Medical technology refers to the diagnostic or therapeutic application of science and technology to
improve the management of health conditions. Technologies may encompass any means of identifying the nature of
conditions to allow intervention with devices, pharmacological, biological or other methods to increase life span
and/or improve the quality of life. The three largest companies active in this sector are Siemens A.G., GE, and
Philips.
New
Technology
New technical and medical developments, discoveries, and devices have a direct influence on the medical
assistant's professional duties and responsibilities. Medical assistants function as major contributors in the
modern health care industry, in particular the medical office, clinics, and other areas where they must understand
and know how to operate and maintain a wide variety of medical devices.
September 18, 2006 from YouTube.com by schellyge Published under YouTube
TOS
Medical Devices
A medical device is an instrument, apparatus, implement, machine, contrivance, implant, in vitro reagent, or
other similar or related article, including a component part, or accessory which is intended for use in the
diagnosis of disease or other conditions, or in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, or
intended to affect the structure or any function of the body, and which does not achieve any of its primary
intended purposes through chemical action within or on the body.
Medical Equipment and Devices The Medical
Assistants Must Know...
Diagnostic equipment, which includes medical imaging machines, used to aid in
diagnosis. Examples are ultrasound and MRI machines, PET and CT scanners, and x-ray machines.
Therapeutic equipment, which includes infusion pumps, medical lasers and LASIK
surgical machines.
Life support equipment used to maintain a patient's bodily function.
These include medical ventilators, heart-lung machines, ECMO, and dialysis machines.
Medical monitors, which allow medical staff to measure a patient's medical state.
Monitors may measure patient vital signs and other parameters including ECG, EEG, blood pressure, and
dissolved gases in the blood.
Medical laboratory equipment that automates or helps analyze blood, urine,
excretions, and genes.
Diagnostic medical equipment that may also be used in the home for certain
purposes, e.g. for the control of diabetes mellitus or asthma.
Other durable medical equipment such as oxygen tents, hospital beds, crutches,
and wheelchairs.
Hypodermic needles, syringes, blood collection tubes, vials, ampules, first aid,
bandages, and surgical instruments.
Personal protective gear and garb such as gloves, gowns, eye shields, masks.