Paul Kelley, director of biomedical engineering for Washington Hospital in Fremont, Calif, has been appointed to The Joint Commission’s Patient Safety Advisory Group, which recommends National Patient Safety Goals for adoption by The Joint Commission and reviews patient safety recommendations for publication as “Sentinel Event Alerts.” As a director of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) and an executive committee member of AAMI’s Technology Management Council, Kelley gives clinical engineers and biomedical equipment technicians a voice on the topic of patient safety.

In a press release, Gerald M Castro, project director of patient safety initiatives for The Joint Commission said, “A veteran biomedical equipment technician provides a deeper perspective into the technical aspects of patient safety risks associated with devices, instrumentation, and materials. This perspective is essential as we address issues like the safe implementation of new technology.”

On his background, Kelley said, “I think clinical engineering people are normally looking at issues and events with the patient safety perspective anyway. Often we see problems with devices or interfaces before they cause trouble, or we may see the resulting situation from a different point of view. I hope my background and different view can help round out this important committee with the perspective that has been missing to date.”