Healthcare Engineering Association of Japan

The Healthcare Engineering Association of Japan (HEAJ) was established in September 1953 under the original name of the Hospital Engineering Association of Japan, with the objectives of promoting research and technological advances and disseminating the results of these improvements throughout healthcare facilities. As the broad diversification of the Association’s activities has increasingly grown beyond the scope of hospital engineering alone, the name was changed to the Healthcare Engineering Association of Japan in May of 1999 as a suitable means of expressing the Association’s expanded focus on health, welfare and medical care in general.

MEMBERSHIP

At present the Association has about 800 members (about 560 individual members and some 240 organization members such as hospitals and companies), representing a variety of professions. Members include physicians, engineers, architects, nurses, dietitians, facility managers and administrative personnel from healthcare fields, designers and contractors of hospital buildings and facilities, and others in related fields covering the broad scope of medical science and engineering. Building-services firms and manufacturers of medical facilities and equipment also participate in the Association as company members, and many employees of such companies have joined the Association as individual members.

ACTIVITIES OF HEAJ

PUBLICATION

The bimonthly publication of the Journal of the Healthcare Engineering Association of Japan, which features selected themes for each issue is also a venue for publicizing the views and comments of members and for introducing information on new products. Unfortunately, this journal is presently published in the Japanese language only, however we hope to improve the journal in future and make it more international.

SYMPOSIUM

The Healthcare Engineering Association of Japan Symposium is held annually to provide a forum for an exchange of views and the presentation of research and suggestions for improvements designed to create a better environment inside hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Symposiums, which are open to members and others involved in healthcare fields, are attended by about 1,000 people every year and feature two days of presentations and active discussions on various themes.

HOSPEX JAPAN

In conjunction with the annual Symposium, we sponsor an exhibition during the same period known as HOSPEX JAPAN. This three-day event offers a venue for the latest information exchange and the exhibition of a comprehensive range of systems and equipment for medical and healthcare facilities. HOSPEX JAPAN features presentations and displays of the best in competitive technologies by some 270 companies in exhibition halls covering approximately 18,000㎡ of space and attracts some 58,000 visitors each year, including medical and healthcare professionals as well as others interested in hospital fields.