Equipment Works Best When Biomeds Are the First—Not Last—Call (Editor’s Message)

By Alyx Arnett

Too often, biomeds are only called in when something goes wrong in healthcare technology management. But biomedical engineers and technicians should be integrated into the full lifecycle of healthcare technology, from procurement and installation to maintenance and long-term sustainability, argues Z. Maria Oden, PhD, a professor of bioengineering at Rice University and co-author of a commentary about how healthcare systems do not fully appreciate the contributions of biomeds.¹ 

“Biomedical engineers and biomedical technicians can have an impact at every stage of the way, and, in doing so, the equipment lifecycle is improved, and thus healthcare is improved,” Oden says. 

I agree with her, and in my new role as editor of 24×7, I hope to help usher in this change. Having biomeds at the highest level of decision-making means that the maintenance needs of medical equipment and budgeting will be addressed. “What often happens is when people don’t know the equipment, they don’t understand the kind of maintenance it needs. They might not understand the spare parts that are needed,” says Oden. “So you could buy 5,000 oxygen concentrators, and if you don’t have the tubing to take that oxygen to the patient, you might as well have bought a brick.”

Oden has seen firsthand how integrating biomedical engineers into clinical teams leads to better outcomes. Her work in newborn wards has demonstrated the impact of training biomedical engineers on equipment alongside clinicians. “It makes a huge difference,” she says. “We’re able to keep the equipment out of the graveyard and build this mutual respect between the clinician and the engineer so that the biomedical engineers aren’t an afterthought, but the clinicians literally have their phone number on the wall. The nurses can call them when the equipment isn’t working.”

When this collaboration is prioritized, the dynamic shifts—clinicians don’t just see biomeds as technicians who fix problems but as partners in patient care. And it turns what could be a frustrating disconnect into a cooperative effort to keep technology working. “This isn’t an ‘us versus them’ situation,” Oden says. “Let’s work together to provide what the patient needs, and that’s exactly what the biomedical engineer wants to do.”

The authors wrote their commentary in response a report from the Lancet Global Health Commission on medical oxygen security, which highlighted the overlooked role of biomedical engineers in sustaining medical oxygen systems,² which was spotlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The commission points out that the most recent World Health Organization (WHO) data (from 2017) showed just 0.33 biomedical engineers per 10,000 people globally, compared to 2022 data showing 17.2 doctors and 37.7 nurses and midwives. Unlike other healthcare roles, there is no WHO benchmark for the number of biomedical engineers needed to sustain a health system. The commission proposes that WHO establish a minimum benchmark of 0.4 biomedical engineers per 10,000 people by 2030 and ensure biomeds are included in national infrastructure planning.

While the commission focused on oxygen security, the authors of the commentary took a broader view, arguing that biomedical engineers and technicians are essential across all areas of healthcare. “It was another opportunity to say what we think biomedical engineers can do, and hopefully, out of that, if a few more people who weren’t aware of what biomeds can do read our commentary and see how passionate we are, that’ll lead to some questions being asked about, ‘Hey, why aren’t we introducing more biomedical engineers?’” says first author Mambidzeni Madzivire, PhD, founder and CEO of Haralago, a company that provides medical equipment maintenance and healthcare facilities management services.  

Their message is clear: Without properly utilized and resourced biomedical professionals, even the most advanced medical technology can become useless. 

“It’s high time to include the biomedical engineer as a critical part of the health system,” says Oden. 

References

1. Madzivire M, Alooh M, de Magalhães Brito LF, et al. Biomedical engineers are crucial for effective health-care systems. Lancet Glob Health. 2025;13(3):e396-e8. doi:10.1016/S2214-109X(24)00510-2
2. Graham HR, King C, Rahman AE, et al. Reducing global inequities in medical oxygen access: the Lancet Global Health Commission on medical oxygen security. Lancet Glob Health. 2025;13(3):e528-e84. 

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