Technology assessment--a survey of the clinical engineer's role within the hospital.

Advancements in technology are vital to improve clinical outcomes within the medical community and, in particular, to healthcare systems. The need for a systematic approach to analyzing, assessing and selecting the best new technology for individual hospitals continues to increase in response to this technological growth. To determine the use of technology assessment, the effectiveness of different methods, and the role of clinical engineers and bioengineers in this process, a survey was conducted of clinical engineering departments throughout the United States. The results reveal that technology assessment programs are widely utilized as a team effort between hospital departments. Clinical engineers are playing a key role within these teams as technology managers.