Wireless Medical Device Proliferation Could Overwhelm Networks

Monitoring and managing wireless medical devices and reducing downtime on wireless networks are top priorities for healthcare organizations in improving clinician productivity and patient care quality, according to a survey of Association for Executives in Healthcare Information Technology (AEHIT) members by Nyansa. Wi-Fi network quality has become a safety and security issue as the number and type of wireless medical devices, such as EKG/ECG, patient monitoring, and imaging system devices, proliferate, the survey found. More than 90 percent of survey participants treat the wireless network as “mission critical” and view any downtime is “high risk.” Yet, fewer than half of IT departments surveyed have visibility into or control over new Internet of Things (IoT) devices accessing the network. “AEHIT members care deeply about the care and safety of their patients. Wireless biomedical devices offer many benefits, but the interconnectedness of these devices also poses security challenges that need to be addressed to provide optimal care,” said AEHIT Foundation COO Barbara Sivek. Security and patching are the two biggest pain points for healthcare IT leaders when it comes to wireless medical devices. “The combination of device proliferation and complexity is exposing healthcare organizations to security issues that could be life critical,” observed the report based on the survey results.