With rumors of a possible renewed push for Congressional legislation, IAMERS president Diana Upton and general counsel Robert Kerwin attended the AAMI Annual Meeting during the first week of June 2018. Their attendance is part of IAMERS’ efforts to reduce the fear-mongering and to get out the message of independent servicers for safe patient oriented servicing.
It was clear from the positive reactions of ISOs and HTM professionals to Mr. Kerwin’s remarks on behalf of IAMERS that many were disappointed with the efforts of some representing the manufacturing community to downplay the FDA report which found there to be no need for further regulation and which characterized third party servicing as critical to the healthcare ecosystem. Responding to the enthusiastic support of many in the AAMI meeting, he spoke 3 times regarding the FDA report on 3rd party service and what comes next. “Unfortunately we still hear that the manufacturers and their trade associations are pressing Congressional leaders to pass legislation regulating servicing and seeming to be characterizing the FDA’s conclusions as a ‘blindspot’. We do not think that the FDA report evidenced a blindspot. To the contrary, we feel the 27 page report was a careful analysis of the empirical evidence that there is not a safety problem as suggested by some. We think this should be a time for collaboration not polarization as ISOs contribute successfully to much needed multi-vendor program.” Hospital personnel and clinical engineers embraced his comments and statements of President Upton as many have the same access challenges that IAMERS servicers have. Pictured here with Katelyn Bittleman of FDA (a principal contributor to the FDA report) and former ACCE president Steve Grimes. Also with Crothall Compliance Officer Sheila O’Donnell and Pat Fitzgerald, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Richardson Electric at the DOTmed breakfast symposium held at AAMI.
