Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Regulation
Agencies
Clinical
Research
Hospital
Administration
Patients
Third-Party
Payers
CLINICAL
ENGINEER
Doctors
Leasing
Agencies
Allied Health
Professionals
Nurses
Vendors
Hospital
Environment
FIGURE 1.10
The range of interactions that a clinical engineer may be required to engage in a hospital setting.
development of biosensors may interact with those interested in prosthetic devices to
develop a means to detect and use the same bioelectric signal to power a prosthetic device.
Those engaged in automating the clinical chemistry laboratory may collaborate with those
developing expert systems to assist clinicians in making clinical decisions based upon
specific laboratory data. The possibilities are endless.
Perhaps an even greater benefit of the utilization of biomedical engineers lies in the
potential for implementing existing technologies to identify and solve problems within
our present health care system. Consequently, the field of biomedical engineering offers
hope in the continuing battle to provide high-quality health care at a reasonable cost. If
properly directed toward solving problems related to preventative medical approaches,
ambulatory care services, and the like, biomedical engineers can provide the tools and
techniques to make our health care system more effective and efficient.
1.4
ROLES PLAYED BY THE BIOMEDICAL ENGINE
ERS
In its broadest sense, biomedical engineering involves training essentially three types of
individuals: the clinical engineer in health care, the biomedical design engineer for indus-
try, and the research scientist. Presently, one might also distinguish among three specific
roles these biomedical engineers can play. Each is different enough to merit a separate
