by
Sean Ruck, Contributing Editor | June 21, 2011
From the June 2011 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) has had a busy couple of years. As is the case with many organizations, policy shifts and new initiatives by the federal government pose challenges for the association. Current President and CEO Mary Logan, came in at just the right time, getting a chance to settle into her role before tackling those challenges.
A lawyer by training, Logan practiced for 20 years with a focus on health care regulatory concerns before moving into association leadership. She served as general counsel for the American Dental Association, and also spent seven years as its chief operating officer, before being tapped for the position with AAMI in April 2009. Logan set aside some time in her busy schedule to speak with DOTmed News about some of the progress AAMI has made under her watch.
DMBN: It seems like you joined AAMI just in time. There’s been a lot of movement in the health care arena during the past two years. What kind of challenges is your membership facing?
Logan: I would say the biggest challenge right now is the convergence of technologies, most notably medical devices with IT. There are new drug/device combinations and new device/device combinations all providing a lot to consider. There are also more products utilizing wireless capabilities than ever before, taking the functions that historically bigger and bulkier devices did individually and combining them all into one device – patient monitoring is a good example.
A second challenge has emerged due to the increased scrutiny hospitals face in regards to patient safety and cost control. That has, in turn, created tremendous opportunity and pressure across the entire health care system, including health care associations.
DMBN: What have been some of the highlights during your time with the association?
Logan: I would say last year, AAMI’s defining moment was a historic summit co-hosted with the FDA, which focused on the safety of infusion devices and systems. What was magical about the event was that we had 350 diverse stakeholders in a room together and they worked as a whole to agree on 13 priorities for improving infusion safety. We now have working groups in the AAMI Foundation Medical Device Safety Council set up just for the purpose of working on these priorities and making the safety goals a reality.
DMBN: Are there other plans like that for the future?
