AUGUST NEWSLETTER
28.09.2006 I take great pleasure in preparing this Presidents column - the first in my term of office for the period May 2006 to October 2008. At the Council meeting in Cape Town, I was honoured to be elected and to be handed the weighty insignia of office from my predecessor Dennis Grady.... 
The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the International Federation of Hospital Engineering, and are published with no acceptance of responsibility for the stated opinions or allegations. IFHE reserves the right to edit, abridge or otherwise alter material included in the Newsletter.
PRESIDENT’S COLUMN
Steve Drinkrow, IFHE President 2006-2008, sends the following introductory message
Greetings to all.
I take great pleasure in preparing this Presidents column - the first in my term of office for the period May 2006 to October 2008. At the Council meeting in Cape Town, I was honoured to be elected and to be handed the weighty insignia of office from my predecessor Dennis Grady. His valedictory statement, which appeared in the 19th congress news on 11May and subsequently published in the May issue of the IFHE NEWSletter, expresses thanks for the opportunities presented to him to serve IFHE, to meet and to work with persons in many parts of the world, and to share in IFHE’s accomplishments.
In my statements to Council and to the General Assembly, I welcomed the opportunity to further the objectives of IFHE, and indicated my desire to strengthen relationships within the federation and to extend its sphere of influence and assistance into regions which are in need of healthcare engineering improvement. The appointment of the members additional to the elected officers in the Executive Committee was carefully considered and decided - with a view to implementing these aims. Members have been allocated responsibility for particular regions of the world.
The highly successful 19th congress - theme “Healthcare Engineering in Developing Countries”- included sessions under the auspices of the World Health Organisation, and was followed by a post congress WHO/ACCE workshop. Dr Andre Issakov of WHO has expressed satisfaction regarding the collaboration with IFHE. Informal discussions at the congress with delegates from several African countries, and subsequent correspondence, have reinforced my intentions to bring IFHE to the attention of healthcare engineers and engineering organizations in those countries, and to offer IFHE collaboration in providing education and practical training.
The problem of improving healthcare engineering in Africa may best be approached by referral to my foreword to the IFHE/Business Briefings report 2005, which is summarised as follows:
In the mix of First and Third World cultures, the challenge lies in meeting the expectations of the enlightened - but with limited third world resources. The tendency is to run before you can walk; to introduce technology without the resources to ensure continued functioning of the equipment. A balanced approach is needed to ensure that basics are in place to provide a sound foundation on which the structure may survive.
IFHE is an organisation that enables engineers to keep abreast of technology; to interchange ideas and experiences on how to manage situations. We – architects, engineers, estate managers, technicians and technologists – must continue to learn from one another, apply best practice, sound principles; and focus on those activities which achieve positive results. More action and less talk! In the future President’s columns to be published in the NEWSletter at four monthly intervals, I hope to be able to report and comment on positive progress in achieving the objectives of IFHE. I believe that all members of IFHE will respond enthusiastically and cooperatively, when called upon to assist and participate in its activities.
IFHE COUNCIL MEETING NO 39 MAJOR DECISIONS SUMMARY
IFHE letter dated 14 July 2006 summarises major discussions and resolution taken at the Council meeting in Cape Town on 07 May 2006. The following edited extracts from that letter highlight matters considered most important .
5.3 Membership suspension and termination
Council decided to terminate the membership of AFTSH (Belgium).
5.7 A Membership admission criteria
Council accepted the following proposal amending the criteria for admission:
Notwithstanding the requirement in S.O.3.1.a. that “ the organisation shall have at least 50 members”, Council may give consideration to admission of an organisation which has a lesser number of members – provided that special status can be demonstrated, and that the following additional criteria are met by the applicant organization:
i. has appropriate leadership; ii. clearly represents hospital engineering in the whole country;
iii. holds regular meetings at regional level, and an annual or biennial national conference;
iv. is financially viable; v. enjoys recognition by the state as an independent non-political body.
7.2 Administrative Service Provider – performance monitoring
Council accepted the Monitoring Committee's favourable report on the quality of the service provider's performance, and agreed that the IFHE President and General Secretary be authorised to endorse the revised agreement and to extend the arrangement with IHEEM for a further two and a half years.
7.3 IFHE Newsletter
Council agreed to budget for secretarial assistance to ensure continuation of its production regularly at four monthly intervals, via the General Secretary.
7.5 Booklet - IFHE the first 34 years
Council agreed to budget funds and authorised the General Secretary to employ appropriate personnel, to enable production of an electronic version of the IFHE booklet in an updated, reedited and redesigned format,
8.9 Reserve fund working group final report
Council adopted the appointed Working group’s final report, which in essence envisages, inter alia, the allocation of an amount of GBP 2000 (or as determined from time to time in Council), which would be made available to provide financial assistance in response to applications submitted, in terms of specific defined conditions, to the Executive Committee – for assessment, and allocation or refusal of funds. Actions in this regard would be reported and reviewed annually. The Executive Committee was authorised to take steps necessary to implement the intent of the report.
9.1.1 IFHE/WHO collaboration
IFHE is required to present a report by end of August 2006 to WHO for purpose of assessment as to whether its recognition as an NGO in official relations with WHO will be renewed.
9.2 Touch Briefings - joint publications 2005-2006
The joint Touch Briefings/IFHE report titled "Business Briefing: Hospital Engineering & Facilities Management 2005 –Issue 2” was completed and distributed in January 2006. An appeal was made in Council to IFHE National organizations to assist in achieving the maximum possible distribution of these reports to individual members.
10.3 21st Congress 2010
Two submissions had been received. After presentations made by the two applicants, FSTL graciously withdrew its bid. Council decided to accept HEAJ’s offer to organise the 21st Congress in Tokyo, Japan, 09-13 November 2010.
10.4 Regional Group IFHE-Europe.
Council agreed to an application to approve three additional IFHE member organisations wishing to subscribe to, and be recognised by IFHE as members of, that group.
14.0 Executive Committee for 2006 – 2008:
President - Steve Drinkrow; First Vice President - Francisco Castella; Second Vice President - Yasushi Nagasawa; Past President - F Dennis Grady; General Secretary - Bernard Shapiro ;Treasurer - Jim Cook; Additional members Gaston Lam; Reinfried Sure; Erik Hoibjelke.
16.0 Next meetings of Executive Committee and Council
16.1 2007. Council reconfirmed the CM38 decision to accept the invitation from CHES to hold the meetings in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in conjunction with the CHES Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition, in September 2007. On the basis of indications from Steve Rees of CHES, provisional dates of 15 and 16 September were listed. [Subsequently on 24 May 2006, CHES informed IFHE that the actual dates it had scheduled were 07 and 08 September 2007. These dates have been subject of further discussion and a decision will be conveyed shortly. ]
16.2 2008. AEIH’s Francisco Castella indicated the dates of the meetings in Barcelona as 18 and 19 October 2008.
IFHE COLLABORATION WITH WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
As reported in the May/June issue, two specific WHO sessions were incorporated in the programme of the IFHE 19th Congress in Cape Town. Dr Andre Issakov, Coordinator, Health Technology and Facilities Planning and Management, WHO Geneva, states that these sessions addressing two issues of global concern were well attended, and served as a good forum for exchange of experience and outlining ideas for future action. WHO appreciates the opportunity that was given at the congress, and looks forward to a similar fruitful collaboration at future congresses, i.e. in Barcelona 2008.
The purpose and focus of the post-congress WHO/ACCE Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) and Clinical Engineering Workshop held on 11, 12 and 13 May, were described in the IFHE NEWSLetter April/May 2006.
The proceedings of the workshop have been comprehensively summarized by Tobey Clark, of the University of Vermont.
Readers interested in his report may obtain a copy from the IFHE General Secretary e-mail ifhe@tiscali.co.za
Dr Issakov repeats that he is still working on a position paper for the World Patient Safety Alliance on Safe Environment for Safer Care - with a purpose of placing this subject on the agenda of the next Global Patient Safety Challenge for 2007-2008 A contribution from hospital engineering, healthcare architecture and facility management is crucial for this work. IFHE members, and in particular those in Europe and North America, are reminded to urgently communicate and liaise in this regard with Dr Andre Issakov, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D. Coordinator, Health Technology and Facilities Planning (TFP) Department of Health System Policies and Operations (SPO) World Health Organization, Geneva Tel.: + 41 22 791 25 69 Fax: +41 22 791 13 88 Mob.: +41 79 475 55 26 E-mail: issakova@who.int
IFHE PROMOTION AND CONTACT WITH OTHER ORGANISATIONS
Steve Drinkrow , IFHE President, has made arrangements to attend a Symposium and Workshop in Kenya, where he will have the opportunity to meet with governmental officials and representatives of several east African countries with a view to ascertaining the immediate healthcare engineering needs of the region and determining the manner in which IFHE may assist in providing technical education and practical advice.
Yasushi Nagasawa, IFHE Second Vice President, is an invited speaker at the symposium “Designing for Sustainable Healhcare Facilities in Africa” being held conjunction with the 26th Annual Seminar of the International Union of Architects Public Health Group (UIA PHG) in Pretoria, South Africa , 14-16 August 2006. To publicise Prof Nagasawa’s position in IFHE, and to provide support in making known IFHE objectives and activities to attendees at the UIA event, the IFHE General Secretary has arranged to be in attendance for part of the symposium.
It is hoped that reports on these two significant contact-making situations will appear in the IFHE NEWSletter December 2006.
IFHE/TOUCH GROUP JOINT PUBLICATION
Laurie Hadley reports that the Touch Group intend to publish a 2007 Report. Business Briefing Hospital Engineering & Facilities Management. Planning of this edition will commence soon, and he and his new IHEEM/IAC committee colleague Andy Wavell, will meet Mr Matthew Edwards, Associate Publisher, Touch Group Plc. Mr Edwards is taking over the management of next year's publication from Dayan Guneskera, with whom he worked on the last three editions.
With Andy Wavell, Laurie Hadley will be approaching IFHE Executive/Council members, as previously, to be members of the IFHE/Touch Group Editorial Advisory Panel. IFHE "A" National Member secretariats are reminded of the need to confirm and/or update their individual membership lists by end of November 2006 at the latest – so that an effective and comprehensive direct distribution of the publication may occur. As pointed out at the IFHE Council meeting great importance is attached to: the collaboration with Touch Group; the benefits that arise from the publication of the Annual Report; and the publicity it generates for IFHE.
It is anticipated that, subject to IHEEM/IAC committee agreement, that Andy Wavell will be able to take over the IFHE Steering committee liaison role from Laurie Hadley over the next few months.
IFHE 19th CONGRESS 2006 CAPE TOWN
As indicated in the Presidents column, the congress was a highly successful event attended by 500 delegates of whom about 150 came from outside South Africa. Thirty countries wre represented - from as far afield as Malaysia, Australia and Japan. An popular innovation was the production of two issues of an IFHE 2006 NEWS sheet during the course of the congress. These featured articles on personalities and events, and the following are edited excerpts:
BRUCE GOES WALKABOUT: Past IFHE President Bruce Noseda from Australia has a history of attending many congresses without missing any technical sessions. On Tuesday however he deviated from this by spending the day taking in the sights of the Cape on the Cape Point tour with his wife!
TOURING THE FAIREST CAPE: One of the delegates, Mr Detlef Mostler from Austria has been on all the tours and also went on safari on Monday where he had the opportunity to see giraffe, antelopes, cheetahs and wildebeest. “It is my first visit to South Africa. I love this country and will definitely come back”. [Mr Detlef’s touring priorities were acknowledged in his apology recorded for absence from the IFHE Council meeting.]
IFHE 20TH CONGRESS BARCELONA
The following is also an edited excerpt from the congress newsletter:
On Tuesday evening (09 May) the AEIH contingent hosted a ‘Spanish” evening at the grand Arabella hotel to promote the IFHE 20th congress to beheld in Barcelona in October 2008. About 100 persons attended the festive event. The Spanish team handed out motiffed t-shirts and gave a fascinating presentation on the city of Barcelona, showcasing the modern versus ancient architecture. That evening another event was celebrated – Francisco Castella, IFHE Vice President, and veteran IFHE Council member turned 73. Congratulations and many happy returns!
GERMAN NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON HEALTHCARE ENGINEERING BUFATA/TK2006
Prof Hartung in his e-mail of 20 June 2006 states:
The next German National Conference on Healthcare Engineering is entitled “Competence and Professionalism in Healthcare Engineering Delivery – from Idea via Approach to Practical Solution” and will be held in the Surgical Academy at Rastatt, Germany, September 12th through 14th, 2006, jointly hosted by WGKT and FKT. Prof. Hartung, ECCHE, was consigned with its program development and scientific steering.
“…Healthcare engineering, nowadays, must cover a broad spectrum of requests to ensure that technical pathways form a functioning network with clinical pathways. Requests’ profile does not just result from coping engineering complexity and economical constraints, like cost efficiency and service reliability. Supplementary target must be to smoothly integrate technical workflow into curative guidelines: Healthcare engineering must convince by adhering to curative guidelines and observing clinical pathways! Emphasis, here, must be laid on the development and improvement of technical action alternatives on strategical, administrative and operative levels…”
The congress is accompanied by an exhibition, working group meetings and special seminars.
AADAIH 17º LATIN-AMERICAN CONGRESS OF HOSPITAL ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING
Arg. Esteban Urruty and Arq.Rita Comando in their e-mail of 07 July 2006 state:
At our yearly general meeting on May 9, 2006, the new Committee members of AADAIH for the period 2006-2008 were elected: Arq. Rita Comando as President, Arq. Esteban Urruty as Secretary and Ing. Carlos Vozzi as Treasurer.
The 17º Latin-American Congress of Hospital Architecture and Engineering, under the slogan: Design-Health-Sustainability will be celebrated on October 11, 12 and 13, 2006 in the Centro Cultural Borges, in Buenos Aires City, on the corner of Viamonte and San Martín streets. To get more information about our activities we invite you to visit our web-site www.aadaih.com.ar
EVENTS CALENDAR
2006
September VTDV Annual congress “ Prevention and safety-feeling in the healthcare sector”
Ghent, Belgium. Contact: Eddy De Coster : Hoofd Technische Diensten UZ Leuven,
Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium tel 016/34 41 04 fax 016/34 41 01 Vtdv@uz.kuleuven.ac.be
12-4 September German National Conference on Healthcare Engineering BuFaTa/TK2006
“Competence and Professionalism in Healthcare Engineering Delivery – from Idea to
Practical Solution”, Surgical Academy, 76437 Rastatt, Germany. Enquiries: fkt@fkt.de
Website www.bufatatk.ecche.com
17-19 September CHES National Trade show & Education Forum 2006. “Disaster! Are You Ready?”
World Trade & Convention Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Contact: Conference Office, 4 Cataraqui Street, Suite 310, Kingston, ON K7K 1Z7, Canada.
Tel +1 613 531 2661 fax +1 613 531 0626 ches@eventsmgt.com ; www.eventsmgt.com/CHES2006
04-06 October IHF Ingénieurs Hospitaliers de France Annual National Conference 2006 "HOPITECH",
Conference Center of Reims, capital of Champagne Region. Details available on www.hopitech.org
10-14 October AADAIH: 17° Congreso Latinoamericano de Arquitectura e Ingeniería Hospitalaria “Diseno –
Salud- Sustentabilidad.” Centro Cultural Borges, Viamonte esquina San Martín, Buenos Aires.
AADAIH: Av. de Mayo 1370, piso 11, oficina 300 – (C1085ABQ) Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Tel/Fax: +5411 4383-1481 E-mail: info@aadaih.com.ar Web site: www.aadaih.com.ar
12 October NVTG Annual Cogress, Appeldoorn, Netherlands
6-7 November IHEEM: Healthcare Estates Conference & Exhibition Harrogate International Centre, England.
Information: www.iheem.org.uk ; tel. +44 2392 823 186.
10 November NZIHEEM Annual Conference, Cowne Hotel, Auckland, New Zealand
Contact Bill MacDougall e mail billm@adhb.govt.nz
15-17November HEAJ Annual Symposium and HOSPEX JAPAN 2006 “Putting Compassion back at the Centre of
Medical Care and Welfare” Tokyo Big Site International Conference and Exhibition Centre, Odaiba,
Tokyo, Japan. Conference Chairman: Dr. Toyoki Kugimiya
2007
19-20 April NVTG Annual Congress, 60th anniversary of founding, Groningen, Netherlands
05-07September 2nd European Conference on Healthcare Engineering Vienna, Austria
09 September IFHE Executive Committee meeting 32 – Calgary, Alberta, Canada
11 September IFHE Council meeting 40 - Calgary, Alberta, Canada
09-11September CHES National Trade show & Education Forum 2007 Calgary Tenus Convention Centre , Calgary,
Alberta, Canada. Enquiries e-mail ches@eventsmgt.com website www.ches.org
05-09 November 35th International Hospital Congress, Seoul, South Korea – organised by International
Hospital Federation. Email: dwight@ihf-fih.org; www.hospitalmanagement.net/ihf/events.html
12-13 November GUPHA Forum. University of Tokyo, Hongo Campus, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
14-16 November HEAJ Annual Conference & HOSPEX JAPAN Exhibition 2007 Tokyo Big Site International
Conference and Exhibition Centre, Odaiba, Tokyo, Japan . Conference Chaiman: Mr. Tohru Nemoto
2008
18 October IFHE Executive Committee meeting 33 – Barcelona, Spain
19 October IFHE Council meeting 41 – Barcelona, Spain
20-23 October IFHE 20th Congress, “The Hospital and the Information technologies”, in conjunction with AEIH
National Congress XXVI Seminar on Hospital Engineering, Palau de Congressos de Catalunya,
Barcelona, Spain. Enquiries: aeih@bcmedic.com website www.aeih.org
2010
08 November IFHE Executive Committee Meeting 34 - Tokyo, Japan
09 November IFHE Council Meeting 42 – Tokyo Japan
09-13 November IFHE 21st Congress + HEAJ Annual International Symposium and HOSPEX JAPAN 2010
“ Hospital Engineering against Cultural Background” , Tokyo Big Site International Conference and
Exhibition Centre, Odaiba, Japan.
IFHE ‘A’ NATIONAL MEMBERS WEBSITES
Members are asked to continue to assist the IFHE Secretariat with up to date contact information.
A001 IHEEM UK www.iheem.org.uk A003 IHF France www.ihf.fr
A006 NVTG Netherlands www.nvtg.nl A007 ASHE USA www.aha.org
A008 NZIHEEM New Zealand www.nziheem.org.nz A009 IHEA Australia www.ihea.com.au
A010 SAFHE South Africa www.safhe.co.za A012 VTDV Belgium www.VTDV.be
A013 AEIH Spain www.aeih.org. A014 IHS Switzerland www.ihs.ch
A015 FSD Denmark www.sygehusmaskinmestre.dk A017 WGKT Germany www.wgkt.de
A018 CHES Canada www.ches.org A020 HEAJ Japan www.heaj.org
A024 FKT Germany www.fkt.de A025 AADAIH Argentina www.aadaih,com.ar
A028 FSTL Norway www.fstl.org A035 ABDEH Brasil www.abdeh.com.br A038 AFHE Finland www.ssty.info A040 OVKT Austria www.oevkt.at A042 KIHA Korea www.kiha.org A043 BEAM Malaysia www.mybeam.org
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