Volume 19, Number 3 ________________________________________November 2000

Message from the President

Do you call it autumn or fall?

Well, either way you look at it, the November meeting is next. My thanks go out to Kevin Lund and the people at St Croix for sponsoring October's meeting. Sometimes I hear members say, "It's just going to be the same thing as last time." Well to those of you who didn't show up, the meeting was informative and Kevin was prepared to show us what changes have been made and show us some new hardware being used for data management. Thanks again for your time and effort Kevin.
Speaking of time and effort, here's another reminder about dues. Every year the membership renewal begins in September. This is the start of every "BMETS" year. Payment of dues between October 1st and May 31st, pays for your membership through the following September. Payment of dues between June 1st and September 30th, pay for your membership through September 30th of the following year. Consider yourself reminded.
The bylaw vote is going to be extended to the close of the November meeting. This includes email responses. Any vote received after the close of the November meeting will not be counted. I feel enough notice has been sent out making members aware of the vote. Changes will be passed or failed on a simple majority, check your existing bylaws.
At this time I would like to state the obvious. Meeting attendance is down and there is a total lack of support from the majority of members. Without good meeting attendance, I can't see why vendors would want to take the time or put in the effort into holding a meeting for the BMETS. Let's see more members showing support. Support can be in the form of attending a meeting, giving information on vendors willing to hold a meeting, or running for an office. The officers are important to the operation of the BMETS. These positions will be open in June of 2001. Anyone interested in being an officer, contact a member of the executive committee. See you at the November meeting.

PS: Plan ahead for the AAMI convention next year. If you need any information, contact Candace Keaton or Andrew Currie.

Certification

BMETs strive for Certification to show their competence in their chosen profession, but are you aware of these additional certifications and job specialties brought on by the computer revolution? Obtain additional information about these courses from Global Knowledge at www.globalknowledge.com or for Hands-On Training for IT Professionals try Learning Tree International at www.learningtree.com

Letter received by BMETS Secretary

I received this letter from Mr. Cortez and decided to run it in its entirety as it sounds like it could be very beneficial to our members.

Dear Terry Tracy,

I am writing to introduce you to a new and exciting website that can benefit you or any of your co-workers. The website is BiomedicalWorld.com. This is a site designed to assist the biomedical service industry in meeting their demanding budgetary needs through the purchase of new and pre-owned assets.

BiomedicalWorld.com is focused on facilitating sales of biomedical test equipment, electronic test equipment, biomedical tools and supplies, medical equipment, etc; by marketing to Biomedical/Clinical Engineering Departments, Hospital Purchasing Departments, Independent Service Organizations, Medical Equipment Manufacturers, Third Party Service providers, etc.

Our auction style site allows you, as a Seller to list your products, accessories and services for free. You chose your confidential minimum target price and you set the opening bid price. You only pay a small commission if the item sells; furthermore, BiomedicalWorld also accepts purchase orders from hospitals. It also provides an opportunity for Buyers to shop any time of day or night regardless of your office hours. As a result, we believe the site can increase your sales revenue with little effort or expense on your part. This site is an excellent vehicle for promotional sales of close-out models, over stocked items and new product exposure. We can also provide links to your website, for those interested in learning more about your local biomed society.

I am looking forward to an opportunity to discuss a mutually beneficial relationship with you in more detail, so please do not hesitate to contact me at (888) 465-0535 or email me at hcortez@biomedicalworld.com. We also, encourage you to visit our website at www.biomedicalworld.com to observe the ease and speed of our design.

The AAMI 2001 Conference puts the MORE in BaltiMORE

The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation will host its Annual Conference & Expo in Baltimore, Maryland June 9-12, 2001. The conference will bring together more than 2,300 healthcare technology professionals from around the world.

AAMI has energized the entire 2001 venue by creating more focused and in-depth sessions than ever. The four day conference and expo at the Baltimore Convention Center, will cover interests including biomedical and clinical engineering, healthcare technology management, the convergence of medical and information technologies, research and development, equipment design, quality systems and regulatory affairs. More than 70% of the educational content will be presented for the first time ever at the AAMI Conference.

Over 150 companies will exhibit in Baltimore. The show floor is a market place for test equipment, batteries, cardiac and monitors, infusion devices, computerized maintenance systems, electrodes, and other equipment, supplies and services related to medical instrumentation development, acquisition, maintenance and use.

AAMI is leading the way in healthcare technology management and support in partnership with the Virginia Biomedical Association, the Baltimore Medical Engineering and Technical Society, the North Carolina Biomedical Association, and the American College Clinical Engineering.

To find out more about AAMI 2001 visit www.aami.org.