Posted by Michael Wonder on 05 Sep 2017
Interoperability: FDA’s final guidance on smart, safe, medical device interactions
5 September 2017 - Imagine an intensive care unit for newborns. An interface on a device called a pulse oximeter is sending data on changes in the newborns’ blood oxygen level to a hospital computer system that simultaneously gathers data from EKGs that are monitoring the electrical activity of their hearts.
By synchronising time and information with the pulse oximeter, an EKG is able to identify important signals from the oximeter, information that will ultimately lead to smarter care. “Interoperability” is when devices talk to each other in a safe and effective way enabling smarter care.
Today’s health care providers and their patients are relying more than ever on rapid, secure interactions among different medical devices. From electrocardiograms to infusion pumps, medical devices must reliably communicate and operate in concert.
