New Task Force Examines Changing Needs of BMETs
AAMI has created a new task force of BMETs and other interested members to examine the changing needs of the BMET community and steps that might be taken to better address its needs.
The 15-member task force, formed by AAMI’s Executive Committee, met for the first time by conference call in April and will convene again during AAMI’s Annual Conference in Long Beach, CA on Sunday, June 15.
Initially, the task force will evaluate the existing services that AAMI and other organizations provide for BMETs and possible approaches to enhance these services. To help determine the needs of BMETs, AAMI has hired an independent research firm to interview BMETs in May about services that they would like from a national organization.
The task force will review these results at their meeting in June. In addition, the survey results will be presented and available for discussion following the Business Meeting at AAMI’s Annual Conference. The meeting, which is open to all attendees at the conference, will be held on Monday, June 16, from 4:30 to 5:00 pm. in the Hyatt Long Beach Room-Harbor ABC.
Although the task force has just been formed, members are optimistic the effort will serve as a useful vehicle to enhance the career and professional status of BMETs.
This effort could help educate hospital administrators about the important role that BMETs and clinical engineering departments play in health care, according to Steve Yelton, PE, AS, BSEE, program chair of Engineering Technologies and Information Technologies Divisions at the Cincinnati State Technical & Community College in Ohio.
“I am not so sure it’s a total misunderstanding or just a lack of ‘marketing’ ourselves to administrators,” added Richard Eliason, CBET, manager of operations support at Aramark, Clinical Technology Services Division. “I think at the very least the administratorsknow of BMETs as ‘fix it shops,’ but we are so much more. As a profession, we have to show a return-on-investment to the administrators to justify training needs, trips to conferences, and other continuing education endeavors.”
During the April teleconference, task force members also discussed the importance of training opportunities, information technology, and local biomedical societies.
The task force, working with AAMI staff, will recommend new approaches and services to the AAMI Board. The Board will review these proposals in November 2003.
If you have any comments or questions about this effort, please e-mail Steve Campbell at scampbell@aami.org.
Source: AAMI News, Vol. 38, No. 6, June 2003