Introduction[edit | edit source]
New approaches to training health care workers are needed to reduce the global burden of disease and suffering. In low- and middle-income countries in particular, barriers such as availability and cost can limit access to traditional clinical training opportunities. Clinicians have limited opportunities to learn and practice new skills once they have left the training environment. Too many clinicians learn new skills on patients without an opportunity for skills assessment and improvement.
Training leaders from around the world are collaborating to create, evaluate, and share training modules on this page. As a result, learners will be able to learn the skills needed to repair and maintain critical medical devices with competence and confidence.
Similar approaches to skills-training have been developed on Appropedia. These include surgical skills training modules related to the Global Surgical Training Challenge and emergency medical response curriculum related to the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.
Biomedical Engineering Training Content[edit | edit source]
Medical Aid International has developed a comprehensive training programme for both aspiring and existing biomedical engineers. The Biomedical Online Training Programme is designed for simplicity and ease of use in low-resource settings. To reach learners around the world, the programme is delivered entirely online.
The Programme consists of thirteen-units, each of which includes video lessons and multiple-choice questions. Learners must achieve 100% for each unit prior to progressing through the course. Learners can retake as many times as necessary, but each time the questions and answers shuffle, to ensure genuine understanding and robust learning.
Upon completion of the Programme, candidates who pass receive an Assured Biomedical Engineering certificate from City & Guilds–a globally recognised awarding body.
The Programme ordinarily costs £1,950 / $2,300 and includes access to the online training content, a comprehensive professional tool kit (including shipping), and additional benefits. For the pilot programme described below, the Intuitive Foundation will fund the full programme cost for participating organizations and learners.
Medical Device Training Pilots[edit | edit source]
The Intuitive Foundation is coordinating a coalition of partners to improve the manner in which people learn to repair and maintain essential medical devices. The Foundation seeks partners to deliver Medical Aid International's Biomedical Online Training Programme to learners in low-resources settings. These partners include medical service organizations, engineering service organizations, and makerspaces. Each partner will deliver the Training Programme in different ways and in different contexts. The Intuitive Foundation aims to identify practical insights from participants, including learners, health care workers, and pilot partners.
Desired Pilot Outcomes[edit | edit source]
- Improved access to knowledge, tools, parts, and space for maintenance and repair of medical devices
- Improved uptime of medical devices
- Improved structures and incentives for training and retaining biomedical engineers.
Pilot Programs[edit | edit source]
The Foundation envisions the following three types of pilot programs.
Pilot 1: Hospital Pilot[edit | edit source]
This pilot aims to support hospital-based biomedical engineers to repair and maintain medical devices. The overall requirements and protocol associated with this pilot are as follows:
- Hospitals provide a designated workspace for biomedical engineers. The room must be securable and equipped with electricity, internet, and adequate work benches.
- Participating hospitals will receive upfront funding to complete an audit of its medical devices. The audit should include estimated uptime and maintenance costs for existing medical devices. The results will serve as a baseline for device performance, including reliability and maintenance costs.
- Upon completion of the audit, enrolled biomedical engineer(s) will participate in Medical Aid International's Biomedical Online Training Programme. Learners will receive free access to online training materials, textbooks, and a comprehensive professional tool kit. One laptop will also be provided for every three enrolled learners. The tools kits and laptop will be owned by the hospital.
- Participating hospitals will provide learners with paid training time. Hospitals will also monitor and report tool wear and/or breakage. If replacement tools are needed, hospitals will purchase replacements using study funds; learners will not be liable for replacing tools.
- If a biomedical engineer leaves the participating hospital, they should be encouraged to find and train a successor. The departing engineer will be allowed to take the toolkit with them to their new employer. Replacement tools will be provided at no cost to the hospital for the replacement engineer.
- Throughout the pilot and for a total of 12-months, participating hospitals will document medical equipment performance data using the standards established in the previous audit. At the end of the 12-months, participating hospitals will receive a $1,000 payment to purchase additional equipment and/or supplies.
Pilot 2: Makerspace Pilot[edit | edit source]
This pilot aims to position makerspaces as hubs for the repair and maintenance of medical devices. Participating makerspaces will support both the training and maintenance capabilities of biomedical engineers. As an alternative to hospital-based training, makerspaces have the opportunity to service and broader set of medical organizations. This pilot will support the transformation of participating makerspaces into regional hubs of repair and maintenance of critical medical devices. Participating makerspaces will have the opportunity to design and test innovative business models to support the continued operation of biomedical engineering trainings after completion of the the pilot.
The overall requirements and protocol associated with this pilot are forthcoming.
Pilot 3: Replacement Parts Pilot[edit | edit source]
This pilot aims to improve access to replacement parts for medical devices. Such parts can be difficult to identify, attain, install, and configure. Especially in low- and middle-income countries, it can be challenging for hospitals to formally change the ownership (i.e. repatriate) of donated medical devices. Proof of ownership is a requirement to then purchase replacement parts from authorized part resellers and/or device manufacturers.
The Replacement Parts Pilot aims to create a network of individuals that will serve as an authorized parts reseller. These individuals will have completed the Biomedical Online Training Programme and received a credential from City & Guilds.
Participants will also use open-source resources, such as iFixit's Medical Device Repair Database.
The overall requirements and protocol associated with this pilot are forthcoming.