Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
External (community) disaster
Fire
Facility-system failure (e.g., power, medical gases,
communication systems, elevators, sewer, steam
supply, water loss or leak, or HVAC)
Hazardous-material contamination (e.g., chemical,
biohazard, or radiation)
Infection control hazard
and vendor, demonstrating the equipment to the users,
purchasing the equipment, preparing it for use, staff
training, and installation.Medical devices andtechnologies
are provided to promote quality patient care, yet ensure
cost effectiveness. Hospitals generally operate with lim-
ited funds with a growing demand for medical services.
Therefore, it is vital for clinical engineers to plan in-
vestments inmedical technology carefully and tomaintain
the equipment following procurement. The clinical engi-
neer also must be mindful of the codes and standards that
regulatory agencies have applied to health care technology.
The OR's dependency on technology for patient care
demands that medical equipment be reliable and avail-
able. The clinical engineer is responsible for ensuring that
equipment is properly maintained. Preventative main-
tenance and scheduled inspections are necessary to
minimize malfunctions, to verify functionality, and to
prevent device-related injuries. Spare devices and re-
placement parts should be maintained for all vital
equipment.
Inventory records must be kept in order, to manage
the assets of the OR. A computer database is an essential
tool for managing data such as equipment inventories,
parts inventories, and inspection schedules. A device's
individual performance and repair histories also should
be stored for future reference. Other responsibilities of
a clinical engineer can include device design, project
management, budgeting,
Clinical engineering roles
Clinical engineering is the application of technology to
improve the quality of health care in health care facilities.
It is the responsibility of a clinical engineer to apply
engineering principles to understand, develop, control,
and maintain medical technologies, systems, and pro-
cesses. Ensuring the safety of patients and staff is also at
the core of a clinical engineer's responsibilities. The role
of clinical engineering departments can differ among in-
stitutions of varying resources and services. Some clinical
engineering departments have an active role in the ap-
plication of technology for patient care, while others are
mainly a ''fix-it'' shop. Smaller institutions tend to have
a centralized clinical engineering department that
services the entire facility. On the other hand, larger in-
stitutions might allocate groups to specific departments
within the hospital.
The OR is particularly challenging to a clinical engi-
neer. It is an area of abundant and complex technologies.
In order to provide proper support to the OR, the engi-
neer must understand surgical processes and terminol-
ogy, in addition to providing technological expertise.
Ethics and professionalism are also vital characteristics in
this field. Members of a clinical engineering department
must be conscious of their impact on the patient care
process and overall safety in the OR.
The evaluation and introduction of new technology is
a major function of a clinical engineer. The process of
medical equipmentprocurement includes identificationof
equipment needs, selecting the equipment specifications
staff
training,
incident
in-
vestigation, and facility design.
Conclusion
The OR is a complex department that serves an essential
role within a health care facility. This environment com-
prises a wide range of clinical professionals, medical
technologies, and complex systems. The clinical engineer,
as a technical expert, is essential to the efficiency and
safety of the health care facility. To support the OR ef-
fectively, the clinical engineer must maintain a thorough
knowledge of medical devices, clinical practices and pro-
cedures, facility systems, and safety guidelines.
References
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Guidelines for Design and
Construction of Hospital and Health
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BMET Certification Course. Mercer
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Bronzino JD.
Management of Medical
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Engineers
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Bronzino JD.
The Biomedical Engineering
Handbook
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Brooks DC.
Current Techniques in
Laparoscopy
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Bronzino JD (ed).
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Complications in Head and Neck
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Understanding
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