Clinical engineering bridges the gap between medical technology development and practical application. Clinical engineers, as a result, primarily train and consult medical personnel on the use of various technologies. They also act as a link between medical professionals and researchers. This discipline is a subset of biomedical engineering, which entails applying engineering principles to medical research.
The terms biomedical engineering and clinical engineering are often used interchangeably. Clinical engineering is a branch of biomedical engineering, despite the fact that some people and definitions confuse the two fields. The latter term refers to a broader field that includes research and design in addition to the practical application tasks that clinical engineering is usually responsible for. However, both the general and sub-disciplines deal with the same basic biotechnology and biomedical equipment. Pharmaceutical drugs, medical methods such as regeneration therapy, and advanced equipment such as imaging machines are examples of common areas of work.
One of the most important aspects of clinical engineering is teaching and knowledge acquisition. Certified professionals assist medical personnel in comprehending the operation of new technologies and devices. Clinical engineers can also help with technician training when it comes to installing medical equipment in a facility. Both of these responsibilities necessitate a high level of clinical engineering expertise.
As a result, biological, medical, and technological concepts are heavily emphasized in this field’s classes. Management and leadership abilities are also important. An advanced degree in engineering, as well as the required test certification, are typically required to meet these requirements. Clinical engineers are not usually directly involved in the research and development process, despite the fact that they must have a thorough understanding of the research components of developing medical technology.
The other major component of clinical engineering is evaluation and analysis. Individuals in this field work closely with medical professionals and immerse themselves in medical settings in order to better understand the needs of doctors and other medical staff. As a result, identifying areas for improvement and communicating these observations to R&D engineering teams is critical. Clinical engineers can also assist hospitals and other similar facilities in determining what technologies are available and developing financial and business plans to gain access to them.
Despite the fact that the field has been recognized in some form since the 1960s, its viability has been questioned. Biomedical engineering has sparked a lot of interest because it combines engineering and medicine to create revolutionary concepts like ventilators. Many clinical engineering training programs arose in the mid to late twentieth century, as scholars predicted that the medical world would require trained professionals to explain and help implement these technological advancements. Due to low enrollment, many of these programs were discontinued, but the International Certification Commission for Clinical Engineers remained. Clinical engineering has seen a resurgence in the twenty-first century, and the field goes by different names in different parts of the world, such as Healthcare Technology Management.