BIO-MEDICAL EQUIPMENT TECHNICIAN

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              A bio medical engineering/equipment technician/technologist (BMET) or bio medical engineering/equipment specialist  (BES or BMES) is typically an electro mechanical technician or technologist who ensure that medical equipment is well maintained, properly configured and safely functional. In healthcare environments, BMETs often work with or officiate as a biomedical, since the career field has no legal distinction between engineers and engineering technicians/technologists.






      BMETs are employed by hospitals, clinics, private sector companies and the military, Normally, BMETs install, inspect, maintain, repair, calibrate, modify and design biomedical equipment and support systems to adhere to medical standard guidelines but also perform specialized duties and roles. BMETs educate, train and advise staff and other agencies on theory of operation, physiological principles and safe clinical application of biomedical equipment maintaining the facility's patient care and medical staff equipment.

      Senior experienced BMETs perform the official part in the daily management and problem solving of healthcare technology beyond repairs and scheduled maintenance; such as, capitol asset planning, project management, budgeting and personnel management, designing interfaces and integrating medical systems, training end users to utilize medical technology, and evaluating new devices for acquisition.

     The acceptance of the BMET in the private sector was given a big push 1970 when consumer advocate Ralph Nadar wrote an article in which he claimed, "At least 1200 people a year are electrocuted and many more are killed or injured in needless electrical accidents in hospitals.



    BMETs cover a vast array of different functional fields and medical devices. However, BMETs do specialize and focus on specific kinds of medical devices and technology management (i.e., an imaging repair specialist, laboratory equipment specialist, healthcare technology manager) and works strictly on medical imaging and/or medical laboratory equipment as well as supervises and/or manages HTM departments. These experts come from either from the military, or an OEM background. An imaging repair specialist usually does not have much, if any, general BMET training. However, there are situations where a BMET will cross-train into these functional fields.


Examples of different areas of medical equipment technology are:

      Diagnostic Imaging:

            * Radiographic and Fluoroscopic X-ray

            * Diagnostic ultrasound

            * Mammography                       

            * Nuclear imaging

            * Positron emission tomography (PET)

            * Medical imaging

           * Computed tomography (CT), linear tomography

             * Picture archiving and communication systems (PACS)

            * Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scanner)



                                             

    Physiological monitoring

     Electron microscope

     Sterilization

     LASERs

     Dental                                 

     Telemedicine

     Heart lung device

     DaVinci Surgical Robot

     Optometry

     Surgical instruments

     Infusion pumps

     Anesthesia

     Laboratory

     Dialysis

     Respiratory services (ventilators)

     Gas therapy equipment

     Computer networking systems integrations

     Information technology

     Patient monitoring

     Cardiac diagnostics




BMETs work closely with nursing staff and medical material personnel to obtain parts, supplies and equipment and even closer with facility management to coordinate equipment installations requirements/modifications.


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