Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
•
•
Ad hoc radiated RF immunity testing should be
considered when EMI is suspected, when RF trans-
mitters are likely to operate in proximity to critical
care medical devices, in prepurchase evaluation of
new types of RF transmitters to determine their effect
on existing medical devices, in prepurchase evalu-
ation of new electronic medical devices, and when
checking for age-related changes in medical device
RF immunity. Ad hoc testing can be used to estimate
the minimum distance that should be maintained
between a specific RF transmitter and a specific
medical device to mitigate EMI. Policies and proce-
dures for EMI mitigation should be based on objec-
tive information, such as that obtainable by ad hoc
RF immunity testing.
Because of their responsibility for the safe func-
tioning of patient care equipment, clinical/biomedical
engineers should be the focal point for EMC, EMI
mitigation, and EMC/EMI education/training within
the health care organization.
•
Purchase, installation, service, and management of
all equipment (medical, communications, building
systems, and information technology) used in the
facility should be coordinated to assure EMC. Clin-
ical/biomedical engineering, facility management,
information systems, materials management, and
risk management personnel should all be aware of
the possibility for equipment
interactions and the
need for coordination.
•
EMC/EMI should become a permanent responsibility
of the health care organization's Safety Committee.
•
RF transmitterspurchased for use in the facility should
have the lowest possible output power rating that
can be used to accomplish the intended purpose.
•
Staff, visitors, and patients, including home-care
patients, should be educated regarding the nature of
EMI and how they can recognize and help prevent it.
•
Electrically powered medical devices purchased for
use in the facility should meet EMC standards.
•
EMC should be considered in the site selection,
design, construction, and layout of health care
facilities.
•
Electronic medical devices used in intense electro-
magnetic environments, such as near ambulance
radios or in electrosurgery, should have EMC speci-
fications suitable for these environments.
•
Clinical/biomedical engineers should work with
facility management, telecommunications, informa-
tion systems, materials management, and risk
management personnel to manage the electromag-
netic environment of the health care facility.
•
Clinical/biomedical engineers should consider
tracking “no problem found” service calls by the
location, date, and time of the reported malfunction.
This can help associate malfunctions with sources
of electromagnetic disturbance (EMD).
•
The institution's administration or its designate, e.g
,
the Safety Committee, should promulgate policies
and procedures that clearly set forth the intentions
of the institution regarding management to achieve
EMC including, among other things, the designation
of areas of the facility where the use of common
hand-held RF transmitters (e.g
, cellular and PCS
telephones, two-way radios) by staff, visitors, and/or
patients is to be managed or restricted.
•
EMI problems should be reported to the manufac-
turer and to regulatory authorities.
•
The health care organization may want to consider
obtaining the services of an EMC professional
for assistance in characterizing the electromag-
netic environment, solving specific problems, and/or
educating staff.
Figure 19.9
AAMI TIR 18 Summary Recommendations [24].
Refernces
6. W. A. Radasky, C. E. Baum, and W. W. Manuem.
Introduction to the special issue on high-power
electromagnetics (HPEM) and intentional elec-
tromagnetic interference (IEMI),
IEEE Transac-
tions on Electromagnetic Compatibility
,
1. C. Paul.
Introduction to Electromagnetic Compati-
bility
, pp. 42-77. Wiley, 1992.
2. H. Ott.
Noise Reduction Techniques in Electronic
Systems
, 2nd Edition, p. 6. Wiley, 1988.
3. Modifications to the list of recognized standards.
Federal Register
, 69(191): 59240, 2005.
46(3):
314-321, 2004.
7. W. A. Radasky. An update on intentional electro-
magnetic interference (IEMI), Annual EMC Guide,
Interference Technology, 2004.
4.
International Electrotechnical Commission, Inter-
national Special Committee on Radio Interference,
CISPR 22, Fifth edition, 2005-04.
8.
I. D. Flintoft, et al. The re-emission spectrum
of digital hardware subjected to EMI,
IEEE
Transactions on Electromagnetic Compatibility
,
45(4): 576-583, 2003.
5.
International Electrotechnical Commission, Inter-
national Special Committee on Radio Interference,
International Standard 60601-1-2, Edition 2:2001
consolidated with amendment 1:2004.
9.
J. H. McIsaac. Interference to Anesthesia Devices
by Radio Transmitters, unpublished paper, The
Hartford Graduate Center, 1996.
