27th Conference of the Canadian Medical and Biological Engineering SocietyThe 27th Conference of the Canadian Medical and Biological Engineering Society was held in Ottawa, Ontario on November 21-23, 2002. With the future of healthcare and funding being of paramount importance on Parliament Hill, it was fitting for this year's conference to be held in the Nation's Capital just a few blocks from the House of Commons. There was indeed much speculation during our conference about how the Romanow Report on the Future of Health Care in Canada would impact on the biomedical community and many interesting points of view were exchanged and debated. On day one of the conference, the keynote address was made by Dr. Wilbert Keon, Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. He presented the delegates with an interesting overview of the significant changes in clinical technologies and their impact on patient care over the last several decades. Dr. Keon's role as a Senator also prompted interesting views on the future direction of healthcare and the impact that technology will play in its evolution. Dr. Keon's presentation was followed by Dr. Tofy Mussivand, Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer of World Heart Corporation and Director, Cardiovascular Devices Division of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. Dr. Mussivand focussed on the role of engineers and scientists in the evolution of clinical technologies. Dr. Mussivand emphasised the necessity for innovative ideas and creativity in addressing the needs of today's patient. On day two, Dr. Geoff Fernie, Professor and Director, Centre for Studies in Aging Sunnybrook & Women's College, Health Sciences Centre in Toronto clearly demonstrated how engineering has a direct impact on patient care and well-being through his talk on "Rehabilitation: Recent Innovations, Funding and Priorities". An impressive collection of engineering contributions to rehabilitation left the delegates inspired. Once again, the medical device community played a strong role in this year's conference. Company representatives had an extensive range of equipment and technology for demonstration allowing all in attendance hands-on experience with the latest in medical equipment technology. The Organising Committee worked very hard to prepare a program that was diverse and appealing to all delegates. Academically we had a very comprehensive scientific program. The clinical engineering stream experienced great attendance, and a particularly exciting presentation on Telehealth received enthusiastic reviews. Feedback on all the sessions has been very positive and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers who made this event an outstanding success. Dr. Donald Russell and his scientific committee had their work cut out for them with the Student Paper Competition. This year's judging proved to be very difficult as the calibre of scientific papers was truly outstanding. Bill Gentles and John Leung organised a very dynamic clinical engineering program. Mark Cleland, Exhibit Chair and Kim Greenwood, Continuing Education Chair provided invaluable assistance and support throughout the planning stages. Donna Dinnes did an exceptional job organising a student party and scheduling our student volunteers. Her enthusiasm and energy was infectious. There were many other volunteers, whose help and dedication made the conference such an enjoyable and fulfilling experience for all. Kudos to all the delegates who, together, provided us all with a remarkable professional development opportunity. I look forward to seeing you all at CMBEC28 in Quebec City next year.
Timothy J. Zakutney
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