The Necessity of Training for In-House Imaging Engineers

We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Kenneth Hable, MD, BSRT, director of engineering and training at Technical Prospects about training for in-house imaging engineers. 

What, in your opinion, are the greatest benefits of training your medical imaging engineers?

When you provide your medical imaging engineers with proper training, you are empowering them. Allowing people who service this imaging equipment to expand their technical knowledge helps your facility run smoothly, reinforces your dedication to your staff, and can positively impact your bottom line. In addition, training your staff provides your organization with freedom from the equipment’s OEM and their service agreements. 

What are an organization’s options when the OEM service contract does expire? 

When your original service agreement comes to an end, you can look to renew it with the OEM. However, this process often involves renegotiations that can be a hassle and tend to be expensive. Another option would be to outsource equipment support to a third party that you would then contact when you need to service equipment. Again, not a bad option, but when equipment does go down, your hands are tied until the service representative arrives onsite. The final option, and my personal recommendation, is to invest in training your staff on proper maintenance and service for your imaging equipment. Training organizations, like Technical Prospects, offer a wide range of courses that provide imaging engineers with the tools they need to keep equipment up and running.  

Is there a financial impact when organizations invest in employee training? 

Any time a piece of medical imaging equipment malfunctions, it means that patients aren’t receiving service and your organization is losing money. If you rely solely on a third-party service technician, that equipment will remain down until they arrive, assess the situation, and work to come to a solution. When your staff is properly trained to address issues, they can get right to work on equipment, reducing downtime and missed procedures. This means there is a less significant impact on patient care, helping minimize any financial deficits. 

How can training help address the current talent shortage the healthcare industry is facing? 

The healthcare industry, like many others, is facing a talent gap. As baby boomers continue to age towards retirement, expanding your team’s knowledge base through training can help address this labor shortage. It will not only provide your team with more extensive service capabilities, it will also give them a greater sense of loyalty to your organization. In addition, training older engineers allows them to stay up to date on the latest technology and keep them active on the job.  

Do you think it is necessary for medical imaging engineers to be cross trained on a variety of OEMs or modalities? 

Absolutely! You never know when someone may be sick or out of the office and your organization experiences a technical difficulty. Whether you cross train teams across OEMs or modalities, it is imperative that everyone has a working knowledge and understanding on how to service a variety of equipment. It will save everyone time and the potential financial and logistical setbacks of downed equipment. 

Are there certain factors to consider when selecting a training provider? 

I always recommend that training courses feature a hands-on component, and write all my syllabi with that in mind. When I think about the most memorable teachers and classes I’ve encountered over the years, the ones that have stuck with me are those that let me dig in and provided those hands-on experiences. With that, I also stand by the medical school philosophy of a three-step rule, “See One, Do One, Teach One.” At Technical Prospects, we combine classroom lectures with hands-on learning. In addition, we also encourage our students to teach what they’ve learned to their colleagues once they return to the workplace. This not only helps them retain what they learn, it also makes that service team even stronger.   

Beyond training, what other services does Technical Prospects provide? 

In addition to our top-notch Siemens training courses, Technical Prospects offers quality-tested parts and support. Our pre-owned, refurbished, and new Siemens medical parts are available at a fraction of the OEM cost and have a DOA rate of only 1.043 percent. Technical Prospects offers more than 40,000 parts currently in stock, with our 650 most demanded parts ready to ship immediately. Our knowledgeable support staff knows Siemens medical imaging equipment inside and out, and offers 24-hour consultation and troubleshooting for round-the-clock service. 

To learn more about training, parts, and support, visit the Technical Prospects website.