Enterprise IT Integration, Open to Challenges

“Understanding healthcare technology and tying it to the business of healthcare, understanding the financial and clinical implications of pushing information across several platforms, that’s what drew me to become an integration specialist and system analyst.”  Demetrius Dillard is a Certified Biomedical Equipment Technician with an MBA.  I noticed Demetrius’ post about the activities of an Indiana biomedical equipment society and reached out to him.  I appreciate him agreeing to this interview.

Demetrius Dillard MBA, CBET

The interview with Demetrius is a good follow up to All-Knowing Data Gods, http://assetmanagementhc.blogspot.com/2014/01/all-knowing-data-gods.html.  The nature of his job gives a great understanding of one of the blog’s points: healthcare organizations must build data quality by overcoming technical and business challenges.  This is especially so when pushing information across multiple platforms. 

Leading up to his comment, I had asked, “What got you into Biomedical Equipment Technology?”  His answer reminded me of motives expressed by Dr. Andre’ Creese (CEO of OPYS) and Brendan McSheffrey (CEO of enGauge Inc).

“The first time Biomedical Equipment Technology peaked my interest was when my mother was on the oncology unit at a hospital in South Bend, Indiana.  A clinical engineer responded to a call on an <manufacturer deleted> IV Pump that kept alarming and the nurse could not get it to stop.  I asked him a bunch of questions.  He gave me information on both the clinical engineering path and the biomedical equipment technology path.  He told me that he got enjoyment from being able to work with some on the technology.  I thought it interesting that someone would say that… have fun at work.  I was seventeen years old. To find enjoyment with a job, that peaked my interests.  The engineer went on to say that it was a good feeling to help people in a way that he hadn’t originally thought possible.  So, looking at how my mother was laying in the bed, the nurse was getting frustrated.  My family was getting frustrated.  The engineer was able to come in and diffuse the situation.  That was interesting to me as well.

“But, I didn’t take that walk.  Instead, I got a two-year degree in Architectural Drafting and Design.  I enjoyed the act of drafting.  I still do.  At the time, I saw some quick money in it.  The work just wasn’t what I imagined.  The outcomes of that particular job, I wasn’t happy with them.  One day, I was doing this hand drafting and I’d just had enough.  Being a BIOMET <biomedical equipment technician>, that was the walk in life that I wanted to take.  I got my degree from Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, IUPUI - Professor Barbara Christie’s program.  In my first job, I learned that I had to understand the systems and the staff.  My core value was to help people anyway I could.  This first job helped establish leadership by becoming a student mentor for other BMETS. Since then, I have won AAMI GE BMET of the year. I have been on different boards.  I work as a trustee with a couple of different societies.”

Click here to read Part 2 of 2.