Focus on medical errors provides clinical engineering opportunities

Based upon the IOM report and the reaction it has already generated, as well as any new requirements that could emerge, we can expect to see increased pressure on health care to learn from its mistakes over the next few years. Clinical engineering professionals, who bring a breadth of experience and understanding in engineering, management and clinical principles to the table, have the ability to be an essential part of the team working to make the recommendations in the IOM report a reality. It is up to each of us to prepare ourselves to assume a prominent role within our hospitals as they tackle the challenge of reducing medical errors and improving patient safety.