Jennifer DeFrancesco, MS, CCE, CHTM, who is Chief of Biomedical Engineering at the Indianapolis VA Medical Center (Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center) and the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 11, recently won the VA’s Chief Biomedical Engineer of the Year Award. That award encompasses the entire VA system.
For somebody who has excelled in the HTM profession, it isn’t necessarily the career field that DeFrancesco first considered.
“I interned with Carnegie Mellon University’s Green Institute in high school and was introduced to engineering. I was able to tour their biomedical engineering labs and was hooked from there,” she says. “I learned about hospital-based biomedical engineering professionals through a happenstance meeting with BMETs at the Miami VA while I was a graduate student doing research there.”
That new interest in biomed led DeFrancesco to the Technical Career Field (TCF) Program with the VA, which is very successful at training hospital based biomedical engineers and BMETs, she says.
“I was privileged to work under the tutelage of Mike McDonald (now the Chief of Biomedical Engineering at Puget Sound VA) for two years. The program focuses on on-the-job training and funds training for further professional advancements,” DeFrancesco recounts.
“The curriculum has some mandatory training and learning programs and some flexibility in specializing with specific training opportunities based upon your interests,” she adds. “There isn’t a better program out there right now training entry-level biomedical engineering professionals and it definitely set me on the right path in my career.”
DeFrancesco started her career where she works now at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center as a TCF Biomedical Engineer. She later became the Chief of Biomedical Engineering at the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia.
“A little over two years ago, I returned to the Richard L. Roudebush VAMC and have a dual role with our VISN which supports medical centers and Veterans in three states (Michigan, Indiana and Illinois),” she says.
In the challenges department, DeFrancesco says that being pulled in a few different directions, at the same time, can test one’s abilities.
“The past two years, in my current position, really pushed me professionally. In February of 2014, I was appointed to roll out a Clinical Information System and Anesthesia Record Keeping System for six ORs, four ICUs and six PACU/ Outpatient areas,” she says.
“While I had encountered dynamic challenges in my previous tenures, my time management and coping skills were really tested with this addition of a third role. Interfacing with a different group of stakeholders at each facility (clinical, biomedical engineering, information technology, etcetera) posed its unique challenges.”
DeFrancesco points out that it takes good human resources to get things accomplished.
“Like all good engineers, I was resourceful and developed a very strong working relationship with our VISN (region) Clinical Applications Coordinator Katherine VanDenburgh, which helped ease some of the responsibilities on both of us,” DeFrancesco says. “My Assistant Chief of Biomedical Engineering at the Indianapolis VAMC, Jordan Keebaugh, and her expert knowledge, also was a huge component of being able to take on the expanded responsibilities.”
DeFrancesco also worked with the VA’s National Information Technology Workforce Development Team and created a first of its kind pilot program in the VA for enhanced IT training. The program trained 20 people from seven facilities in three different courses: A+, Net+ and Sec+ and provided certification opportunity.
“The biggest challenge moving forward in this profession is the continued education and relevance to the growing need and demand,” she says.
Being Involved and Keeping Busy
DeFrancesco will be a presenter at the MD Expo in Dallas next month. She is also a member of AAMI’s Technology Management Council (TMC). She was a member of the ACCE 2015 Class of Certified Clinical Engineers and contributes her time to the organization.
“I co-chair the ACCE Education Committee and am a member of AAMI’s TMC. I am a VHA certified mentor and also recently became a Certified Clinical Engineer (CCE) and Certified Healthcare Technology Manager (CHTM) and finished my doctorate in health administration,” she explains.
She is a graduate of the VA’s Healthcare Leadership Development Program (HCLDP), which prepares individuals to become hospital executives. DeFrancesco also enjoys writing articles and speaking about matters pertinent to Healthcare Technology Management at various conferences.
Away from work, travel gets the nod as one of DeFrancesco’s favorite pastimes.
“I run — slowly — and am going to do my fourth half marathon this year. I also love to travel. I went to Macedonia with Habitat for Humanity and worked to build an apartment complex for 12 families. This June, I’m going to do the Incan Trail trek to Machu Picchu in Peru,” she says.
DeFrancesco feels very fortunate to have ended up working in the HTM field.
“I am so appreciative of the global ethos that is Healthcare Technology Management. Six years ago, I started my career and I can’t imagine another technology-based career field with so many people so ready and willing to teach, mentor and open doors for you,” she says.
“I’m always amazed when looking at recruitment and retention at the diversity of our field relative to other engineering disciplines. This is a true testament to the importance that HTM professionals put on mentorship, continuing education, diversity, research, and information sharing. I hope to continue to pay it forward throughout the rest of my career,” she adds.