Who, what, where, when, why and how: technology assessment in a hospital setting.

Biomedical engineers have long seen that they have a role in the fields of equipment planning and technology assessment. This role has not been universally understood. Through sustained efforts we have shown that we can contribute to and should be involved in equipment planning. Efforts are now under way to demonstrate the need for and the role that biomedical engineering can play in technology assessment and ultimately in strategic planning. The paper examines the Canadian healthcare scene within the context of the Province of British Columbia, and more specifically the opportunities and challenges in the fields of technology management presented to an in-house biomedical engineering group at a hospital society in Greater Vancouver.