Technical support for biomedical equipment decision making.

Abstract

Biomedical equipment in a hospital is diagnostic, therapeutic, monitoring, communication, and recordkeeping equipment that is directly or indirectly connected to the patient. This equipment continues to proliferate as developments in microcircuitry allow it to be smaller, more flexible, and thus more adaptable. One result of the equipment's increased flexibility is the ability to integrate individual equipment, clinician-users, patients, and hospital facilities into complex systems that enable the hospital to enhance patient care. Therefore, decision making regarding the acquisition and use of new equipment in the hospital must take into account the potential impact of the equipment on all the other elements of the system, including clinical and support staffs.