Supporting Clinical Engineering in Italy: Results of a Survey Conducted by the AIIC

This article presents the outcomes of a survey developed and conducted by the Italian Association of Clinical Engineers (AIIC) in 2010. The AIIC, affiliated with the International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering (IFMBE) since 2003, conducted this in-depth survey to investigate the educational profile of clinical engineers (CEs) as well as the activities and organization of clinical engineering departments (CEDs) in Italy.The main purpose of this article is to present Italian clinical engineering activities to international CEs and stakeholders involved in health-care management organizations. The survey data analysis will allow country representatives to identify analogies and differences compared to their status, make healthcare service improvements, and carry out similar surveys in their local context, thereby mapping the state of the art of worldwide clinical engineering.