I had once encountered a discussion where people had incomplete information about healthcare industry. To their knowledge, the healthcare industry was run only by doctors and other related medical staff. Engineers, like in any other industry, just play the role of a manufacturer here as well. Honestly, even I too was in the wrong concept initially. But as my involvement in this field grew deeper, I realized that the application of an engineer in medical industry is just more than manufacturing medical products.

Engineering application in Healthcare is an integration of multidisciplinary field like computer science, communication, public policy, management and all aspects of industrial engineering.

​

To embark upon the vital problems arising in healthcare systems, more focus is emphasized on the application of engineering tactics and problem-solving skills. The efficiency, productivity and patient approach in healthcare systems are majorly aimed to be improvised by engineers. To allow secure, proficient and economical delivery of healthcare systems, improved outcomes are developed using advanced tools, policies and disciplined decorum using engineering techniques.

When a question is raised to me as to what role an engineer plays in healthcare industry, I tend to generalize my experience of working in an industry.

 

Engineers in a healthcare industry are involved in hypothesis generation, predictive modeling, decision sciences, robust device design, and optimization. Reverse engineering is the most effective way to improve an existing medical product and to maintain a healthy competition between the manufacturing industries. Advancements in 3D printing technology has helped small scale industries to get into the venture of research and development. Prototype samples can be developed for testing and trial purpose before manufacturing the actual products at large scale. Most of the engineers working in a healthcare industry develop computational algorithms to implement the tools and calibrate them to medical data.

 

While talking about the application of engineering in healthcare, one should not forget the role of other healthcare professionals. Without them, any project that is undertaken shall remain incomplete. A nurse is required to set up a trial environment. Young and enthusiastic doctors are required to conduct the initial tests and validation of the prototypes. Views and suggestions of an experienced surgeon is required to abide by the ethics. This leads to the marketing or sales part of an engineer.

 

Communication power is required by any engineer to accomplish the task assigned to him. A researcher is responsible to understand the exact need of the doctor. The engineer developing the prototype needs to convey the possible engineering limitation with regards to the project to the doctor. The sales representative should be well aware of the details of the product to promote it in the market. Without proper communication skill, this is not possible. And healthcare industry is very much fragile. One cannot even take a chance of allowing a flaw, as it may be a risk either to the surgeon performing the surgical procedure or the patient who will be affected.

 

The application of engineering in medical industry spreads wide and vast. In today’s world continued rise in issues like healthcare costs, quality & safety, impact of high technology, uprising regulatory compliance demands and risk management has made engineers to address these challenges with booming speed. Breakthroughs in engineering such as electronics, information technology, miniaturization, optics, material science etc., has led to advancement of various factors. These can be used as applications to create, develop, and implement cutting-edge devices, systems and procedures in attribution to the relative problems.

 

In my opinion, engineering application in healthcare covers medical intervention and medical industry system. The former involving the development of treatment and improving the preventive care. For a medical industry to work efficiently with positive outcomes to the society, it should involve complete network of interdisciplinary facilities, management systems, logistics and financing mechanisms, and trained healthcare delivery personnel.