Get the Word Out
Thank you for your lead note on biomed departments and groups telling others — it is a relevant point. I and a number of colleagues in the UK read 24x7 every month and find useful articles, challenging viewpoints and interesting insights into American culture (you have more outdoor social meetings).

I have visited the USA on a number of occasions and when I do, I try to fit in a visit to a hospital or a biomed complex. Staff in Washington; New York; Baltimore; Los Angeles; Chatsworth, Calif.; all went the extra mile to make me feel welcome and explain the excellent work being done to protect patients.

So if any CE, BMET or biomed is coming to the UK or Europe on holiday or for a conference, consider popping in to say “Hi” (an e-mail in advance would be wise). There are similar departments in many cities. Also consider an exchange visit. We have exchanged engineers with a hospital in Sweden and had many visits regarding ISO 9001 from all over the world.

So tell your readers to get the word out internationally. That way we can all have more fun in our jobs.

Best regards,

Peter H. Smithson
Medical Equipment Mgmt. Organisation
Quality & Organisational Developmt. Mgr.
Bristol Haematology & Oncology Centre
Bristol
Peter.Smithson@ubht.swest.nhs.uk.

On Target
Dave Harrington has hit the nail right on the head! (See Soap Box: “A Clear and Present Danger,” April 24x7.)

I have been trying for years to get the manufacturers to give me schematics and have been given the list of excuses, from “We don’t want to have our material stolen or copied by foreign competitors” to “We do not think you are able to go to component level.” The fact is, without schematics you end up replacing two boards instead of one because you can’t verify where the problem is created. Even in installations, when a simple problem arises, you wait for hours to hear back from the factory to find out some simple solution; a set of schematics would have yielded positive results in a short period of time.

Another suggestion would be to have a technology guarantee. This would give a minimal time that a manufacturer will support the equipment instead of two years after the unit is purchased to be told, “parts are obsolete.”

Everyone should write his or her representatives in Congress and refuse equipment without schematics.

I also agree with all other aspects of his article!

Rob Ward
Denver, Colo.