Posted by Len Stanish, CBET, 10/16/2009 3:01:24 AM

This issue seems to be one of the common oxymorons that the biomeds across the country encounter.

My hospital recently purchased new monitoring equipment that had a seven digit price tag attached, but could not come up with a couple hundred dollors to cover the cost of hotel and meals. The training is included in the purchase as most contracts have as a standard clause. But you can not put expenses into the contract,which is the "Catch 22" for the biomed in these purchases.

So I ask the Biomed community how do you deal with this issue?
Am I in the minority on this issue??
Am I preaching to the choir???

Posted by Doug Sharp, CBET, 10/20/2009 4:23:21 AM

Len, you ask how we all deal with this issue.  We seem to muddle through it somehow, don't we?  Do whatever you can to do things yourself with minimal training and manpower.

Now with the economy of healthcare going down the tubes, with worry about our politics and politicians, and the economy in general- we have to just work smarter- whether or not we have the formal technical training.

It's just part of the job anymore, and I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Posted by J Scot Mackeil CBET, 10/27/2009 6:56:29 AM

This issue of training and travel expenses for biomed's is one of the "secret shames" of our industry.  monitoring systems with a 7 digit price tag and no way to find a few hundred dollars to send the biomed guy to school?  i bet extensive monies were spent to educate caregivers on 3 shifts around the clock before the systems went live? i bet there were many pages of sign in sheets documenting the caregiver staff was trained? why? because user training is mandated by the JC.  Len is your name on one of those sign-in sheets?  did you sign up for supper-user training also? did you get a document from the vendor? to add to your CBET journal? no?-yes?

my main point is that much of the behavior of senior administration regarding issues like funding travel and training for biomeds is that it is all driven by what a JC inspector looks at during the survey process.  until the JC starts walking into materials management departments, asking  to see purchase orders for medical equipment along with receipts and certificates to prove biomed staff went to training on recently purchased systems, this "secret shame" of our industry will only continue to grow and grow.

it is my belief that in order to solve this (and other issues) the biomed industry needs to lobby for the JH to develop and include survey criteria which de-incentivize this particular institutional behavior.  hospitals employ people to study the JC accreditation process and create a checklist of all the "things" the organization needs to "do" and "spend money on" and if things like biomed training, staffing, space, service manuals etc... are not on that checklist because they are not being surveyed, it is collectively our fault as an industry.  we can gripe all we want but change is not going to happen unless the survey process changes first.  the JC survey process is where it all starts and wether we like it or not, it is where it all ends.

IMHO, J Scot Mackeil CBET

ps, kudos to any biomed department managers who have the political and organization skill  NOT have their departments be in the situation described above. but wouldn't it be nice not to have to fight for every budget cycle because the biomed education money had to be allocated simply because it was mandated by the JC, case closed?

Posted by vsarmiento, 11/1/2009 4:27:32 AM

Typically this whole issue of technical training is and/or should have been a part of the equipment acquisition protocols and/or policy of an institution.  From the time a request for a new piece of equipment is generated, the biomed's role and active participation has also begun.  From an RFP is generated, researching which proper make and model will satisfy the clinical and medical application requirements of the hospital to the actual trials and specification validation, Biomed is an integral part of this process. Various requirements such as to the type of clinical and technical trainings, warranty and technical support, going live, expected equipment delivery and installation, pricing and payment structures are and should be spelled out and incorporated in the RFP or request for proposals to any prospective vendors / manufacturers.  
Any additional or extra expense associated with the equipment acquisitions are normally built-in and budgeted every year as part of the biomed operating expenses, if not already incorporated in the original RFP.  The only thing that we need as biomeds is some planning and foresight to avoid such situations.

Posted by vsarmiento, 1/20/2010 5:19:22 AM

Being a Biomed person, one needs to be proactively involved in day-to-day hospital activities.  This is a way of knowing what the rest of our work environment needs and what the administration people are planning to do to address them. We have to show that we are involved, willing and able to participate in improving the "Environment of Care".  Once this status is achieved, you will be surprised that everyone will be calling and looking for a biomed person for support, regardless whether its their task or not! Additional staffing as well as funding needs will be readily identified and provided without hesitations once this level of support capabilities has been demonstrated and Biomed Dept. importance been recognized.