Jenny-Lower-headshot-500-webOne of my favorite TV shows, AMC’s Mad Men, deals a lot with new beginnings. The quest to start over drives most of the characters—professionals at a New York advertising agency in the 1960s—throughout seven seasons and a decade of their lives, all while making some very questionable fashion choices.

But the show’s philosophy really emerges a few seasons in, when the new spouse of a main character (no spoilers!) says, in response to their partner’s desire to wipe the slate clean, “There is no fresh start. Lives carry on.”

That’s a little oversimplified, of course, but the same could be said for any profession that has been around as long as Biomed (or, for that matter, journalism). Healthcare technology management and 24×7 are looking forward to an exciting new year, but what’s ahead depends a great deal on what has come before.

A Deeper Focus on Imaging

With this issue, we’re introducing a new section called 24×7 Imaging to better serve this growing segment of the healthcare field. Each month, we’ll present a mix of features on imaging modalities and related topics, educational resources, and themed product guides to help our readers keep abreast of the latest developments in the industry. We kick off with part 1 of a feature by Dallas T. Sutton, Jr (who also penned our cover story on alternate equipment maintenance) about tips for haggling over imaging service contracts. Mastery of this negotiating process, the bane of so many biomeds’ existence, has the potential to save healthcare facilities millions of dollars. It’s also a key way to demonstrate the value your shop brings to the table. This guide will help ensure you’re prepared the next time you sit down with your OEM representative.

In the coming months, we’ll expand our coverage. If you have burning ideas for topics you’d like to see covered, send us a note at [email protected].

The Editorial Board

I’m also pleased to announce that Binseng Wang, one of our stalwart contributors, has joined 24×7’s editorial board. Many of you will recognize his byline from his frequent columns for CE Perspectives—including this month’s, in which he discusses the role of risk-based criteria in inventory management.

Binseng comes to us with more than 25 years of experience in healthcare technology, including tenures at Aramark, the National Institutes of Health, and Sundance Enterprises, where he currently serves as vice president, Quality and Regulatory Affairs. He is a fellow of the American College of Clinical Engineering and holds a doctorate in bioelectrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. We are delighted to have him lend his expertise to 24×7.

Familiar Challenges

Finally, because we never really start over, this issue features some topics that will no doubt sound familiar. 2015 was the year of the security breach (a truth I can attest to as one of the millions affected by the Anthem hack). In this edition of Networking, columnist Jeff Kabachinski presents the first in a three-article series to help HTM professionals get up to speed on this urgent issue.

In the cover story, Dallas T. Sutton, Jr untangles the debate launched 2 years ago when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued its memo permitting alternate equipment maintenance. His department’s common sense approach to its AEM program may provide a useful roadmap to others looking for clarity.

And in this month’s Soapbox, Dennis Minsent picks up where the 2015 salary survey left off, calling on existing HTM leaders to cultivate the next generation of professionals to carry the field forward. Young leaders, apply within!

By keeping in mind everything 2015 taught us, we’ll be better equipped to greet 2016 and beyond.

Jenny Lower is 24×7’s chief editor. Contact her at [email protected].