Biomedical Engineering in Cambodia

About

Biomedical engineering is a multidisciplinary field that involves the application of engineering principles and techniques to the medical and biological sciences. It encompasses a wide range of areas, including medical imaging, biomechanics, biomaterials, medical devices, and healthcare systems. Profession of Biomedical Engineering is essential in healthcare facilities for assuring safe and efficient medical equipment, its development, reduction of health care costs and improving level of medical services.

Although there are efforts to improve the maintenance and management of medical equipment in Cambodia, there is a shortage of professionals (especially biomedical engineers) to maintain medical equipment in health facilities.

The University of Health Sciences (UHS) together with the Institute of Technology (ITC) have opened the Associate Degree in Medical Engineering for first students. With the help of the Czech Republic, ITC and UHS have been able to further develop the Associate Degree in Medical Engineering and teaching and provide a broader context for the profession of Biomedical engineers.

The responsible for health technology implementation is the Department of Hospital Services, Ministry of Health. The official nomenclature system for medical devices has been nationally developed in “Manual of Medical Equipment Management for National and CPA3 Referral Hospitals”.

 

[Global atlas of medical devices, WHO Medical device technical series, ISBN 978-92-4-151231-2, 2017]

Currently, it is essential that a basic Medical Equipment (ME) management and maintenance system is implemented in hospitals by Biomedical Engineers.

 

Management of ME refers in particular to:

  • Creation of an inventory of ME – All ME of the hospitals must be recorded properly on card/list which includes: location, record of repair and maintenance, name of factory and address, ID number (attached to the equipment for permanent identity) and detail description of the equipment including their specifications.
  • Develop a systematic maintenance schedule to have a regular preventive maintenance for each ME.
  • Ensure technical library involving Users manuals for ME, instruction/manual on assembling and replacing spare parts with record of code number of related equipment, electronic data books and equipment accessories, and technical guidebooks.
  • Ordering ME consumables and service parts.
  • Secure testing tools for checking proper functioning of ME and for checking electrical safety of ME.

 

Maintenance of ME refers to the entire life cycle of ME in the hospital:

  • Registration of ME (ME inspection, Functional test, Installation, User training, Maintenance training)
  • Monitoring of ME condition (Preventive maintenance, Electrical safety inspections, Repairs, User training)
  • Condemn of ME
  • Provide basic trainings for staff to understand how to operate ME, how to keep ME safe and how to perform basic daily ME maintenance

 

Biomedical engineers should also be in charge of the Infrastructure of the hospital:

  • Stable electric power supply with a standby generator,
  • Clean water supply with hot and cold water,
  • Drainage and sewage for waste water,
  • Clean and properly working medical grade air-compressor,
  • Clean room with air conditioning to ensure no dust and warm wet climate which may affect ME and the condition of a patient,
  • Infection control and sterilization of ME.

 

 

Detailed information on the Management and Maintenance of Medical Equipment and the role of the biomedical engineer in a hospital in Cambodia is provided on the following website, together with links to documents developed by the Cambodian Ministry of Health:

BMEcambodia.com/documents

 

 

Within 5 years, Biomedical Engineers at medical services provisions could be further involved in the following activities:

 

  • Biomedical Engineers are involved in (procurement) tenders for the purchase of ME.
  • Biomedical Engineers are trained and certified by the ME manufacturers to service, maintain and repair ME.
  • Biomedical Engineers are involved in diagnostic and therapeutic care and supervise compliance with the principles of the correct use of ME in accordance with the instructions for use and other instructions laid down by the manufacturer of the ME.
  • Biomedical Engineers modifies the basic programming settings of devices according to the specific needs of the workplace or patients in accordance with the instructions for use and other instructions of their manufacturers.
  • Biomedical Engineers implement Metrology system (Legal metrology has reduced accidental deaths and injuries with measuring devices, such as radar guns and breathalyzers, by improving their efficiency and reliability. Measuring the human body is challenging, with poor repeatability and reproducibility, and advances in metrology help develop new techniques to improve health care and reduce costs.)