By John Wallace
MD Publishing, the parent company of TechNation and MD Expo, recently held a successful HTM Mixer in Baltimore with almost 300 people in attendance!
“This was by far the best attended HTM Mixer that we have had,” MD Publishing President John Krieg said.
The HTM Mixer was held at the Turf Valley Resort and was supported by the Baltimore Medical Engineers and Technicians Society (BMETS). The event provided valuable continuing education, networking and vendor engagement opportunities.
The Mixer served as a regional conference for HTM professionals eager to earn continuing education credits, explore solutions in an exhibit hall and network with peers.
“Thanks so much for a successful event. My staff and I learned a lot at the seminars and made contact with vendors that can help us with several issues at our hospital. We really enjoyed the event and the accommodations,” Frederick Health Biomedical Engineering Director Walt Scowden, BA, CHTM, CBET, said.
“The HTM Mixer by MD Expo was a great regional event, with great speakers and vendor booths,” Skytron Executive Sales Manager and BMETS President Michael Milan said. “As a sponsoring vendor, I had some enthusiastic conversations about real-world challenges, and was able to discuss the solutions we offer. The attendees seemed to really want to learn, and take advantage of all of the knowledge available from each vendor.”
“As The Baltimore Medical Engineers & Technicians Society (BMETS) president, I would say that we reached a lot of clinical engineers/biomeds/department heads that had not previously attended a BMETS meeting,” he added. “When discussing the purpose of our 40-year-old organization and what we strive to deliver in our monthly meetings, people really understood the value of exchanging ideas and keeping up on industry trends and regulations. Four vendors who sponsored monthly BMETS meetings in the 2022-23 meeting year were in attendance at the HTM Mixer, and I suggested prospective sponsors go speak with them to hear firsthand the value that comes in presenting their services or products to the group.”
“That being said, yes, the HTM Mixer absolutely exceeded my expectations as BMETS president,” he added.
The educational lineup for the HTM Mixer featured several one-hour sessions designed to cover hot topics and great insights for attendees. Career development, leadership, certifications, electrosurgery, contrast injectors, health technology hazards, art of contract negotiations, cardiology for biomeds and ultrasound were among the topics covered.
“This was my third HTM Mixer as both a presenter and attendee and I continue to be most impressed by the consistent high quality of the sessions, the number and mix of supporting vendors, and the always popular food offerings and happy hour. It’s also especially refreshing to see the fun and networking going on among the attendees, vendors and the incredible MD Expo staff. Simply, I always leave more informed, recharged, rebalanced and proud to witness and be a part of such programs,” Milwaukee School of Engineering Adjunct Professor Larry Fennigkoh, Ph.D., PE, said.
“In addition to the Mixer’s technical sessions, what I’ve come to believe may be even more lasting and helpful, is the almost palpable therapeutic value of such programs,” he added. “While the attendees always seem attentive and eager to learn, they seem even more hungry for the interaction with their like-minded and dedicated fellow biomeds. Hospital biomed work is hard, and it is not uncommon for those in the trenches to get verbally banged up and bruised on a regular basis – making one start to question the value of their work. Attending such Mixers can be a great way to heal, reenergize and prevent your passion from turning into some form of apathetic scar tissue.”
More than 40 of the leading HTM companies had booths in the exhibit hall to share solutions with attendees. A welcome reception, coffee breaks and a happy hour provided additional networking opportunities for everyone in attendance.
“Absolutely, not only met but exceeded my expectations,” Fennigkoh said when asked if the HTM Mixer met his expectations. “Just when I think there may not be anything new to learn, I get surprised with some new concept or pearl of wisdom I didn’t have before. Interacting with the other attendees and vendors always reinforces and validates the importance of what this entire HTM community is trying to do.”
MD Publishing recently announced the next HTM Mixer will be held in Indianapolis. The Indiana Biomedical Society (IBS) is supporting the HTM Mixer. The HTM Mixer will be held in lieu of the annual IBS symposium.
“My recommendations to a biomed considering attending a future HTM Mixer or MD Expo is to engage with the vendor booths and see what products or services they offer, for real-world problems,” Milan said. “With the intersection of clinical engineering and IT, I foresee a lot more solutions to manage workflow, preventative maintenance schedules and diagnostic testing.”
“If you’re at all passionate about your career, attending any future HTM Mixer should be an absolute no-brainer. You will not find a better, value-added program anywhere. At only one day in length, it’s even worth using one of your vacation days if your employer won’t let you attend. These meetings can be some of the best PM you can give yourself,” Fennigkoh said.
For more information, visit HTMmixer.com.
