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BME: In the Hospital. Seth Crino. The issues. Hospitals employ a great variety of medical instruments. These tools occasionally break down. Furthermore, periodic ‘tune-ups’ are necessary to make sure devices are operating at peak efficiency.
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BME: In the Hospital Seth Crino
The issues • Hospitals employ a great variety of medical instruments. • These tools occasionally break down. • Furthermore, periodic ‘tune-ups’ are necessary to make sure devices are operating at peak efficiency. • Erroneous equipment can seriously affect the care of a patient.
The Solution • This is where Biomedical Engineers come in. • Also called “Clinical Engineers”, or “Bio-Med Equipment Technicians”. • All new equipment must be inspected before use, including tests for electrical safety and calibration.
Brief History • 1943: Biomed engineers begin helping the military. • 1970: An article citing numerous deaths and injuries due to hospital electrical problems leads to an increase of Biomed engineers in the hospital.
Inspections • Each piece of equipment must be checked by Biomed at least once a year, with some devices requiring checkups twice a year. • This is called a “preventative maintenance”, or a “PM”. • All functions of the device are tested by following instructions from the manual. • If the PM is passed, it is returned to the floor. Otherwise, it undergoes…
Repairs • Most problems with equipment can be fixed by relatively simple means. • However, some machines, such as Ultrasound imaging devices, require training from the manufacturer to be certified in repairing it. • And some machines require a representative from the company to come fix it instead.
Future • No system, no matter how well made, will ever be completely free from flaws • Faulty pieces, user error, aging technology, and rough usage will ensure job security for a long time.
SOurces • UConn BME FAQ’s <http://www.engr.uconn.edu/bme/faqs/bmefaqs.htm> • John D. Enderle, Joseph D. Bronzino Introduction to Biomedical Engineering Academic Press, 2011 • Wikipedia: Biomedical Equipment Technician: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomedical_Equipment_Technician> • USAMB history: <http://www.bmets-usa.org/history.html>