Lecture 02

Starting A Clinical
Engineering Department
 Biomedical Engineering Department
at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital

https://1technation.com/department-profile-newyork-presbyterian-hospital-biomedical-eng
neering-department/
Biomedical Engineering Department at
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
- BE Team: 120 full-time employees
- Hospital Size: 2,508 certified beds and 135 bassinets
- Medical Devices’ Inventory: 70,000 assets
Biomedical Engineering Department at
Piedmont Atlanta Hospital
 Part II
Planning Phase
 Content
Starting a Clinical Engineering Department
Part II
- Steps To Start
- Workload Analysis
- Qualifications & Educational Levels
- Clinical Engineering Shop
 Starting a Clinical
Engineering Department
Steps To Start
 Starting a Clinical Engineering Department
Steps To Start
The steps in starting a clinical engineering function in a
hospital start with this role and are:
1. Determine the inventory of medical equipment items. 
• The inventory is a very important aspect in the start up of a CE
department.
• Inventory all medical devices and determine if other areas may
also be the responsibility of the department - IT,
communications, AV systems, and facilities equipment.
• A physical inventory is best as hospital asset or financial
records are vague and asset tags can be placed on the items.
• A standardized nomenclature must be used. The results are
most efficiently loaded directly into a notebook computer
during the physical inventory.
 Starting a Clinical Engineering Department
Steps To Start
The steps in starting a clinical engineering function in a hospital start
with this role and are:
1. Determine the inventory of medical equipment items. 

• Data input includes:

– type,
– manufacturer,
– model,
– serial number,
– condition,
– location, and
– owner department.

• The device should be tagged with a unique control number, bar code
or RFID tag. Also find out the purchase date & cost, and technological
status - emerging, standard of care,
 Starting a Clinical Engineering Department
Steps To Start
The steps in starting a clinical engineering function in a hospital
start with this role and are:
2. Determine the maintenance, regulatory, and support
requirements for each item
3. Match each device with all current aspects of maintenance
and support - vendors, costs, services, contracts, etc. You will
typically have to audit accounts payable to obtain all
information.
4. Assess the current services and costs with the requirements of
each item and all reasonable options - time and materials,
outside vendor or in-house, service contracts and all attributes
(get quotes from vendors), e.g. parts only, full service,
glassware, maintenance insurance, lease, reagent, other
5. Interview staff to determine quality of current services,
wishes, and expectations
 Starting a Clinical Engineering Department
Steps To Start
The steps in starting a clinical engineering function in a hospital
start with this role and are:
6. Determine the best mix for equipment support and define it in
financial and functional terms matching the support with
equipment. Typically this involves eliminating expensive
manufacturer service contracts.
7. Analyze workload and technical staffing needs, e.g. imaging,
IT, lab, or other specialty,  test/repair equipment, space, stock
parts, furnishings, computerized equipment management
system, administrative support and other internal factors.
8. Evaluation of current support of other aspects of healthcare
technology management at the hospital and needs -
technology planning consultation,  patient safety support -
recalls, incident evaluation, SMDA reporting, education, special
projects, facilities support, IT support, etc.
 Starting a Clinical Engineering Department
Steps To Start
The steps in starting a clinical engineering function in a
hospital start with this role and are:
9. Determine total costs to determine best method to
provide services; have some alternatives and options. An
example of a spreadsheet showing contracts to retain,
put under maintenance insurance (CAPP), eliminate, and
subsequent savings is found for Anywhere Hospital.
10.Develop proposal with a strong executive summary, high
data integrity and solid analysis and justification,
creativity, and package in an attractive package
11.Present to senior management at the hospital with a
concise description and preparation for possible
questions.
Workload Analysis
Starting a Clinical Engineering Department
Workload Analysis
Workload analysis must take into consideration expected
productivity.

• Productivity is expressed as a percentage - productive time

divided by overall work time.

• Work time is total time minus vacations, holidays, and sick

time.

• Training, staff meetings, shop cleanup, travel, and

administrative time, e.g. entering work data into the computer,
may or may not be included as part of productive time. Some
programs define these activities a productive indirect.
 Starting a Clinical Engineering Department
Workload Analysis - Example
Staffing statistics from the Veterans Administration (VA)
healthcare system and the AAMI Benchmarking Solution are:
– One BMET per 1087 devices
– One BMET per $5.2 million in acquisition cost
– One BMET per 100 - 150 beds
– One Clinical Engineer per 14 techs
– One FTE Clinical engineer if over 350 beds
– CE Consultant (Part-time) for under 350 beds
– Supervisory span of control: 7.8
– One supervisor for every 8 - 12 BMETs
– One support staff for 8 - 10 BMETs
 Starting a Clinical Engineering Department
Staff
Common Responsibilities
What are common staff members responsibilities?
– Director with overall responsibility who leads the
department, sets the vision, deals with executive-level
activities, and represents the department
– Technical Services/BMET Supervisor supervises primarily
maintenance, installations, upgrades, etc.;  Supervisors will
manage 5-10 employees
– BMETs - technical services on general biomedical, radiology,
clinical lab, respiratory, dialysis, IT, or other specialists;
BMETs have several classification levels - I, II, III, Specialty
– Clinical engineer involved in consultation, projects and
technical services as required
 Starting a Clinical Engineering Department
Staff
Career Progression Matrix
Starting a Clinical Engineering Department
Staff
Qualifications & Educational Levels
Director and Clinical Engineer
– The Director and Clinical Engineer typically have BS degrees in
engineering - biomedical or classical field such as electrical
engineering.
– Directors and managers also need business training.

BMETs
– Educational levels for BMETs are generally military training at basic
and/or advanced level or two year associates degree in biomedical
technology or EE.
– A technical background and a certificate course such as the Biomedical
Equipment Technology Sequence is another educational route.
Clinical Engineering Workshop
Starting a Clinical Engineering Department
Clinical Engineering Shop
The shop area of the department space requirements should
include:
– an adequate electrical supply (110, 220 volt outlets)
– medical gases
– phone lines
– computer connections
– parts and manuals storage
– excellent lighting
– adequate workbenches and
– other furnishings, plumbing, HVAC including AC, and other features.

The size of the space depends upon the equipment worked on,
e.g. portable x-ray or ventilators require a larger space. Storage
requirements will also have to be addressed.
Starting a Clinical Engineering Department
Clinical Engineering Shop

Test and repair equipment must include

– digital voltmeters,
– oscilloscope,
– electrical safety analyzer, and
– simulators and analyzers based on the equipment
needs.
Specialized equipment for environmental
measurements such as a spectrum analyzer or
electrical power analyzer might be required.
Starting a Clinical Engineering Department
Clinical Engineering Shop
Parts stock depends on:
– emergent requirements
– inventory serviced
– failure rates
– shipping time from the vendor
– customer needs

Batteries, cables and other common parts are typically

stocked.

If you are servicing off site locations, the logistics are

different along with the resources - vehicles, test equipment,
and other traveling resources.