Healthcare Wireless and Device Connectivity

LinkedIn Medical Device Connectivity Group

Please see the following link and my response.

http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?viewQuestAndAnswers=&discussionID=54797685&gid=1356777&trk=eml-anet_dig-b_nd-pmt-cn

This has been a debate in the industry for a very long time. "Stay with your monitoring vendor like Philips www.philips.com that you "trust" to go with...or go with a vendor neutral solution.

There is no question that the monitoring vendors have been struggling with third party device connectivity. Trying to keep up with a very dynamic and changing market is where the challenge lies.

And add to device connectivity this is not Philp's main focus - nor should it be because they make very good medical devices.

The other challenge is that the monitoring vendors (not singling out Philips), do not provide all of the available device parameters and alarms required by the enterprise IT systems ---such as EMR's or alarm management systems. This has been one of the major drawbacks of a monitor-central solution for third party device connectivity. If you want to read a good article - here is one written by an independent research company

http://www.capsuletech.com/Collateral/Documents/English-US/MSP%20Industry%20Alert%20article.pdf

Wireless Technology Roadmapping and Planning by Integra Systems

In light of the previous blog stating the problem, Integra Systems is proposing a very methodical approach to the aspect of wireless technology roadmap planning. While this might be unique for the healthcare wireless provider and device marketplace, it is considered best of practice for other vertical markets. I somewhat learned this approach in my previous life at www.johnsoncontrols.com whereby I participated in several as they call them "ideation" sessions.

This unique roadmap planning allows the right technology planning that is aligned with the business process. This can reduce potential costs both from a CAPEX and OPEX. It also can reduce risk from a Qos and security perspective while at the same time improving clinical work flow.

It will be built into a series of modules that are tailored to the specific technology offering or combined as one complete package. Finally, this will be a working model to allow annualized updates as a continued healthcare business process improvement tool. Since the technology curve of wireless just does not stand still!

Would like feedback of the value of this.

Download Roadmapping_overview

Wireless Strategic Planning the "Problem Statement"

From my past and most recent experience it definitely appears a lot of potential problems/concerns need to be solved in the wireless world both from a provider and device side. The healthcare CIO definitely has a lot on his/her hands. It is not just managing what we consider the traditional "wireless" LAN, but now you add to this the "wireless medical devices", while making sure that the proper security and quality of service is intact. I definitely would say that the CIO of today is having to drink from the wireless firehose.

Now this is just one part of equation. How will the proliferation of GSM/CDMA/LTE devices like the iPad, iPhone, Android SmartPhones for communication (data first, voice second), work correctly within the walls of the hospital? Some say if coverage is bad install a DAS; but do we combine this with WLAN, or how do we coordinate with the carriers for pervasive neutral host coverage? How do make sure the technology that we choose is up to date and can handle LTE at 700MHz with 700MHz Public Safety.

Then now the deployment of the myriad landscape of the RFLS solutions and how does someone sort through all this?

Lastly, add to this Zigbee devices, low power Bluetooth, and the concern of EMI maybe hitting the IEC 80001 radar...definitely this space has become very complex.

Finally, I took calls in the past few months of providers obtaining quotes on Distributed Antenna Systems from three technology providers and four integrators. On the same property the pricing had a delta difference of 250K from the low to the high. Remark was, I do not have a clue what I am looking at!

Would like thoughts on this from the audience as I am planning complete a Technology Assessment and Planning Service surrounding.