Healthcare Wireless and Device Connectivity

Integra Systems, Inc. Re-Cap for 2011

It has been a very interesting year and good in the wireless and healthcare connectivity space. A brief re-cap of activities. 1. Developed test plans and protocols as well as conducted testing for a major medical device company (6B). Addressed questions from the FDA reviewer, internal regulatory, and achieved approval in record time (under 90 days) A major win for the company! 2. Worked with the leading provider of embedded (FIPS-4)security to figure out how to embed their security in mobile medical devices. 3. Currently the SME (subject matter expert), that is working with an angel funded company to figure out the correct radio strategy (in this case ANT),to embed into their medical device (solution). Going to commercialization in 2012. 4. Wrote several white papers that got published on wireless and RFLS technologies. 5. Spoke at leading seminars on wireless, connectivity, and mHealth. 6. Conducted several web based events for manufactures of technology as well as the investment community. 7. Filed patents for M to M (machine to machine). 8. Established partnership with the leading government M to M provider. 9. Developed an initial software and hardware platform for M to M, i.e. industrial marketplace. Interest generated from several of the leading players in industrial automation. 10. Became the SME for a leading government organization for the re-design of wireless voice over IP in a highly secure military and national security environment. 11. Completed the re-design of a wireless voice over IP network in a BSL-4 facility. 12. Finalized partnerships for Android and I-Phone application development. 13. Established partnerships with several integrators for wireless field deployments. 14. Created a technology roadmap and key integration requirements for the largest medical device conglomerate. Helped them figure out the remote connectivity and GSM strategy. 15. Worked with venture funded infusion device company to help them formulate the correct wireless, integration, and field deployment guidelines. 16. In process of developing the correct industry guidelines for medical device wireless and wired testing. 17. In the process of working with the leading technology provider of distributed antenna systems to develop generation 2.0 of digial DAS for the healthcare vertical. 18. Consulted with a major league baseball team and one of the largest IDN (integrated delivery networks), for the right design, deployment, and business models for distributed antenna systems (DAS).

EMI and the Healthcare Environment

An excellent article by Research in Motion on EMI. Needs to be read as the proliferation of broadband voice and data devices will continue to dominate the healthcare environment.

Download healthcare_emi_and_blackberry.pdf

RFID and Electromagnetic Interference

ECRI has published their article August 2008, Volume 20, No. 8, of which can be downloaded from www.awarepoint.com.  While this article is good high level it is felt it may  not delve into what actually is the criteria for measuring  EMI and how to actually establish the appropriate policies and procedures within a healthcare environment.  Arthur Gasch from www.medsp.com, has allowed Steve Olsen sgolsenco@yahoo.com, and myself to provide input to an article in his publication and circulation of over 10,000 members in his client base.  This will come out in the next few weeks.  An excerpt of this article. " IEC standards  IEC 60601-1-2 is the most common standard for RF susceptibility.  The standards for compliant signal levels are clear and represent a good starting point for for basic safety and essential performance.  The requirement states that a field strength of 10V/m (volts per meter), is the accepted standard for life critical equipment and that 3 V/m is the accepted standard for general purpose medical devices. A convenient standard to assist in calculating radiatied emissions is FCC OET Bulletin 65, "Evaluating Compliance with FCC Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields.  The formulas are based on standard RF field theory.  We have included a table in this extensive article that outlines acceptable  separation from the radiating source to RF subseceptable equipment in free space."

 

Download ECRITrends_Aug08.pdf