EBME Forums Forums EBME Website EBME Website EBME Website membership fees?

I spoke at an IPEM conference in Dublin in 2000 on using the internet as a communication network. There were approximately 200 delegates. I asked them to vote on whether the EBME website should be FREE to all members and sponsored commercially or a £10 membership fee be levied. There was one person who voted to pay £10 a year (Alex Zarneh) by far the whole audience put their hands up to keep it free - so we went for commercial sponsorship.
I think this was the right way to go as we now have a vibrant and buzzing community. To run this website for our members takes a huge amount of work, time, and money. I believe this site has raised the image of medical engineering profession and shows us all as a group of diverse professionals who are willing to share and have a good sense of humour.

We have an open door policy when it comes to linking with other sites and we link to other EBME sites from all over the world. We have many members from other countries who would not be able to use this site if it was not FREE.

During that conference in 2000, There was a professor speaking from a med phys dept in Brazil. He pointed out that he voted to keep the site FREE because his technicians used the site regularly.(and would not be able to afford £10)

As Chairman for this site, I am very very proud of what we have achieved as a professional group. I think that having reputable companies such as GE healthcare, Welch Allyn, Philips, Siemens, Tyco, etc putting something back into our community is something else to be proud of. These companies obviously see us as important to their business.

Sorry, if this seems like a bit of a rant, but i read some comments on another site (which i won't mention) who seem to think that there is too much 'commercial content' on our site.

The content on this site is 99% education and communication with 108 articles https://www.ebme.co.uk/articles
regular jobs (which have always been FREE to NHS)
Downloads - https://www.ebme.co.uk/downloads/ supplied FREE by our members.
and this fantastic forum where we try not to limit 'freedom of speech'.

Are our members now willing to pay an annual fee? I don't think so.

If i am wrong please feel free to let me know.

You know John, sometimes it takes an agent provocateur to stir up the debate! As I have said a few times before, this forum is a great resource and all involved are to be applauded. I only wish that more of the lurkers would add their own contributions (all of which are surely welcomed).

On the issue of subscription fees, I imagine that it's very difficult to start charging for something that has hitherto been free of charge (just like in the early days of satellite TV in the UK?).

On balance, I believe that we should stay as we are (ie, no subs), mainly on the grounds of providing an avenue of assistance to my friends struggling, often in difficult conditions, out there in the 'real world'.

Regarding 'commercial content' I would have to say that, from the point of view of this user at least, there is at least some! Whilst it is understood that sponsors effectively fund the site (fair enough), people sometimes wonder if this ever effects the editing (or whatever) effected by the Moderator.

Why not set up a Poll?

No, I don't think there should be a fee. This, I am sure would drastically reduce the membership and it is the membership that provides some very good advice and information - and all for free.
As to "commercial content", this is what national newspapers, your local "free" paper and some tv channels rely on, to keep costs to a minimum. This commercial content is policed, as I think I have seen Huw step into action once or twice to stop things getting out of hand.
So long as it's reputable companies, and the moderator is seen to be neutral, there should not be any problem.
On a lighter note, if a certain Chancellor sees profit, he may well generate an EBME tax.
Graham

Hello Geoff,

We try not to let it affect the editing but we do allow a certain amount of posting from sponsors on the forum (usually training courses). If we feel it is the wrong place we do tell them too. We do not delete negative comments about sponsors - and we have lost sponsors for that reason. Trying to moderate a forum is sometimes difficult and how much advertising to allow is also a difficult call. We do not allow advertising on the site by companies who put nothing into the EBME kitty. We would usually contact them and tell them that our members do not like advertising on the forum but we do have way in which they can advertise and contribute to our EBME community such as the banners and product pages. All the money we receive goes back into improving the site, and as a long time member you will have seen many changes over the years. We also have to ensure our server bandwidth can take the load. (Currently around 4 gigabytes.)
Thanks to you and all our other members it has become the worlds no.1 medical engineering website. This is also due to the members mentioning the site to their local sales reps, who then hassle their marketing teams to remember the EBME website when trying to decide where to spend their money.

I suppose being Chairman of this website is a bit like leading a political party, I can't keep all of you happy all of the time because all the members have a slightly different idea on what you want.

We do take into consideration everything that you and the rest of our members put forward, but it can't all be done in a day. All your ideas and suggestions are gratefully accepted and I am sorry if some of them are not adopted (or put on ice). There are always reasons why.

Hi John

I agree that the EBME website is very informative and useful, and there is no harm in carrying sponsorship and some commercial aspect. I congratulate everyone who devotes time, energy and resources to keep it as the premier site that it is.
Just one point, as you are Chairman of the site and feel that it is a bit like leading a political party, does that mean that everything that you say is actually spin?!!!! (He, he)

Only after a few Stellas kawasaki

I dont think your being entirely fair here John, the site I think you refer to, dare I mention, clin-eng has no opion whatsover regarding the commercial content of ebme.

On the Clinical Engineering Network forum when discussing setting up a virtual medical engineering museum and virtual workshop, a member did express an opionion regarding ebme, thats all, it would be wrong to blame the site for that.

The Clinical Engineering Network is a just a small group trying to accomplish certain practical aims and develop some new initiatives.

I Agree with Geoff, ebme is a great site and has acheived much, I dont think you should feel such as (i wont mention) about those trying acheive in different directions on another site.

Darren

I understand that many ebme members will think that many of activities of the Clinical Engineering Network could have been achieved on ebme, we felt this entirely innapropriate, given the fact that ebme is linked to PACE the Professional Association for Clinical Engineering http://www.paceuk.org/ and the highly expicit adult content of this website.

One of our aims is to bring the world of Clinical Engineering into schools via the Engineering Councils and other initiatives.

We were surprised actually that PACE had been sponsored by reputable medical equipment manufacturers.

Darren

I have just viewed this website and its contents, which is totally incorrect. It seems that delivering education is not within the remit of ebme site any longer as association with this kind of vulgar material will deter younger students and leave the whole embe field as a mockery and the likes of c.e.n clearing the mess up.

If the site has become corrupted that's one thing, but then to allow the site to continue and prosper in this way it's unacceptable, especially when you are the committee member on pace and then talk about the good morals of this site.

Darren, Manni,

EBME is not linked with PACE. I have no dealings with PACE and resigned as chairman of PACE over 2 years ago. Any adult content is down to the fact that the PACE site is not properly moderated or managed.

The statement I refer too from your site: "The ebme site has drifted way off the track that I had hoped it would take (despite my personal pleas to John Sandham and Huw Davies). Probably comes of being an ipso facto commercial venture"

This was the comment I wished to highlight. I was informed of the comments and have every right to respond.

As a regular contributor and user of the EBME website, I am surprised at your negative comments trying to assosiate our site with porn. I did not mention the clin-eng site for exactly the reason you state. It was a posting from one of the members.

I said "Sorry, if this seems like a bit of a rant, but i read some comments on another site (which i won't mention) who seem to think that there is too much 'commercial content' on our site".

I did not say it was the clin eng websites comments. You have mis-interpreted my posting.