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By RYB

My question is

Q1. whether the job of electrical engineer is common in main or large hospitals around the world?

Q2. sometimes only technicians (electrical and mechanical), bioengineers and biotechnicians are required?

If the answer is positive,

Q3. what would be their scope of work or job definition...I mean up to what level do we intervene in medical matters or is it maintenance only?

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It all depends on the Hospital Set-up. ie:

1.)

In a private Hospital you all know how they are run. They need maximum profit, minimum pay-out.

And else ...

2.)

Public Hospiatals are run by Tax-payers funds &/ or Social-Security subscriptions

[called in developed countries as Health/ Medical Insurance].

There conditions are well known by the publics, as the Cartells get max benifits & min employments.

3.)

I had been working with hospitals in Pakistan with contractors for Bio-Medical Eqpt repairs & Maintenance.

To differentiate between Hospiatal-Staff who actually operate the equipt or helps the doctors are Bio-Tchs & Engineering Staff which reoairs & Maintain it will be referred to as

"Elecro-Midical Staff"

As I recall Pakistan Army decided to set-up its own Biomedical Eqpt Repair Cell & got its Electronics Engineers & Technicians qualified on the Major Eqpt in Miltrary Hospitals by the collaboration of a major-supplier- Firm. Progressed in training to most sophisticated Eqpt.

Hostals were using large variety of say; X-rays, Diagonostics, Dental, Pathology, Patient-monitoring, physio-therapy etc etc, including almost all the branches.

This made a mess for Maintenance Staff as the literature / tools / Test-Equpt was impossible to get.

Later-on some where in 70s, it was decided by authorities that:

a. Uniformity in Equipt be maintained to facillitate training of Bio-Techs & "Elecro-Midical Staff"

b. Supplier firm should arrange the training of Bio-Techs & "Elecro-Midical Staff"

theory, on-the -job-training and will associated "Elecro-Midical Staff" on major installation of Major X-Ray plants including set-up for Cardiac & Neuros on purchase.

&

c. Should recommend Fast-Runnung spares for 3 years to patially purchased alongwith equipt

and ensure costly Spares [such as HI-V Generators for X-ray plants for example] be supplied within reasonable time-frame [not more than 1 month] when demaded.

&

d. Should keep a share for training of "Elecro-Midical Staff" in their Internationl Training-setup.

This Policy made :

A big Finicial savings & On-the Spot Tech-Facillities to keep majority equipt in srvicce, which was not possible before this setup & had to wait for Firms Engineers to attend after weeks & large bills.

made a major "Elecro-Midical Staff" Work-force for the country's domestic requirements as well as for foriegn employments and hundreds working in Gulf-States.

Major Equipts out of service are at the disposal of "Elecro-Midical Staff" to repair by

"CANABOLIZATION" ie if more than 1 machines are out of service due to lack of spares, take out one assembly of one to the other to bring it in-service.

Q1. whether the job of electrical engineer is common in main or large hospitals around the world?

Of cource, all major Hospitals in Pakistan have.

Q2. sometimes only technicians (electrical and mechanical), bioengineers and biotechnicians are required?

Of cource all including "Electro-medical-Engg-Staff" are really needed.

The piont here is that the staff at the disposal of Hospital is the MOST- Valued ON THE SPOT available to rectify the problem.

Otherwise you have to wait for contractors' to come.

Q3. what would be their scope of work or job definition...I mean up to what level do we intervene in medical matters or is it maintenance only?

You cannot intervene but suggest & advise for the smooth running of equipt keeping all the pionts I briefly noted above.

"Electrical safety" is vital in a hospital & every Tech-Staff should be well aware of it & keep all the Equipts periodically checked & certified with date & Initials [Seal].

And Electromed_Staff wkg in Radiation Areas should wear Radiation-Badges & sent to Radition control auths for advise on dose taken

Very In=mportant

Enjoy.