Clinical engineering in Italy: the activity of the National Research Council

The results of a five-year effort to rationalise the process of acquisition and management of medical instrumentation in Italy are reported and discussed. The research programme, sponsored by the National Research Council of Italy, was completed in 1988 and focused on (1) acquisition of technology by hospitals; (2) assessment of performance evaluation and preventive maintenance procedures for biomedical equipment; (3) cost analysis of high-technology health services; (4) analysis of clinical engineering activities in Italy. The present situation and guidelines for the future are outlined. In Italy there are no official positions for clinical engineers in public hospitals; however seven health-delivery institutions have established some activity in the field and a total of 15 engineers are involved in it. Despite the obvious advantage shown by the experience of these pilot institutions, the field has serious difficulties in developing due to the policy of the Ministry of Health and the consequent lack of positions. To reach the level of service provided in other European or North American countries, Italy would need at least 500 clinical engineers and 2500 biomedical equipment technicians. However, the lack of professional opportunities does not encourage training activities in the field.