Wi-Fi-enabled medical devices are on the rise, driven by innovations like “smart” infusion pumps, ubiquitous mobile access to electronic medical records (EMR), and cost-savings from standards-based networks. These Internet of Things (IoT) devices are revolutionizing healthcare and transforming how healthcare professionals deliver services. What is today just a wireless medical device used to monitor a patient, may tomorrow allow healthcare professionals to prevent impending health crises before they can occur. But this vision can only be realized if the wireless medical devices and the networks on which they operate can deliver hospital-grade connectivity, security, and mobility. In this mission-critical environment, nothing can be left to chance. This white paper explores the diverse challenges impacting the WLAN and the growing number of wireless medical devices in hospital environments. It examines two real-world examples of IoT product releases gone wrong, providing an overview of the risks and issues inherent in optimizing wireless medical device performance. And, it outlines the best practices for cost-effectively mitigating those risks and ensuring the highest level of quality in life-critical deployment scenarios.
