Welcome to the Spring 2022 issue of Spectrum Journal – with Covid-19 restrictions lifted and warmer weather on the horizon, we look forward to better days ahead.
This is a jam-packed issue with insightful articles looking at a range of topics – from emergency prehospital care to major coding, leadership styles and the revolutionizing of orthopaedic implants.
As part of our Focus, Dr David Menzies – Consultant in Emergency Medicine and Pre-hospital Care, St Vincent’s University Hospital and Clinical Lead, Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance Services – outlines the technical developments in delivering care to the patient outside of the hospital environment.
Adding to our Focus section, Eithne Scully – firefighter and advanced paramedic at Dolphin’s Barn Fire Station, Dublin – offers an overview of her career.
Elsewhere, Abrar Abdelsalam – 4th year Biomedical Engineering student at DCU and Clinical Engineering intern at MRHT – discusses the benefits of internship; while Maryla Oshodi – Biomedical Engineering Graduate from TCD and Research Assistant at RCSI’s Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine – offers an overview of her recent Master’s Thesis in the fabrication of anisotropic cardiac patches with synclastic curvature using melt electrospinning writing.
In an interesting report on leadership and leadership styles, Frank Kelly, Chartered Engineer, asks whether leaders are born or made and reviews the qualities of effective leadership.
Aaron Jones discusses the role of additive manufacturing in the revolutionizing of orthopaedic implants
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Prof. Neil O’Hare – Chief Information Officer, Children’s Health Ireland / Full Prof. of Health Informatics, UCD – talks about the critical role of data in the transformation being undertaken at CHI; while Dara Keeley – Clinical Engineering, Our Lady’s Hospital Navan – examines the Major Coding and Interoperability Systems implemented in Irish Healthcare.
Michael Duane – Principal Clinical Engineer at University Hospital Galway – reviews the Implementations of the Cystic Fibrosis Telehealth Project and clinical engineering’s role in the introduction of remote monitoring equipment.
Readers can also hear from Michelle Roe – Technical Healthcare Specialist and microbiologist at Whitewater – on the impact water quality has on hospital acquired infections.
In a personal account of his career, Anthony Enright looks back on the days of Richmond Hospital before its closure when services were transferred to Beaumont Hospital. Elsewhere, the winners of medals at the BEAI Annual Scientific Conference are celebrated.
It is with great excitement that I announce the return of the BEAI Annual Scientific Conference taking place in the Aviva Stadium on 30th September with MDI Medical as our Gold Sponsor. Expressions of Interest are being sought for exhibitors with information contained within on how to register. More detail will follow in the BEAI newsletter in the coming weeks and months.
I would also like to thank Frank Kelly and his team for compiling the content for this issue. I encourage you, the reader, to engage with our Spectrum Journal Committee regarding possible contributions for future issues of Spectrum Journal.
Finally, I would like welcome Ciaran McGuinness to the position of Vice Chairperson of the BEAI.
Wishing you all the best,
Eoghan Hayden