TMC Achievements

Since its first meeting in June 2004, the Technology Management Council (TMC) has tackled several projects to help improve services to clinical engineers and biomedical equipment technicians. Here is a summary of their progress:

Sharing Best Practices - Created an area of the AAMI Web site where medical technology professionals can share best practices, policies, job descriptions, forms, and other resources with colleagues. The area is located at www.aami.org/tmc/resources.html.

Guidance to Biomedical Societies - Revised a publication entitled, How to Establish and Maintain a Local Biomedical Association, which is now available at the AAMI Web site, www.aami.org/tmc.

Special Nursing-Biomed Publication - Developed and published a special 64-page magazine, Healthcare Technology Horizons, which explores issues of mutual interest to biomeds and nurses. This was a joint effort with the Association of periOPerative Registered Nurses (AORN).

Benchmarking - Launched a benchmarking project to help develop resources that would enable hospitals and clinical engineering departments to evaluate their performance, procedures, and policies. Currently seeking a consultant to perform the work.

IT Information - Helped develop IT Horizons, 2nd Edition, which was published in Nov. 2004 and explored IT issues facing the medical technology field.

Access to the Joint Commission - Collaborated with the Joint Commission to develop a new column featuring questions from AAMI members about Joint Commission activities and responses from Joint Commission officials. AAMI began publishing the questions and answers in AAMI's journal, Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology, in July 2005.

JCAHO Information - Launched a new column in AAMI's journal, BI&T, called Joint Commission News & Views, which to date has included articles about patient safety goals, secrets of a successful survey, and experiences with the Joint Commission's new tracer methodology.

Updating the Study Guide - Provided guidance to AAMI staff on the revision of AAMI's BMET Study Guide, which is now called Assessing Your Knowledge: A Preparation Resource for BMET Certification.

Best Practices - Provided guidance to AAMI staff on the selection of nominees featured in "Best Practices" column in AAMI's journal, Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology (BI&T).

Conference Planning - Provided guidance to AAMI staff on the development of educational programs at AAMI's Annual Conference.