WEBINAR ON ‘TESTING AND CALIBRATION OF BIOMEDICAL EQUIPMENT’

A webinar on ‘Testing and Calibration of Biomedical Equipment’ was organized by the Biomedical Engineering Department, MVJCE. The Resource Person was Mrs. Sindu M G, HOD – Biomedical Engineering Department, NIMHANS, Bangalore. The event was attended by students of Medical Electronics Department, MVJCE, and faculty from various departments.

The following topics were covered at the webinar:

• Recent technology in the Biomedical field, like IOT-based medical equipment
• The demand for Biomedical Equipment Technicians (BMT)
• Purpose and Goal of Quality Assurance
• Importance of calibrating Medical Equipment
• Comprehensive range of test equipment to cater to all hospital requirements
• Introduction to electrical safety
• Electrical safety standards
• Job opportunities
• Q&A                               

Mrs. Sindhu opened the session by giving a brief introduction about the recent technological advancements in the Biomedical field, like IOT-based medical equipment and the demand for Biomedical Equipment Technicians (BMT) in the present world. She went on to speak about the Purpose and Goal of Quality assurance, the importance of calibrating Medical Equipment, the comprehensive range of test equipment available to cater to all the requirements of a hospital, Electrical safety and Electrical safety standards.

Quality assurance (QA):

This includes healthcare technology planning, asset management / equipment control, preventive and corrective maintenance / repair, education and activities directed toward improving medical device related patient safety.

Purpose and Goal of QA:

The purpose of Quality Assurance is to ensure the quality, safety and effectiveness of medical devices, improve clinical effectiveness, reduce patient risk and improve patient confidence.

The goals are safety, accuracy and readiness for patient use. Achieving efficiency plays a vital role for patient safety. Testing and calibration of medical equipment is important to ensure quality and safety standards.

Importance of Calibration of Medical Equipment:

• Patient safety
• User safety
• Accurate diagnosis
• Effective treatment
• Safeguard against medico legal cases

Introduction to Electrical Safety:

Electrical safety is of paramount importance in best practices of quality assurance of medical devices. Electric shock can cause disruptions during healthcare procedures resulting in injury or death.

Electrical Safety Standards:

Electrical isolation techniques are utilized to reduce the current flowing to the patient to minimal levels, even at line-voltage. Some basic electrical safety tests:

1. Visual inspection of cables, plugs and connectors
2. Measurement of ground wire resistance
3. Measurement of chassis and patient lead/contact isolation

Some Pictures from the Webinar:

Outcomes of the Webinar

• The students understood the industry perspective of calibrating biomedical equipment.
• The students got to know the importance of testing a biomedical equipment and the purpose of quality assurance.
• The lecture helped to bridge the gap between classroom and real-world environment.