ARLINGTON, VA —They have been called the unsung heroes of medical technology and patient care — the more than 30,000 men and women who install, inspect, and repair medical devices and other technologies in healthcare facilities across the country.

In May, these medical technology professionals will be recognized for their unique contributions with a special week in their honor — “National Biomedical/Clinical Engineering Appreciation Week.”

The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) and its Technology Management Council (TMC) are sponsoring the special observance, which will be held from May 18–24.

As the proclamation states, biomedical equipment technicians, clinical engineers, and other medical technology professionals “uniquely serve patients, the medical community, and the new technology development to improve the quality of today’s healthcare.”

Given the complexity of medical technology today, these professionals provide “an invaluable resource to the healthcare industry” by “controlling healthcare costs and improving patient safety.”

In observance of their work, the TMC has approved the proclamation, which is available at www.aami.org/tmc and will make posters available to AAMI member societies, institutions, and schools.

Already, facilities and local biomedical associations around the country are preparing for events to celebrate the week, much like events held last year.

For example, in conjunction with last year’s observance, Thomas Citak of Our Lady of Fatima Hospital in Providence, RI, gave a presentation at a vocational school to introduce students to the profession, and has plans to visit more schools this year. In addition, he created a display at his facility that featured the proclamation and other materials related to the biomed field.

The TMC encourages all groups, schools, and hospitals to raise awareness of the profession during this special week. For example, you can:

• Ask your local or state biomedical society to share the proclamation with local elected leaders and ask the officials to sign it, thus making it an “official” observance.
• Share the proclamation with management and other departments at your facility. They may wish to join your department in celebrating the observance.
• If your facility has a staff newsletter, work with the newsletter’s editor to include the proclamation or other information about your department.
• Host an “open house day” in your biomed shop and invite other staff to visit. This is a great opportunity to help them gain a better understanding of the critical work you do.

For more information about AAMI or the TMC, visit www.aami.org.