**13.** *How to proceed***: For biomedical engineering to become a professional field**

So in this chapter, we have talked about:


We have shown how biomedical engineering (BME) can open up a new approach to the study of Anatomy, in terms of how anatomical structures are intrinsically designed as optimal structures for their function.

We have also seen how BME can be applied to the study of Physiology, by modelling of physiological systems (as bme models), which can enable us to assess their performance for clinical usage by means of our novel NDPIs comprised of the physiological systems' model parameters. The NDPIs can considerably facilitate medical assessment, and lead us to what can be effectively termed as Higher-order Translational Medicine (HOTM), entailing the incorporation of physical and engineering sciences into medical sciences and clinical sciences for more reliable and effective patient care.

Even Medical tests can be adroitly modelled as BME systems. These systems are formulated in the form of mathematical models, whose solutions are simulated to the medical tests data, to evaluate the model parameters. The model parameters can be combined into NDPIs, by means of which the test data can be analysed for making more reliable medical assessment and decisions.

Finally, we have seen how we can bring to bear the enormous scope of Industrial Engineering (and constrained optimisation theory) to hospital operational management, so as to develop (i) cost-effective performance indices of hospital departments, and (ii) more knowledgeable framework for budget development and allocation to the various department.

Putting all of this together is what will justify (i) the incorporation of BME into the MD curriculum, and (ii) its constituting an indispensable patient-care oriented department in tertiary- care hospitals.

This verily constitutes the biomedical engineering professional trail, from anatomy and physiology to medicine and into hospital administration. This is what the professional role of biomedical engineering needs to be, to promote a higher order of translational medicine and patient care.
