This week, the first gathering of the ‘EBME Expo Leaders Network’ brought together a select group of influential leaders from the healthcare technology (HealthTech) industry to drive innovation and to collaborate on achieving key objectives in the field of EBME.
Taking place at the Cinnamon Club, in Westminster, London, the aim of the discussion was to explore how the EBME Expo can serve as a platform for meaningful progress in the sector, and to identify the key challenges and opportunities to advance HealthTech management.
The afternoon encouraged a thought-provoking exchange of ideas on how the sector can navigate some of the key issues around: the increasing connectivity of HealthTech, the NHS drive towards more personalised care in patients’ homes, and the need for increased investment in HealthTech’s strategic management and the EBME workforce.
EBME Expo Chair, John Sandham pointed out that HealthTech has moved away from single devices, towards increasing complexity and connectivity: "When I started in this profession in the 1980s, I was fixing individual items on a bench. As technicians in the workshop, we would do the repairs to the equipment, then take it back. Over the years, the role has gradually changed… We have moved from individual ‘device-based management of equipment’, to a ‘systems-based management’ process. Part of that is connectivity. This year, at EBME Expo, we are introducing a Connectivity Stage," he announced.
John added that we are seeing increasing use of artificial intelligence in healthcare technologies, but "we need to ensure connectivity works first”. Patient Administration Systems (PAS) are no longer separate from the technology, and this is a relatively new area for devices such as infusion pumps, for example. Infusion pumps are now reporting directly into the PAS, so “how do we encourage our professions to move this forward?” John asked the Network.
Caroline Finlay, from MTS Health, commented that the workforce is one of the biggest issues facing the EBME sector, in terms of skills and capabilities – particularly around IT: “We cannot achieve what we need to achieve, without recognition that we need more training and development.”
Some of the hot topics discussed during the event included:
- The announcement of a new role of 'Authorising Engineer' for medical devices (developed with IHEEM) and what it will mean for the EBME sector.
- The need for a future workforce strategy and the changing skills sets required by EBME departments.
- The cyber security risks associated with connected healthcare technologies.
- The challenges and risks relating to the management of medical devices in patients' homes, as the NHS strives to move care from hospitals into the community.
- The importance of considering the ethics relating to technology - including the need for patient engagement and to tackle the potential risks of exacerbating health inequalities.
- The need for EBME departments to be involved in value-based procurement decisions – driving a shift away from procurement of the ‘cheapest’.
- The role of robots and AI in the NHS - what could the future hold?
The Clinical Services Journal will be providing an in-depth report based on the thought leadership discussion at the EBME Expo Leaders Network in the May edition.
To find out more about EBME Expo, visit: https://ebme-expo.com
