1. Professional Issues in BME
Societies, Licensure, Ethics, Forensics/Consulting
Chapter 21

2. Biomedical Engineering Societies
BMES 2 meetings, newsletter, annals
IBE joint mtgs, web newsletter
AAMI yearly, largely instrumentation
IEEE-EMBS yearly, joint, magazines, int.
AMIA biannual, magazine
RESNA rehab
ACM sigbio special interest group

3. Societies, continued SPIE international, bio apps ASME, ASCE, AIChE
AdvaMed (Advanced Medical Technologies Assn.)

4. Standards Settings Groups: Society Based
IEEE
ASME
AAMI
AMA American Medical Assn.
AHA American Heart
ADA American Dental
ASQC Am. Soc. Quality Control
ANSI Am Nat. Stds. Assn.!!!!

5. Standards Settings Groups: National Groups
NEMA electrical manufacturers
NSC safety council (ISTD)
NFPA fire protection
NCRP radiation protection

6. Standards Settings Groups U.S. Miscellaneous
UL underwriters lab
OSHA Gov’t. occ. Safety
FCC Federal Communications Comm.
JCAHO

7. Major International Groups:
ISO International Standards Organization – 110 countries – ANSI is US rep.
IEC International Electrotechnical Commission – electric/electronic standards

8. Professional Licensure
Why? Required for work involving public safety, certification of requirements, etc. $. Respect. Testimony. Promotions. Future job requirement?

9. Professional Licensure, Continued
How?
BS in an ABET 4yr approved curriculum.
- few exceptions
Residence in state
See for more info & dates
Pass FE exam ->Engineering Intern

10. Professional Licensure, Continued
4+ years of responsible engineering work +FE or 12 years responsible work
Pass Principles & Practice Exam & Presentation of Credentials
-> P.E. License (with stamp)

11. Professional Licensure, Maintenance
Yearly license fees payment
Yearly privilege tax payment
Continuing Education
Abiding by rules of conduct (ethical practice!)

12. Professional Conduct =
Preservation of public welfare
Service only in areas of competence
Objective, truthful
No conflicts of interest
No bribes, false advertising, etc…
IEEE, NSPE, most have code(s), ethics

13. Forensics PE almost a necessity. Area of competence? Determine “fault”
Document “fault” via investigation, replay, testing, mathematical modeling
Convey info to the one who hired you
Outcome: fired or continue (50%)

14. Forensics continued
Document, prepare for testimony, answer interrogatories, Rule 26, go or no go!
Go to court if necessary (5-10%)

15. Forensics continued
Charges: 1/1000 annual per hour, plus expenses (hotel, travel, duplicating, services agreed upon, supplies…)
Generally write a maximum daily charge into the contract
For you folks: 55,000/1000 = $55/hour
Lawyer: $150 & up
MD: $200 & up, …

16. Forensics continued Male assist device: refused.
Claim no data/damage low speed – NO!
Ventilator -> brain damage (simulation)
Air embolism case (simulation)
Drapery cord case (communication)
Enteral feeder case (case justified?)

17. Consulting Area of expertise Non-disclosure
Agree on contract: 1 day, % time, rights, etc.
Whatever the market (S&E&…) …