Healthcare Wireless and Device Connectivity

HIMSS 2010 Review

Well another HIMSS in 2010!  This not to sound less than exciting but after thirteen years; this years event is major, as it seems the bent is toward technology transforming the patient experience versus somewhat a "showbiz"  events of the past. That is all very good as we have now real technology innovations present, that will solve the day to day clinical and business issues while saving costs throughout the patient experience. This venue is seemed to be quite different without the mega booths of Cerner and Siemens, but then again you had General Electric, Philips, EPIC, however what I enjoyed was the proliferation of smaller and smaller companies bringing new technologies to the forefront. This will drive technology innovations to save costs and improve care.  Further the focus of what was evident was on not so much on the EMR vendors, but those "mobility and infrastructure companies" that can drive real business value.  CIsco Systems www.cisco.com really had a great presence. They have rapidly evolved into the application space and are driving real business value converging data, voice, and video.  This show was the unveiling of their Health Presence platform. Had to go to their booth on the second day, as simply I could not wedge myself in the first day. With the  I-Phone making it's presence, there was a profound number of new companies displaying for the first or second time for example  www.airstriptechnologies.com.  However to support all the the bandwidth of these new applications you must have a reliable WLAN for either VoIP (The I-Phone supports this), or if on the case of the ATT network, reliable in-building coverage.  So all the major WLAN players were there and also new ones, www.cisco.com www.arubanetworks.com, www.merunetworks.com, www.ruckuswireless.comand a variety of DAS (Distributed Antenna System) companies. These DAS companies include the ones that some traditionally know like MA and IW, but new entrants that driving new and exciting ways of providing in-building converage. These include SOLiD www.solidtechusa.com and Extenet Systems.  As we move the majority of what we do to the new healthcare mobility continuum, those companies that are forward thinking in providing the infrastructure and mobility devices to support those applications will be the winners.  I also failed to mention www.capsuletech.com.  With the second supported release of Neuron they for the first time introduced positive patient association and disassocitation. This is technically done by using the Thing Magic reader and Alien RFID tags.  This really improves upon the workflow for the clinician by not forcing them to always have to use a bar code scanner at the point of care.  However, I would say bar code scanning has come a long way from my days at Symbol Technologies (now Motorola). Laser scan engines have been displaced by CCD imagers that can de-code all symbologies to include 1D, 2D, and now 3D. (2D and 3D were used on the HIMSS badges).

    

HIMSS 2010 Wireless and Mobility Offerings

HIMSS has changed a lot in the past many years, it has morphed as we have moved into this new wireless and mobility continuum. I will be especially interested in all the cool applications that touch the I-Phone and Blackberry.  However just as important it will be all the wlreless LAN vendors, RTLS vendors, and the DAS (Distributed Antenna System) companies. I will try to focus my efforts in these areas.  The WLAN, RTLS, and DAS market is going through a technology and financial transformation in 2010.

  AirStrip Technologies
  
SOLiD DAS BTS

HIMSS 2010 Integra Systems, Inc.

HIMSS 2010 is shortly on us. I will be visiting countless vendors and companies and will try to publish a daily blog of the unique technology finds.  This is of course is like squeezing 28 hours into 24.

"Developing a strategic plan for all aspects of wireless technologies and applications is critical to improve the patient process and ensure the best possible outcomes in healthcare today.  Integra Systems deep domain knowledge and experience within the wireless space has helped both medical device companies and hospitals develop strategic business planning surrounding this new mobility continuium. Coupled with this is the ability to evaluate a vendor's technology offering's, execute specific RFI(s) and RFP(s), and implement enterprise ideation sessions.  The end result of this planning process is an agnostic way of evaluating technology offerings that will ensure the best return on the investment and provide the lowest total cost of ownership of wireless and mobility solutions for healthcare delivery networks.  For more information about Integra Systems, Inc. call 714.264.7101 or go to www.integrasystems.org

 

HIMSS 2010 Atlanta Georgia

This is very fast approaching and I am making all kinds of plans for meetings and visiting countless exhibitors.  Felt like this blog was the best way to communicate my travel plans.  Will be coming in on the 28th of February (Sunday), and leaving out late on 03 March (Wednesday), late. Since a lot of the standard HIMSS hotels are already booked, I will be staying close by at the Hyatt Place Atlanta Airport South.  This will be very busy and compacted four days, but as at this meeting of which I have attended thirteen years, great things always happen.