Longtime 24×7 editorial board member Patrick “Pat” Kelly Lynch, CHTM, CCE, CBET passed away on March 1, 2024, in Fort Mill, S.C., after a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer.
Lynch, who wrote a monthly column for 24×7 called TheLynchPin, was a clinical engineer for over 50 years, beginning his career at Charlotte Memorial Hospital. He was a highly respected member of his profession and received numerous awards and accolades over the years. He appeared on the cover of 24×7 in 2014 after receiving AAMI’s HTM Leader of the Year Award.
He held posts at Global Medical Imaging (GMI), TriMedx, and Northside Hospital in Atlanta. Lynch also served as a biomedical instructor for Engineering World Health and the chairman of the Clinical Engineering Board of Examiners for six years.
During his career, Lynch traveled to many developing countries to bring and repair much needed medical equipment such as infant incubators and heart monitors. He was the founder and president of the nonprofit organization Biomeds Without Borders.
Lynch wanted to be known as the “Chief Do-Gooder” in his career and through his work for Biomeds Without Borders donating and repairing gently used medical equipment for developing countries.
“I’ve done a lot of things in my career, and I’m very outspoken and I’ve probably made every single mistake that could possibly be made in this profession,” Lynch told 24×7 in 2019. “And my job as Chief Do-Gooder is to share those mistakes that I’ve made with others so that they don’t have to make them.”
Patrick is survived by his wife, Patricia; his mother, Sylvia Hogan Lynch; his three daughters, Christy Lynch, Erin Josey, and Eva Lynch and eight grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Baxter Village – Village Hall, in Fort Mill on March 10 at 3 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Charlotte Community ToolBank or the local charity of your choice.
Rest in Peace. Thank you for all of your contributions.
Pat signed my CBET cert. I had multiple chances to meet and ask questions. His answers were direct and made you think, He told you what you needed to know to figure out the problem so you can get it right by your way of thinking. And if you got it wrong, as he said had learned how to do some things the wrong way too. That way you would learn that mistakes are part of learning. There is now a large pair of shoes to fill in the BMET field. I’m sure step up with their own pair because his can never be filled. He will and his knowledge will be sorely missed.
Pat a good friend of mine will be missed in Biomedical world. His knowledge base was infinite and we can only hope that his kindness, his great personality and easy demeanor, has rubbed off on other’s who may want to step up and fulfill the void he will have left behind. RIP Patrick.
Wow! Talk about a great loss to the Biomed community! My thoughts and condolences to his family.