Biomedical/Clinical Engineering practice improves healthcare: Health Association Nova Scotia

May 27 2010

The week, May 23 to May 29, is National Biomedical/Clinical Engineering Appreciation Week and celebrations across the country are recognizing the importance of this field to improving healthcare and the contributions of its practitioners.

The practice of Biomedical/Clinical Engineering is important to the safety, well-being, and effective care of all patients across Canada. A range of professionals work in this broad field, such as biomedical engineering technologists, technicians, clinical, biomedical engineers, and other medical technology professionals. Biomedical Engineers design and develop technologies for healthcare, usually in an academic or manufacturing setting. Clinical Engineers work in the field mostly in large hospitals solving medical device problems. Biomedical Equipment or Engineering Technicians and Technologists work primarily on the front lines in healthcare facilities and inspect and repair medical devices and other complicated medical systems. They also provide consultative advice and support for patient safety initiatives and replacement forecasting as well as train others concerning the effective use of medical devices. Collectively, this helps to control health care costs and improve patient safety.

"The many professionals who work in this wide-ranging field play a vital role in ensuring that the technology and devices used in the delivery of patient care services in health organizations is safe, effective and appropriate. Moreover, the introduction of new, advanced medical technology contributes to better and safer patient care and, ultimately, helps to improve our health system," says Mary Lee, President and CEO of Health Association Nova Scotia. "Health Association Nova Scotia is proud to recognize National Biomedical/Clinical Engineering Week. We extend our appreciation to all biomedical equipment technologists/technicians, clinical/biomedical engineers, and other medical technology professionals for your invaluable contributions to Canadian healthcare."

Health Association Nova Scotia has provided a Clinical Engineering Service for more than three decades. The Service currently delivers an Electromedical Program in seven of the province's district health authorities. Through this program, the Clinical Engineering Service supports technology such as anaesthesia machines, infusion pumps, and EKG monitors. The service supports more than 6500 devices in total, representing a combined value of approximately, $33,000,000.

The Health Association's Clinical Engineering Service also provides an Electromechanical Program (EMP) in five health districts and most recently, signed its first contract with a continuing care organization. The EMP provides technical support for devices, such as sterilizers, OR tables, patient lifts, stretchers and wheelchairs. The service supports more than 4000 devices in total, representing a combined dollar value of approximately $17,000,000.

The week, May 23 - 29, was proclaimed National Biomedical/Clinical Engineering Appreciation Week by the Canadian Medical and Biological Engineering Society (CMBES) and their U.S. counterparts.