Clinical Engineering: An Evolving Landscape
This event will explore the changing landscape of the Clinical Engineering/Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) profession. As medical technologies and software systems evolve and modern challenges such as cybersecurity threats stress healthcare systems, the roles of clinical engineers have changed to meet these demands. Many of these technical challenges and how clinical engineers address them will be discussed. Emphasis will also be placed on career opportunities in clinical engineering/HTM, and students interested in the various roles in this profession are encouraged to attend to learn more.
The event is free and open to IEEE members, working professionals, and students. It will feature presentations by Ann Rovito, Dr. Samantha Jacques, and Dr. Larry Fennigkoh, three highly regarded clinical engineers. There will also be a panel session focused on the various career paths in clinical engineering and HTM, along with a dinner and networking session.
The event will be held in the Welcome Center at MSOE. Registration is limited to 75 attendees.
Date and Time
Location
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- 1047 N. Broadway
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- United States 53202
- Building: Campus Center
- Room Number: Welcome Center
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- Co-sponsored by Milwaukee School of Engineering
- Starts 24 October 2025 05:00 AM UTC
- Ends 19 November 2025 02:00 AM UTC
- No Admission Charge
Speakers
Ann Rovito of Children's Wisconsin
Overview of the Clinical Engineering/HTM Landscape
This portion of our program will touch on the evolution of Clinical Engineering /Biomed departments to Healthcare Technology Management (HTM). Alongside this rebranding, the necessary skillsets have also evolved. Understanding the durable or foundational skills on which to prioritize will be discussed, ones that will enhance an individual's technical skills in building a successful career in HTM.
Biography:
Ann graduated from Marquette University, having earned her BSE in the college of Biomedical Engineering. She is currently the Director of Clinical Engineering at Children's Wisconsin, where she leads initiatives to enhance healthcare technology and patient safety. She also serves as a co-chair for the hospital’s Inclusion, Diversity & Equity (ID&E) team, championing equitable access to care and fostering a culture of belonging across clinical teams. Under her leadership, the department has implemented innovative equipment lifecycle strategies and strengthened cross-disciplinary collaboration to improve patient outcomes.
Dr. Samantha Jacques of McLaren Health Care
Cybersecurity Challenges in Clinical Engineering: From Networks to Medical Devices (a recorded presentation)
This presentation will discuss the current state of cybersecurity in medical devices in the US including risks and challenges HTM departments face when attaching those devices to hospital networks as well as networks within the patient’s home. It will also discuss ways hospitals and medical device manufacturers help mitigate those risks as well as regulations that are tackling the challenges to help secure the future. We will also briefly touch on what’s next on the horizon – quantum computing - and how that will impact cyber across the med device industry.
Biography:
Dr. Jacques manages medical technology throughout the McLaren system including 13 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, and Michigan’s largest network of cancer centers. She is also Vice Chair of the Health Sector Coordinating Council – Cybersecurity Working Group where she advises the US Government on behalf of the health sector on all thing Cyber. She has previously sat on the Boards of healthcare associations including AAMI and ACCE and has published a book titled “Introduction to Clinical Engineering”. She also adjunct teaches in the field of cybersecurity. She has a BS in Biomedical Engineering from Milwaukee School of Engineering and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Louisiana Tech University.
Dr. Larry Fennigkoh of Milwaukee School of Engineering
Clinical Engineering’s Role in Incident Investigations – Lessons Learned from Medical Device-Related Injuries and Deaths
Being the primary medical device and technical experts within most hospitals, clinical engineers may – and somewhat unfortunately – occasionally be called upon to investigate and/or reconstruct the cause(s) of device-related patient injuries and deaths. This session will provide a brief overview of such tasks along with some actual case study examples.
Biography:
Larry Fennigkoh is currently a Professor Emeritus within MSOE’s Biomedical Engineering program. Before joining MSOE in 1998, Dr. Fennigkoh was the director of clinical engineering at Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center. His primary research and forensic engineering consulting interests have been in the control of medical error, with considerable expert witness work involving medical device-related patient injuries and deaths. Dr. Fennigkoh received his B.S. and M.S. from MSOE and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He is a registered professional engineer (electrical) in Wisconsin, certified in clinical Engineering, and a fellow within the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, the American College of Clinical Engineering, and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation. He was also inducted into ACCE Hall of Fame in 2017.
Agenda
5:00 – 5:15 Check in at Registration Table
5:15 – 5:20 Welcome Remarks
Jeff LaMack, PhD, IEEE-Milwaukee Section EMB Chapter Co-Chair, Program Director of Biomedical Engineering, MSOE
5:20 – 5:45 Overview of the Clinical Engineering/HTM Landscape
Ann Rovito, Director, Clinical Engineering, Children’s Wisconsin
5:45 – 6:20 Cybersecurity Challenges in Clinical Engineering: From Networks to Medical Devices (a recorded presentation)
Samantha Jacques, PhD, FACHE, AAMIF, Vice President, McLaren Clinical Engineering Services, McLaren Health Care
6:20 – 6:25 Clinical Engineering Professional Societies and Continuing Education Opportunities
Larry Fennigkoh, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Biomedical Engineering, Milwaukee School of Engineering
6:25 – 7:15 Dinner and Networking
7:15 – 8:00 Panel Session: Career Paths in Clinical Engineering and Healthcare Technology Management
This panel discussion will explore the various roles in clinical engineering and healthcare technology management, including specializations, as well as career pathways in these fields.
Ahmed Sayed, PhD (moderator), Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Milwaukee School of Engineering
Jacklyn Bohman, CCE, CHTM, MS, EIT (panelist), Chief Biomedical Engineer, Clement J Zablocki VA Medical Center
Matt Dummert, MS, CCE, CHTM (panelist), Director of Healthcare Technology Management, Froedtert ThedaCare Health, Inc.
Riley Rossbach (panelist), Clinical Engineer, Advanced Heart Failure Therapy Clinic, St. Luke’s Medical Center, Advocate Aurora Health
Jenna Trewyn (panelist), Biomedical Equipment Technician, Clinical Engineering, Children’s Wisconsin
8:05 – 8:30 Clinical Engineering’s Role in Incident Investigations – Lessons Learned from Medical Device-Related Injuries and Deaths
Larry Fennigkoh, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Biomedical Engineering, Milwaukee School of Engineering
8:30 – 8:35 Closing Remarks