ARLINGTON, VA — The Technology Management Council (TMC) of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) will tackle a full plate of projects this year including the development of new career resources, increased guidance on information technology (IT) issues, and a study that will examine the future of technology management in healthcare.

At its December meeting, the 20 members of the TMC mapped out their 2008 priorities — all of which are designed to improve the benefits and services of AAMI members who manage and service medical technology.

 “Some of these projects are significant efforts that will help advance our field, while others may have a shorter-term benefit that AAMI members will gain from in the months ahead,” says Ray Laxton, TMC chair and executive director of client services for ARAMARK Healthcare.

Benchmarking and Technology Management

One major project that the TMC will continue to grapple with is a major benchmarking project. In 2007, a project commissioned by AAMI found that benchmarking was both desirable and feasible. This year, the TMC intends to develop and utilize an online self-assessment tool whereby healthcare facilities could input data to help facilities measure their performance on a variety of important issues.

Another project that may have long-term implications on the field will assess the current role of technology management in healthcare and explore future opportunities and challenges. AAMI will hire a consultant to conduct a series of focused interviews with clinical engineering managers and their supervisors to examine the current and future responsibilities of the departments, the role of IT, and the perceptions of healthcare executives as it relates to the changing role of clinical engineering (CE) departments.  The study will explore ways in which AAMI could address the changing needs and how clinical engineers and biomedical equipment technicians (BMETs) could advance their career growth.

All about IT

Over the last three years, several educational resources have been created by the TMC to help professionals advance their understanding of IT integration. The resources have included sessions at the AAMI Annual Conference and three editions of a special publication called IT Horizons.

In 2008, AAMI will work closely with members of the American College of Clinical Engineering (ACCE) and Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) to create guidance and share best practices so that members of all three organizations can benefit from the collaborative guidance and shared expertise.
This fall, AAMI and the TMC will also publish the 4th edition of IT Horizons, which will be mailed to all AAMI members.

Advancing Your Career

Also, this year, a TMC task force will implement a comprehensive plan that would seek to increase career resources, tools, and guidance for AAMI members; and renew efforts to attract more students to the field.

For example, the TMC will create posters that hospitals, schools, and recruiters can use to promote the field as a career option. In addition, a mentoring program will be created to increase the networking opportunities of AAMI members of all experience levels.

Other career resources this year include the release of a new employment/salary survey, which will be published in the Jan/Feb issue of AAMI’s journal, BI&T; as well as a new internship section of the AAMI website where employers can connect with new professionals just entering the field.

“There’s no doubt that our plate floweth over with projects, but there’s a lot of energy and enthusiasm on the TMC to get this work done,” says Laxton. “And just as important, there’s a ‘let’s get it done’ attitude that has been at the heart of everything the TMC has done over the last three years.”

Formed by the AAMI Board in 2004, the TMC is comprised of 20 BMETs, clinical engineers, and other medical technology professionals who work to improve the benefits and services available to this segment of the AAMI membership.

For up-to-date news about the TMC and to monitor these projects, visit www.aami.org/tmcconnect. To get involved or to ask questions about the TMC or its projects, contact Steve Campbell at scampbell@aami.org.