Comments on: Why the HTM Field Needs to Stretch

By: MIKE RENDE

MIKE RENDE — Mon, 17 Jun 2019 20:24:11 +0000

I RETIRED AFTER 47 YEARS AND IF THERE’S IS ONE THING THAT I eventually disliked a lot is the IT side of Biomed. I started with PACS in 2001 and it has blossomed to the point where it would take 3 people to handle it properly. The skill sets are different the procedures are different and a DVM is not required. Understanding the choices, picking the right system AND the correct level of contract support is essential. IF installation and workflow are solved early all goes well. AND you MUST be organized. We have to own it totally. This cannot be done without the hospital IT people. It’s their backbone. Getting highly trained IT types into HTM is mandatory. Experience a high priority-but schools can be substituted. BACKUP and disaster plans are far more complicated and crucial to have in place since processing of anything patient related at all cannot take place without everything on-line since everything is on-line. This is stress not solved by a spare physio monitor. New tools, new skills, new outlooks, and a changing demands will keep us stretching for years, but we should have already started the exercise program! Cost$ yes; failure is not an option. Get rid of the doubt; be a lean mean HTM/IT machine. Now, not later. finally, what others have said is right on.
(IMHO) YMMV

By: Joe Deater CBET

Joe Deater CBET — Mon, 17 Jun 2019 19:20:38 +0000

Having just came back from the AAMI Conference in Cleveland, the IoT was a hot topic and all that is coming with it. To include Networking systems and cyber security. To me there are two big drawbacks to our future. One is, as you stated, Biomeds staying the course of PM and CM only and staying out of sight. The other is a product of this mindset and that is the lack of support from the C-Suite. I too am an adjunct at a community college up in northern Michigan for our Biomed Program here. I have gotten networking into the program and I am working on cyber security also. But in talking with the experts from around the country IT Modalities are not quite Healthcare that Biomeds need. There really needs to be a Healthcare Cyber security and Networking courses specific to what we do. The final piece that is slow to come into play and always has been is the manufacturers training for things like Davinci and the coming AR/VR devices. Biomeds will have to eventually take these up as we have other specialty devices over the decades. We need to become more vocal moving forward within our facilities and with manufacturers. Long gone are the days of Biomed being the silent hero’s. We need to make some noise and step up the game to lead in the technologies that are coming.

By: Chris Salberg

Chris Salberg — Fri, 24 May 2019 19:03:08 +0000

As an x-ray engineer and business servicing diagnostic imaging equipment I feel it is ESSENTIAL that all of our engineers/technicians take computer courses….especially computer Networking courses. I myself learned Networking A+ skills through COMPTIA which is a self study course. Having this knowledge I can figure out if it’s my equipment that is malfunctioning or if it is a hospital networking issue and even if it is a hospital networking/IT issue we are usually able to correct many of the problems that occur….i.e. bad switch ports, mis-configured settings…etc.

Rapid X-Ray
https://www.rapidxray.biz
Chris@rapidxray.biz

By: Jeffrey Ruiz

Jeffrey Ruiz — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 00:38:16 +0000

In reply to Steve Erdosy. Steve, thanks for the kind words. Just trying to communicate that we have so much opportunity to showcase our unique talents. Thanks!

By: Jeffrey Ruiz

Jeffrey Ruiz — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 00:36:59 +0000

In reply to Joe Mitura. Thanks for the feedback Joe. The more we can get the word out and share each other's success, the better we have a path for others to follow and develop other own technology strategies. Thanks!

By: Joe Mitura

Joe Mitura — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 21:41:44 +0000

Good article. I agree with you. As a
Technical Instructor, I see Biomeds from across North America. I am constantly bringing up the fact that devices are becoming integrated,”IT’ed”. I still get students who just want to do PM’s and not worry about systems or networks. Stretching is a good thing. Keep up the good work.

By: Steve Erdosy

Steve Erdosy — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 16:56:00 +0000

Great article Jeff!

By: Robn Faut

Robn Faut — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 16:45:18 +0000

Nearly 20 years ago, I realized that computers were going to be a mainstay of HTM and so went and got a master degree IT (Network Security). I have always enjoyed computers and had played with fixing trashed computers since the PC clones hit the market. So what happens when I apply for the various IT positions at where I use to work? Of 6 positions that I applied for, I got interviewed only twice. Three of those IT positions were for the IT security job and I only got interviews the first time. (It was first given to someone with experience but no degree, then someone with a certification and a BA before finally giving it to someone that finally did a good job and stayed, still with a BA and passed the test for a certification but needed the experience.)

From my experience, upper management is doing more to keep HTM from stretching and expanding then the HTM professionals. Even with HTM departments being put under IT management, IT does not seem to think anything of the CBET certification or any of the time a HTM professional get an IT certification.

There also seems to be a blind spot in the area of EMR workers as they are filling them with RNs almost exclusively under the idea that no one else would have the medical terminology for the job. Missing, the fact HTM professionals need to know medical terminology to understand what is wrong with the equipment (and it is tested on all the HTM professional certifications).

HTM is suffering from no one knowing about the profession and the great feeling within the profession that there might be 4 steps up that one can manage in one career and then it is a dead end. A horrible thing to do to a bunch of self motivated, highly trained, often self trained (especially for the most common medical equipment), highly intelligent, very interactive, trouble shooting, technology centric people.