Spectrum 2015 Autumn

Spectrum 2015 Autumn
Publication date: 
10 Sep 2015

Foreword


“Clinical Engineer of the Future” is the theme of this year’s Annual Scientific Conference (held on Friday, October 2, at the Talbot Hotel Stillorgan [formerly the Stillorgan Park Hotel), Dublin. One of the BEAI’s core functions is to support the professional development of clinical engineers – all clinical engineers including those working in hospitals and equipment supply companies; those who repair and calibrate equipment; those who are medical device architects for new services or processes; those whose core role is in the business processes around medical devices; and those who are on the front line of healthcare delivery. We have an important role to play within our health service and it is the intention of the BEAI to view the clinical engineering horizon through a telescope and to ensure that our members are equipped with the knowledge and tools to be world-class clinical engineers.

The BEAI Annual Scientific Conference continues to deliver value for its members. This year, we will once again host a trade exhibition providing an opportunity to see new medical technology that is still in the pipeline, to get your hands on devices that you might have heard about but not seen, to talk to the experts and share knowledge with your peers.

The BEAI Annual Scientific Conference is an unparalleled opportunity to meet up with other clinical engineers and develop links with colleagues who face similar professional challenges – it provides an opportunity to open new channels of communication, which are often the first step in lifelong professional relationships.
The conference programme will be relevant to all our members, regardless of their grade or employer. We will consider what the clinical engineer of the future will look like, we will look at technology coming down the line, consider how 3D printing might impact on the role of the clinical engineer, and we will hear about contemporary research on medical devices and technology going on in the third-level institutions.
In addition, the BEAI will launch its strategic plan for 2015-2020 and your feedback, formal and informal, will be most welcome. We will also be launching our HSE-sponsored continuing education programme for clinical engineers consisting of four half-day courses, two of which will take place before the end of the year and two in the new year.
The BEAI has not handed over the organisation of the annual conference to professional event organisers as many other organisations have done. The event has been organised meticulously, professionally, passionately and on a voluntary basis by Brian Kearney and Oleg Shrolik with support from the BEAI Executive team. So this conference is designed and delivered by the BEAI for the BEAI – the job of our members is to attend.

Finally, let me summarise the opportunities that will be presented to you at the BEAI Annual Scientific Conference:

  • It is a unique opportunity to meet with your clinical engineering peers and develop supportive and professional relationships.
  • It is an opportunity to meet equipment and device suppliers and get up close and personal with technology you have not encountered before.
  • It is a great learning opportunity providing an insight into technical and scientific developments in the medical device and equipment sector.
  • It is an opportunity to be an active participant in your professional organisation and to support the BEAI in supporting you professionally.
  • The BEAI is an inclusive organisation, welcoming all interested parties from students to seasoned engineers.


So we’ll see you there: the BEAI Annual Scientific Conference, October 2, 2015, at the Talbot Hotel Stillorgan, Dublin.

Meabh Smith

Chairperson of the BEAI

CONTENTS
3 Editorial

4 News
7 Hospital laser safety. Authors:Jackie McCavana and Linda Gray
10 Near field communication in healthcare. Author: Emmet Travers
15 The National Healthcare Conference. Author: Meabh Smith
16 National tracking system: a safer solution. Author: Pauline Biggane
19 Surgical smoke. Author: Gavin Murray
22 Syncope and unexpected falls: models of care, diagnosis and technology. Author: Dr Ciaran Finucane
26 Medical device vigilance officer: key role in Irish hospitals. Author: Meabh Smith
28 Standards – an update. Author: Oleg Shrolik
30 World Congress on Medical Physics & Biomedical Engineering 2015. Author: Brian Kearney

About Us

The Biomedical / Clinical Engineering Association of Ireland (BEAI) is a company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital. Company Registration no. 484921.

Stay Connected on:

 

Important Information

Contact Us

For general information, including registration, please contact us at:

  • 8 Priory Office Park, Stillorgan Road,
  • Blackrock, Co Dublin, Ireland,
  • A94 EE95