Pepe’ Velasquez
Director
Mediphor Design
Professor Pepe’ Joseph Velasquez is active in the medical design and engineering community in the capacity of a practicing academic (pracademic). He is the director of Mediphor Design, a design consultancy focused on advanced medical product development with an emphasis on medical equipment engineering and the built environment. Velasquez is also a clinical assistant professor at Arizona State’s University’s Design School with instruction at other design programs in the United States, Australia and China. He is a board member of Asia’s largest medical solid surface manufacturer. Velasquez also holds a BSID and a master’s of science in information management with data-driven, design decision making.
Reducing Hospital Acquired Infections Using ‘Critical Design Thinking Strategies’ While Envisioning New Medical Equipment Design
It is every medical design professional’s desire to improve the delivery of service within healthcare environments. Critical to achieving this goal is a thorough investigation of the hospital ‘system.’ Systems design, design thinking and strategy along with educating oneself in advanced medical technology and materials will contribute to the improvement of these desired outcomes. This includes the understanding of the many user interactions with medical equipment during a typical use lifecycle and the options of sterilization procedures available for medical tool reprocessing.
Considering that 1.7 million patients are infected each year during hospitalizations, there is a clear need to rethink hospital design and the equipment that runs through it. Pepe Velasquez will introduce the concept of the ‘burden of responsible knowledge’ which will compel design, and research and development professionals to acknowledge that they must educate themselves in vastly changing technologies while conceptualizing new medical tools and surgical techniques.
