Provincial Structure of Clinical Engineering in Canada and its Management

Abstract

“Hospitals should have sufficient access to clinical engineering expertise.” [1] Clinical Engineering (CE) departments are a fundamental aspect of the smooth running of healthcare organizations since CE’s origin in the late 1960s [2]. From then, CE departments were tasked with various responsibilities, namely managing medical device technologies. While the role of a CE is similar across the world, each country differs in their funding structure, patient needs, and healthcare capabilities. Indeed, even the operation of healthcare within a country can change altogether between regions, affecting CE services which are directly influenced and controlled by administrative and corporate decisions [3]. In Canada, the standard for healthcare is set by the federal government but payment and management are set by the provincial government [4]. Therefore, CE structural changes happen often, depending on funding and public requirements. This paper will focus on Canada and investigate how the structure, management, and development of CE varies across the provinces and territories, and how the similarities and differences can lead to challenges and successes in CE.