhow.com

EXPERT ADVICE

CAREER CENTER Questions You Should Ask In A Job Interview

BY KATHLEEN FURORE

M

ost people getting ready for a job interview prepare by trying to figure out what questions they’ll be asked and how they should respond. They might not think about the questions they should ask during the interview. What are some important questions they should consider asking?

“It is so important to have quality questions when you are interviewing,” stresses executive coach Lori Scherwin, founder of Strategize That, a company that helps professionals get more out of their careers.

“If not, you risk coming across as aloof and uninterested. Being excited and always interested in learning are key qualities of successful people ... come prepared with questions about the business, the position and the workstyle.”

Here, industry pros offer suggestions on the kind of questions to ask during a job interview: • What have other employees done to succeed in this position?

“This sets an achieving tone for the candidate as this gives an idea to the recruiter that the candidate is here to achieve his goals rather than just work for money,” says Andrei Kurtuy, co-founder and CCO at online resume builder Novoresume.

• What qualities are most important for this position? According to Kurtuy, this gives the candidate a brief overview to see if they match the

profile the company is looking for.

• How can an employee grow professionally in this company?

“This will give the recruiter a chance to explain if the company is interested in their employees’ growth prospects,” Kurtuy says “This will give the candidate a brief overview, as well, [to see] if they can grow professionally in this company.”

• How would you describe the company’s culture? “Asking this question will give the impression that you’re wondering how well you would fit into the existing company culture,” explains Kyle MacDonald, director of operations for Force by Mojio, a GPS fleet tracking for small businesses. “If you’ve done research on the company and have a general feel for the culture, you can ask a more specific question about the culture. Anything that will showcase that you’ve done research to prepare for the interview is a good question to ask.”

• What are the top three priorities for the division/team? This shows interest in the business, and also allows you to better gauge how your role fits in, Scherwin says.

• What are you most excited about accomplishing this year and how could my role help make that happen successfully? This shows you are goal-oriented, Scherwin notes.

• What is your preferred work style? “So often, people don’t know the expectations of their manager

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

Kathleen Furore

and feel at their whim. But if you can connect early and figure out the best way to team together, you’re likely to eliminate a lot of unnecessary stress,” Scherwin says. “Do they encourage autonomy or want hourly check-ins? What will it take to get more responsibility? How often are they in the office vs remote? These things, that on the surface seem trivial, can add up in terms of individual preferences, and can impact how you/your future manager feel about a project regardless of the work content.”

“Finally, even if you have been conversing throughout, have a final one handy,” Scherwin adds. “Ask, ‘If you were me, what else would you be asking?’ It’s a great way to show you value all opinions and will ask for input from others. It also allows you to find out what might be top of mind for the hiring manager that s/he might otherwise not have proactively shared.”

– 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.

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

65

EXPERT ADVICE

SPONSORED CONTENT

Telemetry Care = Patient Care

BY QUI DU

P

atient-worn telemetry devices are major assets to both medical professionals and patients as they allow more movement and flexibility when gathering patient vital signs. Through wireless technology, telemetry devices continuously and remotely transmit data to the central nursing station. Data includes heart rate (ECG), blood oxygen level (Sp02), and blood pressure (NIBP), along with any abnormal findings that may take place during testing. The data is reviewed by medical professionals to ensure appropriate patient care.

Because patient-worn telemetry devices have such an important role in patient care, appropriate maintenance and repair services cannot be

overlooked. Let’s explore some common issues, solutions, and maintenance guidelines to maximize uptime for your devices and ensure quality patient care.

WEAR AND TEAR Because of the remote nature of patient-worn telemetry devices, the devices can experience a lot of wear and tear. The devices are worn, held, and transferred to and from multiple locations. Thus, they are often dropped, exposed to fluids or medications, and contaminated. Consequently, physical damage and fluid damage are the most common reasons for failure in these devices. Fortunately, Avante Health Solutions’ maintenance and repair service teams can professionally restore the devices so that they

Qui Du is a telemetry technician at Avante Health Solutions. Qui has a background in electrical engineering and has been with Avante for six years.

Figure 1: Patient-worn telemetry devices before and after repair

66

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

EXPERT ADVICE

Figure 2: Repair plan

once again operate within OEM specifications (see Figure 1).

QUALITY ASSURANCE Avante’s team of repair technicians ensures quality throughout the maintenance and repair process using the following steps: 1. The expert technician will note the device’s configuration information, such as options, software, equipment label, and the RF access code. This step ensures continuity and ease of use for the customer as the device is returned with the configurations they are used to.

2. The technician will perform an initial inspection to determine any issues, identify needed parts, and recommend corrective actions to the administrative team.

3. A quote will be generated for customer approval. Once approved, the technician will repair the device and perform comprehensive tests to confirm the device is properly repaired.

4. Once all repairs are complete, a

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

senior technician will perform quality assurance testing of the device to ensure the repaired device operates within OEM specifications, meets customer expectations, and the paperwork is complete (see Figure 2).

MAXIMIZE UPTIME In order to maximize uptime of your devices, make sure to check for damage before use. Do not use the device if it is visibly damaged or if there is liquid inside the unit. Damaged devices should be serviced and repaired immediately to maintain functionality and accuracy. Always follow the instructions located in the device user manuals when operating the units.

Do not use the device if it fails the Power-On Self-Test.

ISSUES WITH QUICK FIXES • No power or intermittent power: The battery door must be closed during operation.

The use of fresh high-quality batteries is strongly recom-

•

•

mended. Replace batteries if the device shows a low battery alarm or indicators.

No signal: Make sure the device’s equipment labels and RF access codes or frequencies match the sectors on the central station. Also, double check that the devices are inside the coverage area, the central station is working properly, and the batteries are fresh.

Lead-off: Check for correct insertion of the lead set connector. Make sure lead set pins are in good condition and not corroded or damaged in any way.

- Avante Health Solutions is moving healthcare forward. We are an industry-leading provider of medical-surgical, patient monitoring, diagnostic imaging, and radiation oncology equipment. As a comprehensive provider, we partner with our customers from consultation and installation to service, repair, and ongoing technical support. Find out more information at avantehs.com.

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

67

Accidents happen without warning.

How do you respond?

Conduct accident investigations more efficiently and effectively with ECRIʼs new online Healthcare Incident Management and Investigation training course. Developed by ECRIʼs team of experienced, unbiased investigators, this is the only course of its kind.

— 7-point Incident Management and Investigation (IMI) Plan — 6 Interactive Modules with Real Case Studies — 2 Educational Credit Hours

Prevent recurrence and limit risk to the organization.

Learn more at www.ecri.org/himi or call us today at 610-825-6000, x5891, to inquire about group discount pricing.

LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED. TechNation has the resources you need to sharpen your skills and stay in the know, no matter where

you’re working from.

LIVE WEBINARS:

OCTOBER 5 | Nuvolo Save the date for this live webinar.

Participation is eligible for 1 CE credit from the ACI.

OCTOBER 12 | HSS Save the date for this live webinar.

Participation is eligible for 1 CE credit from the ACI.

ON-DEMAND WEBINARS:

sponsored by Phoenix Data “Using Existing Tools to Strengthen Your Workflows and Compliance”

sponsored by Cynerio “Finding Your Phase of Medical Device Security with Nuvolo and Cynerio”

sponsored by Innovatus OCTOBER 19 | Medigate Save the date for this live webinar.

Participation is eligible for 1 CE credit from the ACI.

OCTOBER 26 | Ordr Save the date for this live webinar.

Participation is eligible for 1 CE credit from the ACI.

“MRI coils: Failure Analysis and Strategies to Minimize Support Costs”

PODCASTS:

sponsored by Probo Medical “The Top Things Biomeds Need to Know about Servicing Ultrasound”

sponsored by MultiMedical “Why the Right to Repair is Essential”

WebinarWednesday.live

WE’LL KEEP YOU CONNECTED.

EXPERT ADVICE

CYBERSECURITY

To Baseline or Not to Baseline

BY MICHEAL GUTMAN AND DEMA ASSAF HELOU

W

hen faced with medical devices that cannot accept all the required security controls, as established by your organization, many healthcare technology managers turn to non-baselined device isolation. Isolation allows these devices to function as intended but mitigates the security risk posed by these devices by limiting their external and internal communication via firewall rulesets. While isolation is a valuable tool for managing the security of such devices connected to the network, non-baselined isolation (“isolation”) should not be the default network security option and should only be applied after individual evaluation of the device.

In contrast, a baseline is a set of security controls, group policies, and update standards that are applied to devices across the network. When a device is put on a baseline, it is forced to accept all security controls and group policies of the site. This allows for a uniform security posture and patch schedule regardless of the endpoint device or workstation that is being considered.

Because of this uniformity, internal network communication is typically not harshly restricted.

Oftentimes, baseline devices can communicate freely with all other baseline devices on the network, so baseline devices use role-based or account-based security. This security is managed through an active directory where both devices and users will have accounts and role

70

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

Micheal Gutman

Dema Assaf Helou

groups. These role groups control what level of access these devices and user accounts have to other baselined devices.

Isolated devices inherit a standard firewall or access control list (ACL) ruleset based on the type of device (e.g., a medical device) that is being isolated. Once the standard ruleset is applied, all specific communication needed by the device must be incorporated into the ruleset after a security review. Communication on an isolated system will only be allowed based on the technical and functional requirements of the device, particularly with external connections. This is done to mitigate the elevated risk posed by devices that cannot accept elements of the baseline.

Since there are typically very few, if any, universal group policies applied to isolated devices, the system owner is responsible for ensuring that all allowed security mitigations are in place. This includes ensuring the OS, anti-virus,

and drivers are kept up to date as much as the medical device manufacturer (MDM) allows and ensuring that the group policies and registry (if applicable) of the device are tailored to mitigate any risks that cannot be addressed with updates.

The ideal way to ensure that these updates are applied in a timely manner is to set up and connect to an offline update server that is configured to push all available and MDM-approved updates to each device. Without this, patches will need to be applied manually by technical staff or system owners.

This opens the device to additional risk of human error when applying updates. To mitigate this, all isolated devices should be regularly scanned for vulnerabilities, and there should be a remediation plan in place for any that are found.

A common myth is that device isolation is the most secure network configuration and should be used for all medical devices. While device

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

EXPERT ADVICE

isolation makes these higher-risk devices easier to manage from a cybersecurity perspective, isolation presents its own set of risks. For one, device isolation does not remediate risks; it only mitigates them by hiding them behind firewall rules that limit device communication. If those mitigations fail, the risk remains. Additionally, since the communication of these devices are limited, access to the devices requires local accounts, which must be managed separately from enterprise accounts, creating another point of failure.

That said, there are instances that necessitate device isolation to ensure continued network security while also allowing these devices to function as intended. Many medical

devices run proprietary embedded operating systems that must be managed differently than baseline devices. These devices can require a security configuration that violates baseline requirements (e.g., it contains software that cannot be scanned with antivirus, or the MDM does not allow installation of antivirus or other required software). Medical devices must adhere to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance guidelines, which require MDM written approval prior to applying security patches. Automated patching is a standard requirement for baseline devices and would invalidate the medical device’s FDA 510(k) clearance.

While many medical devices need to be isolated for security reasons,

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

non-baselined isolation should not be the default option. Devices should be evaluated on an individual basis to determine if non-baselined isolation is necessary. When evaluating medical devices to determine the appropriate security configuration (baseline vs. isolation), consider whether the medical device requires any special security considerations. Additionally, consider whether isolation will affect the normal function of the medical device software.

-Micheal Gutman and Dema Assaf Helou are biomedical engineering consultants with Blue Water Thinking, LLC, supporting the VA Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) Integration Office (IO) Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) Program Office.

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

71

EXPERT ADVICE

SPONSORED CONTENT

Infusion Pump Service & Repair

BY JACOB BEALS

T

he infusion pump is one of the best examples regarding the importance of consistent maintenance. With devices that have direct access to bloodstream infusion, the upkeep and calibration of the unit is paramount.

Each infusion pump that is put through ReNew Biomedical’s Preventative Maintenance is calibrated to factory-standard condition and returned to practice as fast as possible. Josh and JL , our infusion pump experts, explain more about the PM and repair process for pumps below.

“Each infusion pump has a unique repair and preventative maintenance path, with special software to diagnose and calibrate the device or specific kits tailored to repair these devices. Many pieces go together when going through the preventative maintenance process, and each process holds something a little different based on your type of pump,” Josh explains.

“For example, Baxter hasn’t released specialized test software for the Sigma series of infusion

72

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

Jacob Beals pumps, but they do provide a test kit for their infusion pumps,” he added. “Eitan’s Sapphire series holds a personalized test kit and software; Alaris has both test programs and equipment.”

“After we have the appropriate tools, we carefully analyze each facet of the equipment,” he said.

“Everything from a cursory overlook to detailed examinations of the air accuracy, flow, and occlusion on both sides of the devices, including checking the power cable.”

“ReNew meets the needs of your infusion pumps. We have a couple of layers of service for your devic-

es,” JL said. “We have two layers of service regarding what we can provide. We have our first level of repair, which constitutes our preventative maintenance, as well as batteries and light cosmetic damages (springs, covers and clips).”

“Our second level of care is more encompassing and includes more complicated repairs for the device.

Our trained and experienced experts deal with full restorations and other maintenance,” he added.

“After each repair has finished, the device takes one final test.

Biomedical technicians for a long time have called it the ‘Answer’ test.

This diagnostic technology has been adapted into an all-encompassing program called 1QA,” JL said.

1QA is a cloud-based diagnostic software for various medical devices; these devices test for a set of parameters they must meet to be considered repaired by ReNew Biomedical’s standards. Once the device repair is complete, our technicians send reports to the customer and the device for shipping.”

ReNew Biomedical’s premiere service technicians have proven

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

EXPERT ADVICE

their place in the global market. These processes are carefully constructed to produce clean and efficient results for every device.

ReNew Biomedical has captured manufacturers’ attention with its premium equipment service. For infusion pumps, Eitan Medical has authorized ReNew as an authorized service center for Level I service and Level II service of the Sapphire series of infusion pumps.

Have a question about your device or our service? Call at 866-955-3039 or email service@renewbiomedical.com to speak directly with a service coordinator and find a solution that’s right for you!

- Jacob Beals is a Content Strategist at ReNew Biomedical.

MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

PARTS, ACCESSORIES & SERVICE

!

N WWW.SOMATECHNOLOGY.COM EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

TU

AC UF

N

A OM

G RIN

S AY EL

D

1.800.GET.SOMA OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

73

EXPERT ADVICE

THE FUTURE Interesting Times

Rodger A. Bowles

BY ROGER A. BOWLES

O

ne of my co-workers mentioned an old saying, “May you live in interesting times,” and although I have heard this saying before, lately it seems more relevant than ever. We are certainly living in interesting times in the world at large and in education. I mentioned in previous articles that we were looking for instructors, both in biomedical equipment technology and medical imaging systems technology. Recruiting for those positions has been a challenge.

Just as important as recruiting new talent into the HTM field is finding people willing to teach the next generation. The pay for educators, at least at our college, has always been below par. We used to know instructors who came here were coming here because they really wanted to teach. It certainly was not for the money. Last month, the college made it a little easier with an across-the-board shift in salaries for many programs at Texas State Technical College. Our program’s salary range shifted upward by about $30,000. That is not saying my pay went up by 30,000, just that the total range went up by that much. Still, the 10 percent increase that I did receive was better than a kick in the head.

Under the old pay plan, an

74

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

instructor could come in at between $45,000 and $72,000. Yes, ridiculous when compared to today’s pay in the field. Our entry-level graduates make that much in the field. It was difficult to get someone with at least 5 years of experience to accept pay between $45,000 and $75,000.

Now, the pay range is $81,000 to $108,000.

Yesterday we interviewed a young man for a biomedical equipment technology instructor position. He did not know about the recent shift in salary but is an extremely successful TSTC graduate from about 11 years ago. He wants to give back. I think he will be pleasantly surprised at the new range when they offer him the position. I hope that he accepts the position because he will breathe new life into the program.

The aging of the HTM field is a topic that has come up quite frequently in articles and conversation.

Looking around at my colleagues (and myself), it is even worse in the education sector of HTM. Most all of us will retire in the next 5 to 10 years. Yes, we are aging gracefully but that is really just a nice way of saying we are looking worse! I’m glad we have a potential new hire with a good 25 years ahead of him.

Hopefully, he will want to share column-writing duties with me after

he settles in.

Speaking of the future of this program and this industry. I loved seeing the “40 Under 40” feature in TechNation . All of them are very deserving of that honor. I hope to see TechNation do this again in the near future. One of those “40 Under 40” honorees is Rhiannon Thurmond, a 2006 graduate of our biomedical equipment technology program at Texas State Technical College. She is a true leader, mentor and inspiration for beginning BMETs. We are proud of you, Rhiannon. Keep up the good work!

In closing, I again reach out to any of you considering teaching and giving back to the industry. We are still looking for an individual with a strong imaging background to teach here in Waco, Texas. The salary range probably isn’t exactly what it is out in the field but the job satisfaction makes up some of the difference. Please go to our website (www.tstc.edu) and click on “Discover More” on the left side of the screen and then “Work at TSTC.” Reach out to me if you have any questions (Roger.Bowles@tstc.edu).

– Roger A. Bowles, MS, EdD, CBET, is a biomedical equipment technology/medical imaging technology instructor at Texas State Technical College-Waco.

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

ON-SITE TRAINING AVAILABLE

Contrast Injector

Training

CONTRAST INJECTOR TRAINING

OPERATION, SERVICE, TROUBLESHOOTING

• Up to $5,500 in FREE Parts, • 100s of Error Codes not • Up to $5,500 in FREE Parts, PM Kits and Service found in OEM Lit • 100s of Error Codes notON-SITE PM Kits and Service foundAvailable in OEM Lit • Massive Troubleshooting • Online and Onsite Training AVAILABLE Library • Online Library • Massive Troubleshooting • Training BMETs since 2008 and Onsite Training Available • Training BMETs since 2008 CONTRAST INJECTOR TROUBLESHOOTING CHANNEL

Contrast Injector Troubleshooting Channel

W W W. M A U L L B I O M E D I C A L . C O M | 4 4 0 - 7 2 4 - 7 5 1 1 | S T E V E @ M A U L L B I O M E D I C A L . C O M

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

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

75

EXPERT ADVICE

SPONSORED CONTENT

20/20 IMAGING INSIGHTS Specialist versus Generalist: Which do you prefer?

Matt Tomory

BY MATT TOMORY

W

hen seeking a physician, there are generally two categories – a generalist and a specialist. A generalist, such as your primary care provider (PCP), has very broad training, has a wide variety of experience and is able to treat most ailments. A specialist, such as a cardiologist, has had concentrated training and intensive experience that is focused on one specific ailment or anatomy part. For serious ailments or diseases, I will always choose a specialist whose sole focus and experience targets my affliction.

The Innovatus commercial team has had numerous calls where potential clients have said, “We want a one-stop shop for everything ultrasound or MRI. Meaning, they’d like a single provider to supply them with parts, field service, tech support, training, and depot-based repair on complementary devices such as ultrasound probes and MRI coils.

This would be an outstanding solution for any health care organization or asset management company. In concept, the one-stop-shop is ideal. In reality, few (if any) single providers claiming to be one-stop-shops can match the consistent high-quality output and consistent performance delivery of specialty organizations.

76

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

Did you know … many OEMs outsource much of their manufacturing to specialty organizations? For example, very few, if any, OEMs actually manufacture printed circuit boards or develop the software used in their systems. Look at the back-end processor of many ultrasound systems. It consists of an off-the-shelf PC running a minimalist version of Windows, Linux or other OS. Network, graphics, sound cards and PC power supplies are, typically, high-end off-the-shelf cards or components with custom enhancements. OEMs have realized that it makes sense to partner with specialized organizations to provide them with high-quality solutions meeting the detailed specifications they require.

The same is true for instruments such as ultrasound probes and MRI coils. These devices are Class 2 medical devices with their own 510k and unique design, functionality, and safety features. Innovatus is an FDA-registered manufacturer of ultrasound probes for several prominent OEMs. One of our legacy companies was also a contract manufacturer of MRI coils for several OEMs. The engineers and teams in our Denver Center of Excellence for Design and Manufacturing take an ultrasound probe, component, or other assembly from concept to

finished goods based upon specifications from an OEM. As convenient as a one-stop-shop would be, the reality is that it would be challenging to support an entire modality end-to-end, and even harder to master it. The saying jack-of-all trades, master of none might be applicable here. Support within just the ultrasound modality consists of the following types of organizations.

• Dealers/Brokers: Buy and sell new or used systems in-bulk, harvest systems to sell parts, components, probes, accessories, etc.

• Service Providers: Perform preventive maintenance, respond to service calls, perform system repair, sell/ install replacement parts, provide technical support, etc.

• Training Organizations: Provide education, technical support, technical training • Specialty Organizations: Perform specific repair functions such as component level PCB repair, probe repair, engineering services, etc.

All of these organizational types serve very vital roles in support of the HTM community. Many of us rely upon each other to help our customers

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

EXPERT ADVICE

maintain uptime, positive workflow and maximized throughput. We’re a tight community.

Here are a few examples of the levels of granularity needed to master just supporting the ultrasound modality.

• The front-end processor of today’s full-size ultrasound scanners may contain up to a dozen PCBs. Each PCB has various hardware versions, and each hardware version may allow for several different firmware versions. Add the system software, which may or may not be compatible with various revisions of hardware and firmware that you need.

• The Philips X5-1 ultrasound probe has had over 12-different revisions. Why? What’s changed? Is newer better?

• The acoustic lens and matching layers on the Philips X7-2t and X8-2t consists of 10 layers.

Why are there so many? What

function does each serve?

There’s not a standard cable length for an ultrasound probe and cable replacements are not plug and play. It’s why Innovatus fabricates over 90-different wiring harnesses. Each has specific characteristics to match the required specifications of the cable it is replacing.

As convenient as a one-stop-shop could be, it makes the most sense to follow the lead of OEMs and rely upon individual specialty providers to deliver high-quality, high-performance results.

Companies that specialize can offer the most sustainable solutions. Consider the following: • That which was repairable last week or last month, would be repairable moving forward … each time and every time a need arises.

• Repair capabilities would not be based upon the parts which were harvested from last•

week’s purchases, but upon a qualified supply chain of replacement parts.

• Quality solutions would be based upon verified and validated processes performed by technicians specifically trained to perform those tasks.

At Innovatus, rather than trying to be a one-stop shop, we focus on doing just a few things, and doing them very well … so well, that we’re trusted by OEMs and some of the largest health care and asset management organizations. It’s why we can offer the longest warranty periods in the industry: 12-months on ALL standard probes, 6-months on TEE probes, 3D probes and MRI coils.

For more information, visit www.innovatusimaging.com/ultrasound.

– Matt Tomory is the vice president of sales and marketing at Innovatus Imaging.

Acoustic Array/ASIC of the Philips X7-2t and X8-2t TEE probes

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

77

It's as easy as one-two-three to work with us at Hero.

#1) BioMed Staffing - We train and place the best Biomeds in the business from fee-per-service to a fully outsourced BioMed Department. #2) Medical Equipment Rental - Our unique and holistic approach to servicing our client’s rental needs allows us to provide significant value for any budget. #3) Hospital Beds - If it's on wheels at your facility we offer sales, service, parts and repair.

BIOMED STAFFING • HOSPITAL BED SERVICES • RENTALS

info@herobiz.com - herobiz.com - 800-834-1122

Don’t get tangled up in your trash.

Recycle it with the Doctor.

We will recycle all of your non-working cables and accessories and exchange them for new units under a 12-month warranty.

The Medical Equipment Doctor will provide you with a prepaid shipping label at no cost to you.

©2022 • 1382 Valencia Ave Suite G • Tustin, California 92780 • 800-285-9918 • medicalequipdoc.com • sales@mediclaequipdoc.com

EXPERT ADVICE

SPONSORED CONTENT

THE CONNECTED HOSPITAL – HOW ONE HOSPITAL TORE DOWN ITS SILOS The Many Benefits of Connecting Your Hospital’s HTM, Facilities Maintenance, Space & Move, Real Estate, and Project Work

I

n today’s hospitals and health systems, every department must rely on and work with other departments.

But for healthcare technology management (HTM), facilities maintenance, real estate, space planners, and construction project managers, the need for ongoing collaboration is critical.

Here is an example of how one hospital tore down its silos, eliminated disparate applications that couldn’t share information between teams, and worked seamlessly on a major project using Nuvolo Connected Workplace for Healthcare products.

The Nuvolo Connected Workplace for Healthcare solution is unique in the market because it’s a combination of software products – built on the ServiceNow platform – that are developed specifically to meet the needs of health care and enable hospital support departments to collaborate versus work in separate tools and silos. The solution has helped many of the top health systems and hospitals in the U.S. connect their people, locations, work, and applications – enabling them to seamlessly share pertinent information that helps them work smarter, not harder.

A 300-bed hospital decided it needed to expand and modernize its emergency department (ED). To do this, it needed to push the ED into the office area and conference room currently being used by hospital leadership.

Utilizing the Nuvolo Space product, space planners tried to identify if there was any unused space in the hospital where the leadership team could be moved. Finding some space – but not enough – at a nearby leased office building, the real estate team utilized the Nuvolo Real Estate product to negotiate new favorable terms to add additional space to their lease agreement. Meanwhile, the hospital

80

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

HOSPITAL EXPANDS ITS EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

construction team used the Nuvolo Projects product to issue requests for proposals to construction companies and subcontractors to do the necessary renovation work on the ED, as well as the newly leased office space.

Once the contractors were chosen and construction began, other hospital support teams, like HTM, the facilities team, IT, and supply chain were needed to support the project. Utilizing Nuvolo Projects to keep the project on track and on budget, all teams were able to see what needed to occur and when, and they could track their expenses.

Using the Nuvolo HTM Asset Management CMMS, the HTM department inventoried the new clinical equipment purchased for the ED, easily set them up on planned maintenance schedules that aligned with the other equipment in the ED, and created initial inspection work orders to satisfy regulatory requirements. When assistance was needed from the facilities department, IT, or

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

EXPERT ADVICE

environmental services, HTM simply created another work order (assigned to the parent work order) and transferred it to the appropriate department to complete, thus ensuring a complete history on the work completed and seamless collaboration.

The facilities team worked with their Nuvolo Facilities Maintenance CMMS to inventory the assets needed for the new spaces and assign work orders for the work that they needed to complete.

Throughout the project, they needed support from IT. Because IT used ServiceNow to track incidents, the facilities department could easily transfer work orders to IT with their work order notes, ensuring complete documentation of all the work performed by multiple teams.

The HTM department also wanted to make sure all networked medical devices they managed – known as operational technology (OT) – were protected from cyberattacks. The hospital integrated its third-party passive network monitoring application with the Nuvolo OT Security application to identify cyber risks and establish response protocols on every device. When a threat is identified, work orders identifying the impacted device(s) – along with contextual information such as the device type, location, who supports it, and the response required – is auto generated through their Nuvolo HTM Asset Management CMMS. The OT Security work order is dispatched automatically to the appropriate HTM and IT teams for an immediate and coordinated response.

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

After all work was completed, and the expanded ED was opened, the Nuvolo Space product was utilized again to document the expanded space usage in the ED and justify the increase in Medicare reimbursement submittals. The newly built executive conference room was added to the Nuvolo Reservations application so that staff could reserve the space for future meetings.

Whether you belong to a small standalone hospital, a large multi-state or international health system, or something in between, the Nuvolo Connected Workplace for Healthcare solution is scalable to meet the needs of your organization.

Interested in learning more? Explore the Nuvolo Connected Workplace for Healthcare solution at Nuvolo.com.

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

81

www.sakomed.com

Looking to lower repair cost?

Need a FREE loaner and FREE evaluation?

SakoMed is here to help, offering 2-3 days turn around time on all repairs.

REFURBISHED MEDICAL EQUIPMENT SALES AND SERVICES

Visit us at MDExpo | Booth #506

• • •

Anesthesia Machines Respiratory Ventilators Electro Surgical Units

• • •

Patient Monitors & Telemetries Defibrillators and AEDs Parts and Accessories

27751 LA PAZ RD. STE A LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA • 92677 (844) 433-SAKO • INFO@SAKOMED.COM

DON’T ROLL THE DICE

YOUR TIME IS PRICELESS. SO LET US REPAIR YOUR SPACELABS EQUIPMENT.

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

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

• FLAT PANELS

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

• FREE REPAIR EVALUATIONS

“We Put The ACE In Spacelabs!”

“We Put The ACE In Spacelabs!”

WWW.SWBIOMED.COM • 800.880.7231

WWW.SWBIOMED.COM • 800.880.7231

BREAKROOM

DID YOU KNOW? Science Matters

Kaeen Arnot protein structure diagram

Computer probes the protein world The artificial intelligence program AlphaFold has predicted the 3-D structures of 992,000 different plant and animal proteins, including all of the 20,000 human protein molecules.

Proteins: Folded-up chains of amino acids A cell contains thousands of different proteins, each with a unique function – and a unique structure

Each protein molecule is a 3-dimensional structure of smaller amino acid molecules

Decoding protein structure 1

The starting point

for working out a protein’s structure is its single-file sequence of amino acids Proteins from the same evolutionary family with similar sequences can have similar structures

2

A few techniques can directly observe the protein’s structure:

Cryo-EM uses an electron microscope to observe frozen protein molecules Source: DeepMind; European Molecular Biology Laboratory; TNS Photos Graphic: Helen Lee McComas, Tribune News Service

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

Structure prediction, a recent technique that avoids laborious standard procedures, bases its computations entirely on a protein’s amino acid sequence

Jeff Dahl X-ray image of a SARS virus enzyme

An X-ray beam can produce images of crystallized protein molecules

84

3

There are only 20 different amino acids, the building blocks of proteins

© 2022 TNS

AlphaFold’s predicted structure of a protein that may give plants disease resistance This “ribbon diagram” is a common schematic depiction of 3-D protein structure

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

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

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

JENIFER BROWN Jenifer@HealthTechTM.com Ph: 757.563.0448 | www.HealthTechTM.com

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

85

BREAKROOM

THE VAULT

D

o you consider yourself a history buff? Are you widely regarded among coworkers as an equipment aficionado?

Here is your chance to prove it! Check out “The Vault” photo. Tell us what this medical device is and earn bragging rights. Each person who submits a correct answer will be entered to win a $25 Amazon gift card. To submit your answer, visit 1TechNation. com/vault-october-2022.

Good luck!

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

AUGUST WINNER

SEPTEMBER PHOTO Aloka portable ultrasound machine

Robert Dondelinger

86

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

When It Comes To

CENTRIFUGES, One Name Stands Out

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

• Re-manufactured Parts • New Parts • Exchanges

www.ozarkbiomedical.com

800-457-7576

THE INDUSTRY’S MOST COMPREHENSIVE INJECTOR PROGRAM.

When you need a partner who can confidently handle every aspect of your contrast injector program, look no further...

Althea-US has you covered.

Largest aftermarket parts inventory.

Largest fleet of loaner injectors.

Onsite PM support.

Tech teams ready to travel to you.

Onsite, hands-on training.

FIND OUT HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOU & YOUR INJECTOR PROGRAM. Contact us at (888)652-5974 CALL 888.652.5974 OR EMAIL US.SALES@ALTHEA-GROUP.COM or us.sales@althea-group.com

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

87

BREAKROOM

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS BEN C.?

SPONSORED BY

Show us what Ben Calibrating has been up to!

Follow MedWrench on: facebook.com/medwrench & linkedin.com/company/medwrench!

O Leadville, C ain surfin in High mount

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

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

Step 3: Post a funny caption with your picture.

Step 4: Use #BenC

Give Ben C. a wr ench he is ready to wo and rk.

n Captio

ion “Party in the USA” at pt Kid Bop Live in Atlanta, GA z Ca

Surfs Up!

t a canvas to our “This world is bu y David Thoreau nr He n.” tio ina ag im

VISIT WWW.MEDWRENCH.COM WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

MRI/CT ISSUES? BREATHE EASY

KEI is your one-stop source for MRI & CT repair services & system parts.

keimedicalimaging.com • 512.477.1500 Repairs & Technical Assistance • Periodic System Maintenance • Installs & Deinstalls Service Contracts • In-house Parts • Inspections • Upgrades • Sales EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

89

Striving for

Perfection

Through Discovery and Innovation ISO 13485 ACCREDITED AND FDA REGISTERED

WE REPAIR AND REPLACE!

RELIABLE

CUSTO M CABLE AVAIL S ABLE!

DURABLE

A C C U R AT E

AFFORDABLE

C O M F O R TA B L E

B E TA B I O M E D . C O M

PC 294

Continue your free subscription of TechNation magazine!

NEW!

Demtruk 2.0 & Lower Shelf

SUBSCRIBE

X-Truk

TODAY! 22 H 20

MARC

hn 1tec

Vol.

13

ation

NCING ADVA

ate UpdUM

.com

T pairMOMEN o NRT eGAINING t t E RigAhMOVEM

DICAL BIOME THE

/ HTM

NAL ESSIO PROF

PAG

1tech

Vol. 13

More Carts available at

E 56

natio

SalesMakerCarts.com 1.800.821.4140

n.com

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

: onth eM of th onal a essi nn Prof Mouha ars y rsar 20 Ye John nive rates An leb 20th po Ce yEx l Bu MD 1 tiona king ed 10 niza ac Biom ing Orga set Tr As Gain RTLS u r de hat Yo In fo r Si W Othe Know The n’t Do You t Know Don’

14

FEBR

UARY

20

2022

42

71

2/7/22

12:29

PM

PR PATOTECTING I

1technatio

ag.indd

ENT S

ANS INC I/AAM L RES UDE I ST91 PON S H SIBIL TM IT

1

N_M

3_T

220

PAGE

n.com

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

MD

N_M

ag_

new

.indd

1

37

ACCRED SURVEY TITIPATION S RELIEVES AN

XIETY

12 14 PRSRT STD U.S. Posta ge PAID MD Publis hing

Address Service Requested

.indd 1

1techn

Vol. 13

ation.co

ING ADVANC

m

MD Publis

N_MAG

1015 Tyronhing e Rd., Ste. Tyrone, 120 GA 30290

2204_T

/ MEDICAL THE BIO

AL FESSION HTM PRO

E x a m in

56

1/14

/22

1:08

PM

L

PREPARATION

PAGE 52

Prof es Brya sional nt Ha of wkins the Mon Comp th: Medig any Sh owca ate se Biom APRIL 2022 Good ed 101 Is Ne ver Go Care od er Ce Enou Prep gh are for nter a “S tay” Inter view

14

MD 1015 Publish Tyrone ing Tyrone , GA Rd., Ste 302 90 . 120 Addre ss Ser vice Req ues ted

2_T

12

ADVANCIN G THE BIOM EDICAL / HTM PROF ESSIONAL

Vol. 11

220

IES

50

18 48

Professi

Francesc

onal of

a Fam

Departm

the Mon

ent of the

th

Mon

The Piedm th Engineerin ont Atlanta Hosp ital Biom g Departmen edical t

Shif ting Gears The Bear ded Biom ed Podc aster Roundta ble AEDs/De fibrillator s

ent e q U ip m

2

MAY 202

es expens 3/3/22

in g

2:34 PM

R TIPS FO LIFE ATING ESTIM E COSTS, CYCL T SUPPOR

PAGE 58

12

Profes Allison

14

sional

of the

38

AAMI

52

Month

d

Woolfor

ow any Sh Comp dical J2S Me

case

ge

I eXchan

to AAM Guide

table Round ps IV Pum

ed Request Service Address

2 12:53

4/4/2

PM

lishing Ste. 120 MD Pub ne Rd., 90 Tyro 302 1015 GA Tyrone,

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

MAG

_TN_

2205

1

1technation.com/subscribe EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

91

HIGH SERVICE HIGH QUALITY QUALITY SERVICE Siella Medical is strongly committed to providing our customers with the best quality customer service and repair.

Siella Medical is strongly committed to providing our customers with the best quality. SALES customer service and repair.

REPAIR . RENTAL

REPAIR . SALES . RENTAL VISIT US AT BOOTH #614

WHO WE SERVE

BIOMEDICAL (HTM) We provide reliable, honest repair services ranging from simple preventative maintenance and troubleshooting, to more complicated component level and software related issues

HOME PHARMACY We provide pharmacists a comprehensive service that includes regular PM service, repair programs, and rental options to ensure every patient has a safe and effective home infusion device

888.688.6822 16 Goodyear Suite 105 Irvine, CA 92618

SURGERY CENTERS We provide complete maintenance programs and equipment repair services that keep your Operating Rooms functioning efficiently and running at full capacity

www.siellamedical.com contact@siellamedical.com

BREAKROOM

NCBA SCRAPBOOK T

he North Carolina Biomedical Association (NCBA) hosted its 44th annual symposium August 15-18, 2022. The annual symposium is a premier industry event held at the historic Pinehurst Resort & Spa. It featured classes led by some of the highest regarded subject matter experts and featured vendors highlighting their most current technology. The popular NCBA event also provided excellent networking opportunities.

1.

The TechNation team was all smiles, hosting NCBA symposium attendees and exhibitors at the annual TechNation Happy Hour at Dugan’s Pub in Pinehurst.

2.

Industry veterans, like Dale Cover of RSTI, led classes related to medical imaging, management and safety/regulatory topics.

3.

Michael “Jamie” Holloway accepts the Glenn Scales Scholarship, sponsored by Draeger,

1

4

6

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

at the 2022 NCBA Symposium.

Pictured from left to right are Holloway, Terry Morris, Patrick Powe and Pete Trgovic.

the perfect place for attendees and exhibitors to meet. Pictured are reps from Triangle X-ray and Carestream.

4.

2021 NCBA President Aaron Watts (left) symbolically passing the presidential gavel to 2022 NCBA President Codi Nelson (right).

6.

The symposium included dedicated exhibit hall hours. Attendees were able to visit with more than 60 vendors offering the latest technologies and products.

5.

TechNation’s networking party at Dugan’s Pub during the 44th annual NCBA symposium was

7.

Rickey Garron Mize was one of two TechNation door prize winners.

2

3

5

7

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

93

21 ST 20

AUGU

1tec

Vol.

12

hnati

NCING ADVA

on.co

m

DICAL BIOME THE

NAL ESSIO PROF / HTM

BIOM

HT

O M V

NA EDS O

LUN

T

M

S EER

MISS IF A D

E AK

ION

FER

ENC

E

1techn

Vol. 13

Advancing the Biomedical/HTM Professional

ation.

com

ADVAN CING THE BIO MEDIC AL / HT M PR OFESSI ONAL

12

JANU ARY

e of th e nal Tim essio Your Prof th st of Mon the Be e Mak tting alth on Cu y He Ribb Advisor t Firs able dt y Roun ograph y de Radi r Si dustr Othe an In The rating Celeb

2022

35

46

Continue your free subscription of TechNation magazine!

21

7/9/

. 120 g hin ., Ste Publis e Rd 290 MD 5 Tyron 30 ed 101 one, GA est Tyr Requ vice ss Ser dre Ad D T ST PRSR stage . Po U.S PAID hing Publis MD ndd

ag.i

N-M

8-T

210

1technatio

1

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

14

MD

Vol. 12

8 AM

11:1

n.com Prof es Mont siona l of the Andy h: Martin ez Comp Medic any Sh al Eq owcase uipme Comp nt Do ctor USOC any Sh owca se FB OCTOSBER Sc Florid rap 2021 book Socie a Biome dical ty

18

MD 1015 Publish Tyrone ing Tyrone , GA Rd., Ste 302 90 . 120 Add ress Service Req ues ted

ADVANCING 2201_TN_Ma THE BIOM g_new.in EDICALdd/ 1 HTM PROF ESSIONAL

24 74

12/8

/21

1techna

Vol. 12

12:1

3 PM

1 ER 202

NOVEMB

tion.com

ING THE ADVANC

AL / HTM BIOMEDIC

SIONAL PROFES

14 29 Address Service Requested MD Publis 1015 Tyronhing e Rd., Ste. Tyrone, 120 GA 30290

PRSRT STD U.S. Postag e PAID MD Publis hing

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

73

On th e of HTFuture M

42 65

Professio nal of the Francis Lewis, CHT Month M Ribbon Cutting PD1 Med ical

Roundta ble Tubes & Bulbs The Othe r Side Break the Mold for Annual Evaluation

12

Month of the sional t Profes Bennet Month Angela of the of Laredo l tment Depar tors Hospita The Doc artment Dep HTM able Roundt cking Tra Asset ure Fut The ool to Sch Back

14

www.1technation.com/subscribe

40

59

1 9:13

10/8/2

AM

ested Requ Service Address

g lishin Ste. 120 MD Pub ne Rd., 0 Tyro 3029 1015 GA Tyrone,

STD PRSRT age U.S. Post PAID ishing MD Publ

94

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

d 1

ag.ind

TN-M

2111-

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

.com

Find Your Next Job Here

“

The biggest difference is that there is actually someone there, an actual live human, not just some algorithm chat bot.

”

– E. Messenger, now BMET with Renovo Solutions

LOOKING TO FILL A POSITION? Visit htmjobs.com/start-posting/ to post a job.

Companies that post with us:

Agiliti, TRIMEDX, STERIS, OSF HealthCare, InfuSystem Inc., Canon Medical Systems, Banner Health, Renovo Solutions, and Medical Imaging Solutions.

SAVE the DATE The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center | Houston, TX April 11–13, 2023 • Houston, TX

REGISTER FOR FREE AT HTMJOBS.COM

Healthcare Technology Manager

Biomedical Equipment Technician I

At RENOVO, we value knowledge, reliability, and integrity in our employees. If you are interested in being a part of a team that is committed to making a difference in healthcare equipment maintenance and healthcare asset and technology management, we invite you to apply for one of the open positions.

Sign on Bonus offered of $5,000! The Biomedical Equipment Technician I (BMET I) performs scheduled maintenance and builds a knowledge base of a variety of common medical devices.

This position assists the Clinical Engineering Manager with all aspects of program management, including work history data analysis, staffing allocation, budget control, equipment acquisition planning and outside vendor management.

VIEW FULL DETAILS www.htmjobs.com

VIEW FULL DETAILS www.htmjobs.com

VIEW FULL DETAILS www.htmjobs.com

Field Service Military Extern Program Expression of Interest

Biomedical Equipment Technician

Customer Service Technician

United Infusion honors to serve hospitals, nursing homes, home care agencies, surgery centers, testing labs, veterinary hospitals and practices, colleges, universities, and emergency medical centers.

Agiliti proudly serves within hospitals, healthcare facilities, and our 90+ local service centers to ensure quality medical equipment is in the right place at the right time for effective patient care.

Make an impact in healthcare and grow your career with Team Agiliti!

VIEW FULL DETAILS www.htmjobs.com

VIEW FULL DETAILS www.htmjobs.com

VIEW FULL DETAILS www.htmjobs.com

Traveling Technical Service Specialist

Installer $3,000 Sign & Stay Bonus!

Customer Support Engineer II/III (XRAY)

InfuSystem is a growing healthcare service provider, specializing in medical devices and related products and services for patients in hospitals, clinics, ambulatory surgery centers, and other major service centers.

Come join our team, as a medical equipment Installer! Under the general direction of the Installation Project Manager, you will provide complete equipment installation, in accordance with plans and specifications, including scheduling, delivery, installation, check-out, and final inspection of equipment.

MIS provides asset management solutions for hospitals and imaging institutions nationwide. We combine 20 years of service experience with the industry’s most advanced asset-management software, raising the bar in the industry to manage the increasing demands placed on diagnostic operations.

VIEW FULL DETAILS www.htmjobs.com

VIEW FULL DETAILS www.htmjobs.com

VIEW FULL DETAILS www.htmjobs.com

This is a full time paid training program, with a set timeline that moves from online courses, to on the job shadowing, to classroom education.

You will be assigned a mentor, and have checkins for learning progress etc.

Supervisor of Clinical Engineering

SERVICE INDEX TRAINING

www.ambickford.com • 800-795-3062

54

P

Jet Medical Electronics Inc

91

P P

Southeastern Biomedical, Inc

42

Southwestern Biomedical Electronics, Inc.

83

P P P P

www.jetmedical.com • 714-937-0809

Cardiology

Life Spark Medical

27

RepairMED

37

sebiomedical.com/ • 828-396-6010

P 71 P 3 P P

www.swbiomed.com/ • 800-880-7231

smarttanktester.com • www.repairmed.net • 855-813-8100

Soma Technology, Inc

www.somatechnology.com • 1-800-438-7662

SPBS, Inc

www.spbs.com/ • (800) 713-2396

USOC Bio-Medical Services

www.usocmedical.com • 855-888-8762

Asset Management

73

CMMS Capital i

71

EQ2

41

Nuvolo

55

TruAsset, LLC

33

Vizzia Technologies

24

capitali.us • 417-708-2924 www.eq2llc.com • 888-312-4367

Asset Services

41

nuvolo.com • 844-468-8656

Capital i

71

www.truasset.com • 214-276-1280

EQ2

41

https://vizziatech.com • 855-849-9421

Vizzia Technologies

24

Injector Support and Service

www.assetservices.com • 913-383-2738 capitali.us • 417-708-2924 www.eq2llc.com • 888-312-4367 https://vizziatech.com • 855-849-9421

Beds/Stretchers HERO

herobiz.com • 800-834-1122

78

Biomedical

P P

Computed Tomography 47

www.injectorsupport.com • 888-667-1062

International Medical Equipment and Service 89 www.IMESimaging.com • 704-739-3597

www.alcosales.com • 800-323-4282

62

37

Tri-Imaging Solutions

29

www.triimaging.com • 855-401-4888

Contrast Media Injectors

BC Group International, Inc

104

Capital i

71

https://www.althea-group.com/ • 888-652-5974

Health Tech Talent Management, Inc.

85

www.injectorsupport.com • 888-667-1062

HERO

78

InterMed Group

89

www.BCGroupStore.com • 314-638-3800 capitali.us • 417-708-2924 www.HealthTechTM.com • 757-563-0448 herobiz.com • 800-834-1122 www.intermed1.com • 386-462-5220

P P P P P

Althea

Maull Biomedical Training

www.maullbiomedicaltraining.com • 440-724-7511

Defibrillator SakoMED

sakomed.com • (844) 433-7256

27

Diagnostic Imaging

Medical Equipment Doctor, Inc.

79

P P 85 P

internationalxraybrokers.com/ • 508-559-9441

www.medicalequipdoc.com • 800-285-9918

Multimedical Systems

www.multimedicalsystems.com • 888-532-8056

PD1 Medical

101

RepairMED

37

pd1medical.com • www.repairmed.net • 855-813-8100

P P

SalesMaker Carts

91

Siella Medical

92

SPBS, Inc

71

www.salesmakercarts.com • 800-821-4140 siellamedical.com • 888.688.6822 www.spbs.com/ • (800) 713-2396

Cables PD1 Medical

P

101

pd1medical.com •

Calibration Rigel Medical, Seaward Group

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

60

P P P 47 P P 75 P 82

P P

International X-Ray Brokers

37

InterMed Group

89

Lexicon Medparts

62

www.intermed1.com • 386-462-5220 lexiconmedparts.com • 615-545-8587

Mammo.com mammo.com •

Probo Medical

www.probomedical.com • 3174947872

Endoscopy

P P P

P P 22, 23 P P 46

Cadmet

75

Healthmark Industries

16

Multimedical Systems

85

P

85

P

www.cadmet.com • 800-543-7282 hmark.com • 800-521-6224 www.multimedicalsystems.com • 888-532-8056

P

Fetal Monitoring Multimedical Systems

www.multimedicalsystems.com • 888-532-8056

General ALCO Sales & Service Co.

www.alcosales.com • 800-323-4282 OCTOBER 2022

P P P

87

Injector Support and Service

Life Spark Medical

smarttanktester.com •

P P P

International X-Ray Brokers

internationalxraybrokers.com/ • 508-559-9441

ALCO Sales & Service Co.

TECHNATION

SERVICE

Cardiac Monitoring

A.M. Bickford

98

PARTS

Anesthesia

Company Info

AD PAGE

TRAINING

SERVICE

PARTS

AD PAGE

Company Info

62 WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

SERVICE INDEX

SalesMaker Carts

91

salesmakercarts.com • 800-821-4140

Imaging 85

KEI Medical Imaging

89

www.HealthTechTM.com • 757-563-0448

www.keimedicalimaging.com • 512-477-1500

Infection Control Healthmark Industries

hmark.com • 800-521-6224

16

Infusion Pumps AIV

aiv-inc.com • 888-656-0755

P P P P

Elite Biomedical Solutions

4

Infusion Pump Repair

95

Multimedical Systems

85

elitebiomedicalsolutions.com • 855-291-6701 www.infusionpumprepair.com • 855-477-8866 www.multimedicalsystems.com • 888-532-8056

Siella Medical

siellamedical.com • 888.688.6822

P

92

Infusion Therapy AIV

aiv-inc.com • 888-656-0755

7

P P P P P P

Elite Biomedical Solutions

4

FOBI Medical

32

Infusion Pump Repair

95

RepairMED

37

Siella Medical

92

Soma Technology, Inc

73

elitebiomedicalsolutions.com • 855-291-6702 www.FOBI.us • 888-231-3624 www.infusionpumprepair.com • 855-477-8866 www.repairmed.net • 855-813-8100 siellamedical.com • 888.688.6822 www.somatechnology.com • 1-800-438-7662

USOC Bio-Medical Services

www.usocmedical.com • 855-888-8762

3

IV Pumps Siella Medical

siellamedical.com • 888.688.6822

SPBS, Inc

www.spbs.com/ • (800) 713-2396

www.ozarkbiomedical.com • 800-457-7576

SPBS, Inc

www.spbs.com/ • (800) 713-2396

Mammography International X-Ray Brokers

internationalxraybrokers.com/ • 508-559-9441

Mammo.com mammo.com •

P P P

92 71

P

P P 71 P 87

www.innovatusimaging.com • 844-687-5100

P P

8

International Medical Equipment and Service 89 www.IMESimaging.com • 704-739-3597

Online Resource

P

HTM Jobs

96

MedWrench

61

www.htmjobs.com •

Webinar Wednesday

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

36, 69

Oxygen Blender FOBI

32

P P

AIV

7

BETA Biomed Services

90

Jet Medical Electronics Inc

91

RepairMED

37

SakoMED

82

Southeastern Biomedical, Inc

42

Southwestern Biomedical Electronics, Inc.

83

USOC Bio-Medical Services

3

P P P P P P P P

www.FOBI.us • 888-231-3624

Patient Monitoring aiv-inc.com • 888-656-0755 www.betabiomed.com/ • 800-315-7551 www.jetmedical.com • 714-937-0809 www.repairmed.net • 855-813-8100 sakomed.com • (844) 433-7256 sebiomedical.com/ • 828-396-6010 www.swbiomed.com/ • 800-880-7231

www.usocmedical.com • 855-888-8762

Patient Monitors 31

Siella Medical

92

pmbiomedical.com • 800-777-6467 siellamedical.com • 888.688.6822

P

P P P P P P P P

PM Biomedical

Interpower

www.interpower.com • 800-662-2290

P P

37 46

P P

Soma Technology, Inc

Siella Medical

92

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

P P

P

73

P

Recruiting Health Tech Talent Management, Inc.

85

HERO

78

HTM Jobs

96

www.HealthTechTM.com • 757-563-0448

www.htmjobs.com •

Refurbish AIV

7

aiv-inc.com • 888-656-0755

31

103

Radiology

herobiz.com • 800-834-1122

PM Biomedical

siellamedical.com • 888.688.6822

MRI

www.somatechnology.com • 1-800-438-7662

Monitors pmbiomedical.com • 800-777-6467

3

www.usocmedical.com • 855-888-8762

Power System Components

Labratory Ozark Biomedical

USOC Bio-Medical Services

www.MedWrench.com • 866-989-7057

7

73

Monitors/CRTs

Innovatus Imaging

Health Tech Talent Management, Inc.

TRAINING

101

pd1medical.com •

www.somatechnology.com • 1-800-438-7662

SERVICE

PD1 Medical

Soma Technology, Inc

PARTS

62

lexiconmedparts.com • 615-545-8587

Company Info

AD PAGE

Lexicon Medparts

TRAINING

SERVICE

PARTS

AD PAGE

Company Info

Rental/Leasing Elite Biomedical Solutions

elitebiomedicalsolutions.com • 855-291-6703

4

OCTOBER 2022

P

TECHNATION

99

SERVICE INDEX TRAINING

62

Elite Biomedical Solutions

4

www.alcosales.com • 800-323-4282 elitebiomedicalsolutions.com • 855-291-6701

Jet Medical Electronics Inc

91

PM Biomedical

31

www.jetmedical.com • 714-937-0809 pmbiomedical.com • 800-777-6467

Replacement Parts Elite Biomedical Solutions

4

Engineering Services, KCS Inc

6

PM Biomedical

31

elitebiomedicalsolutions.com • 855-291-6701 www.eng-services.com • 888-364-7782x11 pmbiomedical.com • 800-777-6467

Respiratory

P P P P P P P P P P P

A.M. Bickford

54

BC Group International, Inc

104

Life Spark Medical

27

www.ambickford.com • 800-795-3062 www.BCGroupStore.com • 314-638-3800 smarttanktester.com •

Pronk Technologies, Inc.

www.pronktech.com • 800-609-9802

54

FOBI

32

www.ambickford.com • 800-795-3062 www.FOBI.us • 888-231-3624

RTLS Vizzia Technologies

https://vizziatech.com • 855-849-9421

P P P

24

Software

Rigel Medical, Seaward Group

60

Southeastern Biomedical, Inc

42

www.seaward-groupusa.com • 813-886-2775 sebiomedical.com/ • 828-396-6010

Training Althea

https://www.althea-group.com/ • 888-652-5974

ECRI Institute

www.ecri.org • 1-610-825-6000.

41

Medigate

5

www.eq2llc.com • 888-312-4367 www.medigate.io •

Nuvolo

55

TruAsset, LLC

33

Vizzia Technologies

24

nuvolo.com • 844-468-8656 www.truasset.com • 214-276-1280 https://vizziatech.com • 855-849-9421

Sterilizers SPBS, Inc

www.spbs.com/ • (800) 713-2396

71

Surgical

P

16

PM Biomedical

31

hmark.com • 800-521-6224 pmbiomedical.com • 800-777-6467

Telemetry

P P

Probo Medical

www.probomedical.com • 3174947872

Tri-Imaging Solutions

Tri-Imaging Solutions

29

www.triimaging.com • 855-401-4888

Ultrasound Innovatus Imaging

www.innovatusimaging.com • 844-687-5100

MW Imaging

www.mwimaging.com • 877-889-8223

Probo Medical

www.probomedical.com • 3174947872

Summit Imaging

Ventilators SakoMED

sakomed.com • (844) 433-7256

SPBS, Inc

Siella Medical

92

www.triimaging.com • 855-401-4888

Southwestern Biomedical Electronics, Inc.

83

USOC Bio-Medical Services

3

elitebiomedicalsolutions.com • 855-291-6701

Multimedical Systems

www.multimedicalsystems.com • 888-532-8056

PM Biomedical

pmbiomedical.com • 800-777-6467

RepairMED

www.repairmed.net • 855-813-8100 siellamedical.com • 888.688.6822 www.swbiomed.com/ • 800-880-7231

www.usocmedical.com • 855-888-8762

OCTOBER 2022

29 75

www.cadmet.com • 800-543-7282

X-Ray

Elite Biomedical Solutions

22, 23

Cadmet

P P 4 P P 85 P 31 P P 37 P P

aiv-inc.com • 888-656-0755

7

68

Tubes/Bulbs

www.spbs.com/ • (800) 713-2396

AIV

P P P

International Medical Equipment and Service 89 www.IMESimaging.com • 704-739-3597

www.mysummitimaging.com • 866-586-3744

Healthmark Industries

P P

87

www.cbet.edu • 866-866-9027

www.triimaging.com • 855-401-4888

EQ2

P P

2, 94

College of Biomedical Equipment Technology 11

A.M. Bickford

TECHNATION

SERVICE

Test Equipment

ALCO Sales & Service Co.

100

PARTS

Repair

Company Info

AD PAGE

TRAINING

SERVICE

PARTS

AD PAGE

Company Info

P P P

8

P P 22, 23 P P 17 P P P 64

P P 71 P 82

Engineering Services, KCS Inc

6

Innovatus Imaging

8

InterMed Group

89

International X-Ray Brokers

37

Tri-Imaging Solutions

29

www.eng-services.com • 888-364-7782x11 www.innovatusimaging.com • 844-687-5100 www.intermed1.com • 386-462-5220 internationalxraybrokers.com/ • 508-559-9441

P

P P P P P P P

P P P P WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

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

54

Infusion Pump Repair…………………

95

Ozark Biomedical……………………

AIV……………………………………… 7

Injector Support and Service…………

47

PD1 Medical………………………… 101

ALCO Sales & Service Co.……………

62

Innovatus Imaging……………………… 8

PM Biomedical………………………

Althea…………………………………

87

InterMed Group ………………………

89

Probo Medical……………………… 22, 23

Asset Services…………………………

41

International Medical Equipment and Service……………………………… 89

Pronk Technologies, Inc. ………… 2, 94

International X-Ray Brokers…………

RepairMED……………………………

37

Rigel Medical, Seaward Group………

60

SakoMED……………………………

82

SalesMaker Carts……………………

91

Siella Medical…………………………

92

Soma Technology, Inc………………

73

Southeastern Biomedical, Inc………

42

BC Group International, Inc………… 104 BETA Biomed Services………………

90

Cadmet………………………………

75

Capital i………………………………

37

Interpower…………………………… 103

71

Jet Medical Electronics Inc…………

91

College of Biomedical Equipment Technology……………………………

KEI Medical Imaging…………………

89

11

Lexicon MedParts……………………

62

ECRI Institute…………………………

68

Life Spark Medical……………………

27

Elite Biomedical Solutions……………… 4

Mammo.com…………………………

46

Engineering Services, KCS Inc………… 6

Maull Biomedical Training……………

75

EQ2……………………………………

41

Medical Equipment Doctor, INC.……

79

FOBI Medical…………………………

32

Medigate………………………………… 5

Health Tech Talent Management, Inc.… 85

MedWrench…………………………

61

Healthmark Industries………………

16

Multimedical Systems………………

85

HERO…………………………………

78

MW Imaging…………………………

64

HTM Jobs……………………………

96

Nuvolo…………………………………

55

The security solution that works on as much equipment as you do! info@pd1medical.com pd1medical.com

EMPOWERING THE BIOMEDICAL/HTM PROFESSIONAL

87 31

Southwestern Biomedical Electronics, Inc.…83 SPBS, Inc……………………………

71

Summit Imaging………………………

17

Tri-Imaging Solutions…………………

29

TruAsset, LLC…………………………

33

USOC Bio-Medical Services…………… 3 Vizzia Technologies…………………

24

Webinar Wednesday……………… 36, 69

PD1 Medical provides healthcare facilities with a simple, yet versatile approach to equipment security. The Med Tether works with equipment in all shapes and sizes and uses a security key making installation easy! Secure your equipment today and avoid the hassle and large expense of purchasing replacements.

OCTOBER 2022

TECHNATION

101

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.

Madeline Rozsa, Biomedical Technologist at Kingston Hea lth Sciences Centre

ng

ineeri ical Eng an, Clin m rk h o W Healt Trisa L. r at Ohio perviso Site Su

er

eam Lead

ET and T

er, CB Ivan Joyn

with the d talking e v lo ter on ly te areer Cen C “Absolu rs e iv -R at Tri they’ve students st career nology e b e th t u h o Friday ab of: Healthcare Tec rd never hea nt!” me Manange

nual 44th an n at the o ti a N h Tec m ymposiu NCBA s

FOLLOW TECHNATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA! @TechNationMag /company/technation-magazine

102

TECHNATION

OCTOBER 2022

WWW.1TECHNATION.COM

Stay on Schedule

with NEMA Hospital-grade Replacement Cords!

Interpower® hospital-grade replacement cords are manufactured well beyond 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—portable CT scanners, X-ray machines, medical-grade treadmills, ECMO machines, and ventilators—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.

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

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 customer with the correct North American connections to the local mains power, which means our cords are ready to use right out of the box. In-stock cords ship the same day!

Order Online! www.interpower.com Business Hours: 7 a.m.–6 p.m. CST

®

®

LOOK FOR THE GREEN

ESU-2400H ESU Analyzer

IPA-3400 Infusion Pump Analyzer

SA-2600 Safety Analyzer

ESU-2350 ESU Analyzer

DESIGNED, ENGINEERED & MANUFACTURED IN THE MIDWEST, GREATER ST. LOUIS AREA

+1 (314) 638.3800 (800) 242.8428 sales@bcgroupintl.com bcgroupstore.com

ISO 9001:2015 Registered and Certified ISO/IEC 17025:2017 Accredited ISO 13485:2016 Certified

BCGroupStore

company/bc-group-international-inc

@BCGroupIntl