TRIMEDX’s Clinical Engineering team at Reid Health is featured as this month’s TechNation’s Department of the Month. The full article, as it appeared July 1, 2025, is below.
By K. Richard Douglas
Lying on the eastern edge of Indiana is the city of Richmond, just a stone’s throw from the Ohio border. It was one of the birthplaces of jazz music in the U.S. and the Wright brothers spent a few years of their early life in the area.
A primary healthcare presence in the city is Reid Health, which had its original facility built in 1905. Work on a new facility began in 2004 and a new hospital opened its doors in 2008. Reid Health provides services to eight counties (six in Indiana and two in Ohio) with a total population of approximately 280,000 people.
Medical equipment management is handled by the TRIMEDX/Reid Health Clinical Engineering Team. The CE team is made up of nine members.
“The clinical engineering team at Reid Health consists of both Reid Health employees and TRIMEDX associates. The team of nine people manages medical devices at the hospital and at 40 off-site locations,” says John Short, TRIMEDX senior site manager.
He says that the group’s specially trained technicians are assigned to unique departments including surgery, radiology, lab and general biomed devices.
“The main campus of Reid Health is in Richmond, Indiana, and has more than 220 beds. This includes beds for mother and baby, the emergency room and other departments. Reid Health has satellite locations in Eastern Indiana and Western Ohio,” Short says.
The team works hand-in-hand with its IT counterparts.
“We are physically located in the IT department and share space with the service desk. TRIMEDX makes it a priority to ensure IT and clinical engineering teams are working together closely, since our responsibilities will continue to overlap as more medical devices become network connected. Our clinical engineering team and the IT team prioritize cybersecurity for all our devices,” Short says.
IV PUMP MAKEOVER
The team recently took on a large IV pump project. It also has been active in allocating space as workspace to allow for new device installations, as well as expanding its imaging service responsibilities.
“Special projects within this department are just starting to gain momentum. We are newly engaged in dialysis services and have a technician making promising strides in imaging. We have started taking over the imaging at the off-site locations and are having great success. Both areas present strong potential for growth, and we anticipate continued development and training as we expand our capabilities,” Short says.
He says the team is excited to also take on several new responsibilities.
“We are preparing for several high-volume device exchanges and are currently setting up the appropriate space for the vendors to work. This preparation requires close collaboration with the team and other health system staff to locate workspace in a busy hospital where space is always at a premium,” Short says.
The team was tasked with switching out over 1,200 IV pumps in May (2025).
“This special project will require a tremendous amount of coordination, teamwork and attention to detail. The team will be responsible for locating and inventorying all existing pumps throughout the hospital to ensure proper trade-in credit. Then, they’ll photograph, tag, and enter each new pump into the database. What sets our team apart is their ability to work efficiently and collaboratively, often stepping in to help each other when large tasks like these arise,” Short adds.
The CE team members are also adept when putting on their detective hats and working collaboratively to find a solution.
“Recently, a department manager brought in a machine that wasn’t booting to the correct screen. There were about five of us in the shop at the time and, without hesitation, everyone dropped what they were working on to lend a hand. Each team member contributed ideas and drew from their experience to troubleshoot the issue,” Short says.
He says that while the machine ultimately required an engine replacement, it was great to see how quickly the team came together with an instant desire to find a solution.
Short says that away from work several members of the team are involved in the Indiana Biomedical Society (IBS).
The TRIMEDX/Reid Health CE team has proven itself up to the job and keeps medical devices at this midwestern healthcare system ready to meet the needs of clinicians and patients.