Biomedical Equipment Technolgy

A Biomedical Equipment Technician/Technologist, also referred to as a Biomedical Engineering Technician/Technologist (BMET) or Biomedical Equipment/Engineering Specialist (BES or BMES) is typically an electro-mechanical technician or technologist who ensures that medical equipment is well-maintained, properly configured, and safely functional. In hospital or clinical environments BMETs often work with Clinical Engineers, though as in most technical fields there is a professional and legal distinction between engineers and engineering technicians/technologists.
BMETs are employed by hospitals, clinics, private sector companies, and the military. These persons install, inspect, maintain, repair, calibrate, modify and design biomedical equipment and support systems to adhere to medical standard guidelines. Biomeds are involved in the total management of healthcare technology beyond repairs and scheduled maintenance; such as, capitol asset planning, project management, budgeting and personnel management, designing interfaces and integrating medical systems, training end-users to utilize medical technology, and evaluating new devices for acquisition. BMETs educate and advise staff and other agencies on theory of operation, physiological principles, and safe clinical application of biomedical equipment maintaining the facility's patient care and medical staff equipment.
The acceptance of the BMET in the private sector was given a big push in 1970 when consumer advocate Ralph Nader wrote an article in which he claimed, "At least 1,200 people a year are electrocuted and many more are killed or injured in needless electrical accidents in hospitals."[1]
BMETs cover a vast array of different fields and devices. However, in many cases there is a separation of responsibilities whereby other (more specific) specialists focus on certain kinds of medical technology—i.e., an Imaging Repair Specialist works strictly on medical imaging equipment, and typically comes from an Imaging background, either from the military, or an OEM. An Imaging Repair Specialist usually does not have much, if any, biomedical training. However, there are situations where a BMET has cross-trained into the Imaging field.
Examples of different areas of Medical equipment technology are:
BMETs work closely with nursing staff, and medical materiel personnel to obtain parts, supplies, and equipment and even closer with facility management to coordinate equipment installations requiring certain facility requirements/modifications.
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