TITLE:
The Unrecognized Value of Bio-Medical Engineers in Healthcare Projects in Developing Countries
AUTHORS:
Carl E. Bartecchi, Robert Preston
KEYWORDS:
Healthcare; Developing Country; Medical Equipment; Volunteerism
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Clinical Medicine,
Vol.5 No.6,
March
28,
2014
ABSTRACT: The healthcare needs of developing countries
are great and ever increasing as their populations grow. Few assistance
programs have recognized the value of the bio-medical engineer as part of the
approach to the provision of healthcare in developing countries. An example of
a program, the Bach Mai Hospital Project, in Vietnam, utilizing the talents of
the bio-medical engineer, attests to the potential value of bio-medical
engineers as part of the healthcare team. Their inclusion in such efforts can
result in the saving of lives, time and money. Knowledge of their hospital's
excess equipment inventory and their ability to restore medical equipment badly
needed in a developing country makes them valuable additions to any medical
assistance program.