‘A Great Friend’
Former VA Chief Biomedical Engineer Dies
Steven G. Wexler, whose work ethic and determination led to numerous patient safety advances for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), has died.
Wexler, 60, died Sept. 17 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He lived in North Potomac, MD, and was the chief biomedical engineer for the VA’s central office in Washington, D.C., before his retirement in 2008.
Colleagues say Wexler, who worked for the VA for more than 30 years, was instrumental in numerous patient safety initiatives.
“Steven always found a way to get things done, and inspire others to work with him to get there,” says Paul Sherman, senior biomedical engineer at the VA Center for Engineering and Occupational Safety and Health. “No matter the challenge, Steve found a way through, sometimes gently, sometimes very directly.”
Wexler created the Patient Safety Alert process, which sends out advisories and alerts to VA facilities regarding medical equipment and system problems, Sherman says.
He inspired the creation of the VA’s Medical Device Isolation Architecture Guide, which addresses risks associated with medical devices connected to networks. The guide provides a five-step approach for moving networked devices from a common local area network to a more secure network.
Wexler began his career with the VA in 1978 at the VA Prosthetics Center in Manhattan. He later joined the VA Medical Center in Brooklyn, before being recruited in 1984 to work in the VA Central Office as a biomedical engineer.
“He had a great ability to boil down a set of very complex and technical issues to a straight-forward bottom line,” says Jim Keller, vice president of Health Technology Evaluation and Safety for the ECRI Institute in Plymouth Meeting, PA. “I remember working with Steven on different committees or panel discussions, and his insightful perspectives would really help move the group to quick and effective decision making.”
Wexler’s “wicked sense of humor” also helped committees reach their goals, Sherman says. “Most saw the gentler side of it, when he knew exactly what to say to defuse a tense moment, enabling everyone to move on and solve the challenges,” he says. “I was fortunate enough to see the other side when we were butting our heads against a wall, needing to vent and letting our frustrations fly.”
“He was also a great friend, and I’ll miss him.”
Wexler is survived by his wife, Ellyn; two sons, Adam and Noah; a grandson; his brother, Randy; and mother, Bernice.
Posted: September 19, 2012