Originally Published MX September/October 2005

IT IN HEALTHCARE

Concerns over security and cost are only a couple of the barriers facing wider implementation of IT applications in medical devices.

"The first barrier is the absence of one or more core competencies required for medical device connectivity and work flow automation," says Tim Gee, principal of Medical Connectivity Consulting (Beaverton, OR). "Competencies frequently lacking include managing patient context, wireless enablement, and the development and management of general-purpose IT products. Due to the variability and rapid change of general-purpose computing technologies, appropriate regulatory strategies for IT-enabled devices are considerably different from those used for embedded devices.

"The most pervasive major barrier is the business delivery system required to sell, install, service, and support connectivity solutions," he continues. "With connectivity, a business built around an embedded device with limited options is transformed.