Empowering the Biomedical/CE Professional
Future Forum participants lobby for profession
As she crisscrossed the country talking with biomedical associations, Karen Waninger heard a consistent mix of comments about adopting the new name “healthcare technology management.” “There is always a mix of people who say, ‘It is about time,’ and ‘What can we do to help,’” says Waninger, director of the Clinical Engineering Department at Community Health Network in Indianapolis, Ind. “There is an equal mix of those who say either, ‘This is a waste of time,’ or ‘We have done this before and it has never gone anywhere.’” Waninger was a participant at the Future Forum, where more than 30...
Conversations from the TechNation Community
PHILIPS INTELLIVUE SETUP IN BIOMED SHOP QUESTION: Has anyone set up a stand-alone test system to test the transmitters for the Philips IntelliVue Telemetry System in their biomed shop? ANSWER: Never found it necessary but seems to be a lot of work to just test telemetry packs. We always just test them on the floor. Between setting up the mainframes, antennas and receivers plus central in the shop the cost would not be economical unless there is another way of doing it. ANSWER: If it’s not an issue with transmitting and you have the M2601As, you could always use a...
Fluke ProSim Vital Signs Simulators
Fluke Biomedical’s new patient simulators, which recently received 510(k) clearance, offer the company’s latest technology for patient monitor testing. The ProSim 8 all-in-one multifunction tester is designed to perform most preventive maintenance (PM) testing in five minutes or less. It simultaneously simulates ECG, respiration, temperature, IBP/cardiac catheterization, cardiac output, NIBP and SpO2 and is capable of testing new Masimo multi-wavelength SpO2 Rainbow SET in physiologically synchronized pulses. For patient monitor troubleshooting on the go, the ProSim 4 quick-check touchscreen simulator provides onetouch testing for patient monitor performance checks and troubleshooting in the field. Designed to get test results in 60...
Choosing the right equipment service option
Finding the best option between servicing your equipment in-house or using an outside party can be complicated. Consider these recommendations to help you effectively manage the decision process. How do you decide who should service your medical equipment? Should it be the original equipment manufacturer (OEM)? A third-party/independent service organization (ISO)? Or should your clinical engineering department take on some or all of the responsibility? The decision can be difficult, and all the relevant factors—such as cost and the level of support required—must be examined to compare their relative importance. NO SIMPLE FORMULA Unfortunately, there is no formula that can...
Glossary takes aim at confusion surrounding ‘Adverse Event’ terms
“Quick, what is the difference between a defective, false, or intermittent alarm?” Healthcare technology management professionals have to choose between terms like these with multiple meanings and definitions every time they report an “adverse event” involving a medical device to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which, many say, leads to some reports being unreliable and vague. “The communication related to device safety is not common,” says Yadin David, director of Biomedical Engineering Consultants, LLC in Houston, Texas. “We use different terms for similar conditions, which has created confusion. Overall, it does not make our field able to focus...
Creating a wireless network
802.11b is the standard that is popularly used for high-speed wireless networks. The standard is set by IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) and uses a 2.4-gigahertz radio frequency. There are several standards that are in use today for wireless communication from one computer device to another. However, 802.11b is cost effective, quick and easy to use. For many people, building a WiFi network is easier than ever thanks to 802.11b. This technology usually includes a wireless router that is able to send radio signals using 802.11b over the air to other computers or electronic devices. Usually a WiFi...
AAMI Board invests $500,000 to launch safety council
The AAMI Board of Directors has made an unprecedented $500,000 investment to create the AAMI Foundation’s Healthcare Technology Safety Council (HTSC), which will tackle pressing issues involving health care technologies. The decision to invest AAMI funds in this arena comes at a “crucial time in history,” said AAMI Board Chair Marcy Petrini. “Technology has been amazing at improving patient outcomes. But as the health care environment becomes more complex, addressing safety issues becomes even more imperative.” This technology carries risks as well as rewards, especially with the added challenge of connectivity. Some recent problems topping the headlines include overmedication from...
Neutral to ground voltage causes and cures
Neutral to ground voltage is a commonly discussed subject anytime power quality issues are the topic. What are neutral to ground voltages? Why do they occur? Why do they receive so much attention, and how can they be mitigated? These questions are all important in the operating environment of today’s sophisticated electronic systems. Understanding neutral to ground voltages is a first step in assuring that modern technology operates reliably and economically. The Problem Defined Common mode (CM) voltage is another term popularly applied to the neutral to ground phenomena. Neutral to ground voltage is any potential measured between the neutral...
ISO-PUCK II hospital grade isolation transformer
The Tortran Division of Bridgeport Magnetics Group Inc. recently introduced the ISO-PUCK II, a new line of enclosed hospital grade isolation transformers. The new ISO-PUCK II is available for North American installations in three power ratings: 400VA, 800VA and 1200VA with input and output voltages of 115V/60Hz. For international installations, the ISO-PUCK II is available in power ratings of 350VA, 650VA and 1000VA with 230V/50-60Hz input and output voltages of 117V or 230V/50-60Hz line frequencies. The design of the ISOPUCK II offers several new features. The steel housing has been replaced with a molded polycarbonate enclosure with an embedded IEC60320...
