Based upon a recent letter-writing campaign by hundreds of biomeds, the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) board has convened an HTM task force for the purpose of investigating the feasibility of incorporating HTM into its ranks like never before.
Biomedical expert Patrick Lynch, CBET, CCE, CHTM, CPHIMS, FACCE, is leading the campaign to form a national HTM organization that can provide lobbying and unwavering support for the HTM community. The initiative was formed after general agreement that the charters and missions of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation and the American College of Clinical Engineering do not support the type of organization that is needed.
Both societies have expressed their support for this effort to align with the American Hospital Association. A conference call is scheduled between the task force and Lynch on September 18.
In order to support this effort, and to start an independent organization if the negotiations with ASHE do not yield positive results. Lynch has established a temporary organization whose goal is to provide guidance and funding for a new national HTM organization. Make HTM Great Again, an SC not-for-profit, was launched on September 7. Paid memberships are open to biomedical associations, individuals, schools, health systems, and corporations. There is also a free informational, non-voting category.
Voting members will have the opportunity to be elected to the Board of Directors, hold offices, and take a role in the formation of the new association. This includes setting policy, determining priorities, directing the use of funds, and access to information not available to the general public.
All HTM associations and biomeds are encouraged to visit www.MakeHTMGreatAgain.wildapricot.org and review the bylaws, read about membership benefits, and join.
I do agree with the need associate the Biomedical Field with groups to better represent this field has been a needed development.
My apologies if I offend but I have already bend offended and insulted by the current choice “GREAT AGAIN”.
The Biomedical Field has been great. It has only been HTM for a fraction of the time the Biomedical field as been in existence. For me to say to make it “GREAT AGAIN” is to say it was damaged since making it HTM.
Also to use the term “GREAT AGAIN” is saying to me that the HTM agrees with the thoughts of the current president of these UNITED STATES, who has a problem with the current court systems and judges which is 1/3 of our government, and he also has shown himself as a racist, sexist and a blatant liar.
Please choose another term like “WE DO MAKE HTM GREAT” or something else, any thing but “GREAT AGAIN”.
When did you see it not be great?
I agree with Matt. Let’s leave the corny political references out of this. We certainly can attempt to be original if nothing else.
I forgot to ask: To what specific period of HTM greatness are we wanting to return? I can see myself supporting this effort but only if the name of the organization is changed.
Whats in a name? sometimes everything sometimes nothing. at this critical juncture for HTM, lets not loose sight of the overall objective. There is no doubt that there is great potential and great need for our nations HTM departments and societies to have a unified voice and vision. Because we truly could be and should be “stronger together”.
A great slogan to rally our nations Biomedical societies to affiliate under a national organization might be:
“HTM, we can be stronger together”
#HTMstrongertogether
for those of us who driven by data.
“HTM – finding strength in numbers”.
And, a more light hearted slogan, “HTM is awesome!, everything is better when we’re part of a team”
I do know that as a Biomed I have said the wrong thing, the wrong way,or at the wrong time, and had a hard fall. But I picked myself up, corrected myself, and kept on taking care of my caregivers. I think, HTM needs to find “the right stuff” to “live long and prosper” I think the slogan thing can get worked out and the effort can move forward. IMHO HTM does need the organization Pat Lynch speaks of. consider this:
You don’t need to predict the future. Just choose a future — a good future, a useful future — and make the kind of prediction that will alter human emotions and reactions in such a way that the future you predicted will be brought about. Better to make a good future than predict a bad one.
– ISAAC ASIMOV
Kudos to Pat Lynch for getting the ball rolling…