我が国の臨床工学技士は、医学と工学的知識と技能を兼ね備え、医師の指示の下に生命維持管理装置の操作等の診療の補助を行うことが許された世界で唯一の国家資格制度です。
特に医療機器を用いた治療領域での医療専門職であり、また病院各部門に使用されている医療機器の総合管理を行う医療機器管理室でのマンパワーでもあります。この臨床工学技士法が制定され、30 年となる現在、医療機器に支えられた現代医療に欠くことのできない医療安全と医療技術の向上に寄与する職種となっています。
近年、医療のグローバル化が進むなか、発展途上国や新興国においても医療機器の需要が急速に高まっていますが、適切に医療機器を操作し、保守管理する技術レベルが整っていないのが現状です。また、医療機器の保守管理担当者の育成においても極めて不十分です。
我が国の医療提供体制は医師、看護師、薬剤師、臨床工学技士等による専門職連携を基本としたチーム医療が一般的となっており世界的に高く評価されているところです。公益社団法人日本臨床工学技士会では、国際交流委員会を設置し、欧米等での関係国際学会やISO関連会議への参加、各国のClinical Engineer との交流、ASEAN や中国への技術支援を行っており、特に新興国から日本の臨床工学技術へのニーズが寄せられております。
これらの活動は、政府施策に上げられている「新興国・途上国等のニーズに応じて日本の医薬品、医療機器等及び医療技術並びに医療サービスの国際展開を図る」に合致する事業であり、日本の優れた医療機器産業の国際競争力強化に資するものです。
よって、国際活動を更に充実させるため外部の学識者、国際交流経験者、医療機器業界等の参加を得て、世界各国における医療機器と生命科学のヒューマン・インターフェイスとしての臨床工学技術の普及啓発により保健・医療の向上に寄与することを目的とし、次の事業を行う「一般財団法人臨床工学国際推進財団」を新たに設立致しました。
つきましては、関係各位におかれましては設立の趣意をご理解頂き、一層のご高配をお願いする次第です。
一般財団法人臨床工学国際推進財団
理事長
川崎 忠行
Clinical engineering in Japan is the only national qualification system in the world that allows the assistance of clinical treatment such as the operation of life support management equipment by combining medicine with engineering knowledge and skill under the direction of a physician.
A clinical engineer is a medical professional in the area of treatment, especially using medical equipment, and is also the manpower in the medical equipment management section that comprehensively controls the medical equipment used in a hospital. Thirty years have passed since the Clinical Engineers Act was enacted and clinical engineering has become an essential occupation that contributes to improving medical safety and medical technology that is indispensable for modern medicine supported by medical equipment.
In recent years, as the globalisation of medical technology has progressed, the demand for medical equipment has rapidly increased in emerging and developing countries, but the technical level for proper managing and maintaining of medical equipment is still low. Moreover, the education and training of maintenance personnel for medical equipment is extremely inadequate
Team medicine based on professional cooperation between physicians, nurses, pharmacists, clinical engineers, etc. is a common medical provision system in Japan and it is highly regarded throughout the world.
The Japan Association for Clinical Engineers established an international committee and it performs activities such as participating in relevant international academic conferences and related ISO meetings, engaging the Clinical Engineers of overseas and technical support to ASEAN nations and China. In doing so, the needs for clinical engineering technology are gathered especially from emerging countries.
These activities are consistent with our government policy of “Expanding the global development of Japanese pharmaceuticals, medical devices, medical technology and medical services according to the needs of emerging and developing countries, etc.” and also contribute to strengthening the international competitiveness of Japan’s excellent medical device industry.
Therefore, to further enhance international activities, we have established the “Clinical Engineering Global Promotion Foundation” with the participation of external experts, global human resources, the medical equipment industry etc. in order to contribute to the improvement of health and medical care through the dissemination of clinical engineering skills with clinical engineers as the human interface of medical equipment and life sciences in various countries around the world.
I would greatly appreciate your understanding of the aim of the establishment, and would ask you for your further support.
Clinical Engineering Global Promotion Foundation
Chairman
Tadayuki Kawasaki
