When patients receive care at Phelps Memorial Health Center, they may not realize that hundreds of pieces of equipment are silently working in the background to support their recovery. From infusion pumps to patient monitors, each device plays a critical role, and so does the person who keeps them running. That person is Maggie Berkey, Certified Biomedical Equipment Technician (CBET).
Maggie has been a biomed in the healthcare technology management (HTM) field for 15 years. She joined Phelps Memorial 2 1/2 years ago. In her role, she maintains, repairs, and manages approximately 1,000 of the hospital’s nearly 1,200 pieces of equipment.
“Every day looks different,” Maggie said. “One moment I may be performing routine or planned maintenance (PM), and the next I’m responding to a repair call or training a teammate on how to use equipment. No two days are ever the same and looking for creative ways to solve problems is part of everyday life in HTM and that’s what makes this career so unique and interesting.”
Her work includes:
• Incoming inspections for every piece of medical equipment that enters our facility including rentals and physician-owned devices.
• Planned maintenance - she averages about 85 scheduled checks each month to ensure equipment is safe, reliable and ready for use.
• Troubleshooting and repairs when equipment doesn’t work as expected.
• Staff education on equipment uses, whether it’s a refresher for seasoned nurses or guidance for new employees.
• Equipment acquisition and disposal, helping the hospital choose the right tools then managing them responsibly from cradle to grave.
• Special projects and recalls that require technical expertise along with creativity.
It’s demanding, complex work, but for Maggie, the reward is clear. “I fix the equipment so nursing and other teammates can take care of patients,” she said. “That’s what drives me. Improving patient care is the number one reason I get out of bed each day.”
Maggie’s impact is seen in both the day-to-day details and in large-scale projects. Recently, she collaborated with clinical partners to swap out more than 250 infusion pumps in just four hours, limiting disruption to patient care. She also helped facilitate compatibility of our newest patient monitors which allows data to integrate directly into patient charts, thus saving nurses valuable time and allowing them to focus more on their patients.
“I like solving problems, whether it’s with equipment or processes,” Maggie explained. “When I can make something work better, it makes a difference for the whole team.”
Her problem-solving skills and leadership extend well beyond Phelps Memorial. Before coming here, Maggie played a key role in the creation of the AAMI BMET Apprenticeship Program, a national initiative that allows hospitals to train new biomed technicians on the job and prepare them for certification without student debt. In recognition of her contributions to the field, she received the prestigious AAMI & GE Healthcare BMET of the Year Award in 2021.
Maggie is also co-chair of an AAMI standards committee where she led the implementation of a new standard that addresses alternate equipment management (AEM) programs. She recently taught a cohort of students on this approach. She has also been working with AAMI credentials institute on an update to the certified biomedical equipment certification. Maggie is also involved locally with the Heartland biomedical association along with volunteering to showcase what she calls a hidden gem of an industry that few people are aware of.
Though her accomplishments are many, Maggie is quick to admit the role comes with challenges. “The hardest part is when something is beyond my scope or when I can’t get equipment back up and running,” she said. “I really beat myself up because I’ll do everything I can to find a solution. It’s in my nature to want to fix it.” Still, she sees those challenges as opportunities to grow. “I just love a good challenge. Looking for creative ways to solve problems is part of my every day, and that’s what makes this job so interesting.”
The future of HTM excites her just as much as the present. “Technology advances so quickly,” Maggie said. “It’s exciting not knowing what’s around the corner but knowing I’ll be one of the first to see or be trained on it and use it to help patients is exhilarating. I love that this career keeps me learning.”
Her passion is clear in everything she does. Whether she is inspecting equipment, responding to a repair call, or working side by side with nurses to improve processes, Maggie’s work ensures that patient care at Phelps Memorial is safe, efficient, and effective.
While patients may never meet her, they benefit from her dedication every time a piece of equipment works the way it should. And while she is described as an “equipment doctor,” Maggie herself puts it simply: “I fix the equipment so nursing can take care of patients. That’s my role and I love it.”
