524 Zdrav Vestn | julij – avgust 2011 | Letnik 80
UVodnik/EditoriaL
University of Zagreb 
Faculty of Electrical 
Engineering and 
Computing, Zagreb
Korespondenca/
Correspondence:
ratko.magjarevic@fer.hr
Key words:
biomedical engineering, 
health care, BME 
education, clinical 
engineering, patient 
safety
Citirajte kot/Cite as:
Zdrav Vestn 2011;  
80: 524–5
Biomedical Engineering
ratko Magjarević
Biomedical Engineering (BME) is a relatively new field of engineering originating from an interdisciplina-
ry background of different engineering sci-
ences and principles, as well as from study 
of biology, medicine, behavior and health. 
BME aims to improve human health and 
quality of life. Research in biomedical engi-
neering creates knowledge from molecular 
and cellular level to the level of organs and 
the body as a system, resulting in new devi-
ces, materials, processes and software. New 
technologies are implemented in preventi-
on, prediction, diagnostics and treatment of 
disease, patient care and rehabilitation.
It is difficult to enumerate all successful 
achievements for patients and health care ri-
sing from biomedical engineering research 
and development in such a short article, but 
a visits to the Hall of Fame of the American 
Institute for Medical and Biological Engine-
ering (AIMBE),1 reminds of many devices 
which we today take for granted in our healt-
care: from X-ray imaging devices, artificial 
kidney, cardiac pacemaker,2 antibiotic pro-
duction technology and others from the ear-
ly days up to genomic sequencing & micro-
-arrays, positron emission tomography and 
image-guided surgery from previous deca-
des. Different technologies will continue to 
develop as a result of research in basic and 
applied sciences. For example, in 2009, No-
bel Prize for physics has been awarded to 
Willard S. Boyle and George E. Smith for 
the invention of the charge-coupled device 
(CCD), which is used in most digital came-
ra sensors and has a spread medical appli-
cation for imaging the inside of the human 
body, in diagnostics and for microsurgery.3 
The technology will develop also due to the 
altered needs of the health care.4,5 In Euro-
pe, population projections show dramatic 
changes: those aged 65 years or over (17.2 % 
in 2009) will account for more than 30.0 % 
of the EU’s population by 2060.6 The impact 
of ageing populations will cause increased 
social expenditure related to healthcare whi-
le at the same time, population will expect 
high quality care that is both readily availa-
ble and reasonably priced. Technological ad-
vances will enable the industry to meet these 
conditions. Healthcare industry will intensi-
fy efforts for solutions of the long-term tre-
atments for chronic diseases in the aging pa-
tient population. One of the challenges will 
be how to achieve healthcare services and 
healthcare quality. Health care will transit to 
patients home, patients will use e-health and 
m-health services much more.7,8 Intelligent, 
autonomous devices that communicate with 
the experts in the health care system will be 
set in use in a large number of private envi-
ronments. These devices will to a much large 
extent, as compared to today, provide visits 
to virtual MD’s office, enable remote access 
to medical devices, remote diagnostics and 
therapy, include implantable devices that 
can detect physiologic changes and transmit 
data to physician or other health care pro-
viders, or clothing with embedded sensors 
that will enable monitoring of a wide ran-
ge of physiologic conditions for patients at 
risk…. However, the idea of enhanced use 
of advanced and emerging technology also 
rises the questions of patient safety and se-
curity of data.
In case of European legislation, the mat-
ter of safe medical products is regulated by 
the Medical Device Directives. They state 
that all parties in the chain of using medi-
cal devices are responsible for the safety of 
patients, operators, environment and data. 
The industry and the clinic need experts for 
engineering aspects of medical devices and 
processes.
Zdrav Vestn | Biomedical Engineering 525
UVodnik/EditoriaL
necessary for successful outcome of the re-
search goals alone.
Once the devices are installed in clinical 
settings and procedures clinically accepted, 
there is another group of engineering pro-
fessionals taking care of them: clinical en-
gineers. The American College of Clinical 
Engineering (ACCE)10 defines a clinical en-
gineer as “a professional who supports and 
advances patient care by applying engine-
ering and management skills to healthcare 
technology.” Clinical engineering became 
a distinct profession in the 1960s when an 
increased use of medical devices and tech-
nology in healthcare called for proper ma-
intenance and servicing, following the sa-
fety model of commercial aviation.11 Since 
that time, clinical engineers have become a 
part of the healthcare delivery system12 and 
a regulated profession in many countries,13 
providing safe and effective application of 
contemporary medical technology and in-
troduction of new medical technologies into 
clinical practice.14
References
1. AIMBE Hall of Fame. Dosegljivo na: http://www.
aimbe.org/aimbe-programs/aimbe-hall-of-fame/. 
2. Magjarević  R, Ferek-Petrić  B. Implantable Cardi-
ac Pacemakers-50 Years from the First Implanta-
tion. Dosegljivo na: http://nobelprize.org/nobel_
prizes/physics/laureates/2009/press.html.
3. Andrade JD. Medical and Biological Engineering 
in the Future of Health Care. Salt Lake City: Uni-
versity of Utah Press;  1994.
4. Madhavan G,  Oakley B,  Kun L.  Career deve-
lopment in bioengineering and biotechnology, 
Springer 2008. Dosegljivo na: http://epp.eurostat.
ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/.
5. Istepanian RSH,  Pattichis CS. M-health: emerging 
mobile health systems. Berlin: Springer; 2006.
6. Štern A,  Kos A.  Mobilni telefon kot orodje na 
področjih varovanja zdravja. Zdrav Vestn  2009; 
78: 673–84.
7. Univerza v Ljubljani, Fakulteta za elektrotehniko. 
Dosegljivo na: http://www.fe.uni-lj.si/studij_na_
fakulteti/2_stopnja/
8. American College of Clinical Engineering 
(ACCE). Dosegljivo na: http://www.accenet.org.
9. Miklavčič D.  Letalske nesreče in sodobna bolni-
šnica Zdrav Vestn 2011;  80:  433–4.
10. World Health Assembly.  Resolution WHA 60.29 
Health Technology of the WHA. 
11. Nagel JH.  The Regulation of the Clinical Engine-
ering Profession as an Important Contribution to 
Quality Assurance in Health Care.  IFMBE Proc 
2009; 25:  376–8
12. Terio H. Procurement of medical equipment in 
Sweden. Zdrav Vestn 2010;  78: 156–63.
The best way to get expertise in a field is 
proper education. Therefore, there is a need, 
worldwide, for biomedical engineering uni-
versity programmes that meet the needs of 
all parties: industry, vendors, and patients. 
In 2009, a group of European Universities 
started working on a project with the aim to 
deliver recommendations for harmonisation 
of Biomedical Engineering Programs (pri-
marily) in Europe. The harmonized guideli-
nes defined BME topics which should be co-
vered as basic in development of new BME 
programs and in renewing those ongoing. 
The guidelines stressed also the importance 
and value of strong research background of 
biomedical engineering groups offering co-
urses and programmes in BME. The group 
from the University of Ljubljana, Faculty 
of Electrical Engineering, has developed a 
new Biomedical Engineering Programme at 
Master level according to the guidelines and 
the BME programme obtained all necessary 
accreditation documents to start in the aca-
demic year 2011/12.9
In health care, building a safer system 
means designing processes of care to ensure 
that patients are safe from accidental injury. 
When agreement has been reached to pur-
sue a course of medical treatment, patients 
should have the assurance that it will proce-
ed correctly and safely so they have the best 
chance possible for achieving the desired 
outcome.
Biomedical engineers, as all other engi-
neers, have the ability to design and produce, 
in their case medical products, devices and 
systems. BME is small, but growing, compa-
red to the traditional engineering fields, like 
electrical or mechanical engineering, but the 
number of BM engineers working in rese-
arch and development is rapidly growing. 
Most of the BM industry still relays on elec-
trical and electronic engineering including 
the currently fastest developing industries of 
active implants and mobile health services. 
New opportunities open in engineering the 
organisation of large datasets from biology 
combining computer based approaches. On 
this edge between engineering sciences and 
biology, an opportunity for new studies and 
applications open. Research in general is so 
complex today that hardly any research in-
stitution can cover all knowledge and skills