Biomedical Engineer

by Jerry Bao 2006

In today's modern hospital the delivery of health care has become heavily dependant on complex engineering systems, thus the person best suited to assume the responsibility of these systems in terms of performance and safety in the health care environment is a professional Biomedical Engineer. In the broad technical sphere of professional practice, Biomedical Engineering is a profession that applies the principles of the science of physics/engineering directly to the devices and operation of the complex medical devices used in the diagnosis and treatment of the sick and injured. 

Biomedical Engineering contributions to health care through research and development in the university and in the medical devices industries has brought about a change in how health care is delivered. As new equipment for diagnosis, treatment and the development of hospital laboratory facilities grow, the hospital has become the focal point of the delivery of health care with an associated development of allied health specialties.

As a professional in this field, this qualifies Biomedical Engineer to undertake the responsibility of medical and hospital technology management. He will also accept the accountability of the surveillance of the hospital environment and electronic instrumentation in all patient care areas, including nursing floors, intensive care units, operation rooms, outpatient clinics, emergency room etc. He will be involved with the electronic diagnosis, design and performance testing of electro-medical equipment. He will also be involved with providing technical consultation to the hospital administrator and medical personnel, as well as education and training relative to the operation and safety of medical equipment. Included in this will be authorization to give final approval on equipment purchase with regard to the safety and other technical features of the device. Another area of concern in the management of medical technology is the interpretation of and compliance with the large body of quasi-legal and technical codes and standards set forth by the government as well as accrediting bodies. Thus as a Biomedical Engineer, he will be familiar with and understand these codes and standards as well as their application to the hospital. Therefore he will assume the role of advisor and counselor in the areas of the technical codes and standards as well as acting as a supervisor to see that they are adhered to within the confines of the hospital.

A partial list of the most common duties that are performed by a professional Biomedical Engineer is as follows:

	Provide consultation to the medical and paramedical staff on capabilities and limitation of medical instrumentation and aid in the planning of medical instrumentation systems.
	Develop, initiate and operate an educational program in medical equipment utilization for the hospital personnel, including medical, nursing and maintenance staff.
	Train and supervise technicians involved in preventive maintenance and repair of electro-medical equipment.
	Prepare performance function and test specifications for each instrument.
	Provide procurement advice on all contemplated instrument purchases, particularly with regard to safety, standardization, power requirements, performance and compatibility with existing equipment.
	Initiate investigation of unsafe equipment and equipment relevant accidents.
	Perform control quality of performance testing and preventive maintenance by regular inspection of records, devices and systems.
	Accept overall responsibility for all devices and instruments, including planning for purchase and installation, acceptance criteria, certification of performance and surveillance warranty and  service agreements for all patient-oriented equipment in hospital.