Hospitals Advised to ‘Get Ready’ for Potential
Channel Change
Hospitals that operate their wireless medical telemetry system (WMTS) on TV channel 37 need to prepare for a potential relocation, a development that would likely impact long-term strategies for wireless healthcare.
That was the message delivered during a July 23 webinar that examined the impact of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, which contained a provision related to freeing up spectrum for broadband wireless applications.
As part of the act, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is evaluating moving channel 37. It houses half the radio spectrum for WMTS, which is used to remotely monitor patient health, making this an important issue for hospitals, said David Hoglund, president and founder of the wireless integration firm Integra Systems in Lake Tahoe, NV. Hoglund was the feature speaker during the webinar, organized by the Health Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS).
The impetus for the potential change is the need for additional spectrum. “It stems from the hunger for data for smartphones and smart devices,” he said. “The FCC projects a spectrum deficit by 2013.”
If it decides to relocate the channel, the agency has until 2022 to complete the project, but “nobody knows when this is going to happen or how,” Hoglund said. “There is nothing really that the FCC has proposed to give the industry alternative spectrum. The imperative for hospitals is to come up with a plan to monitor what is going on.”
Hoglund said hospitals should do three things:
- Analyze the current state of WMTS at your hospital. Check out how many transmitters are in use, which buildings and areas, and how many separate systems you have.
- Register your facility with the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) if you haven’t already. The FCC has set aside $300 million to compensate WMTS licensees, and facilities “have to register to make sure you get the funds if this becomes a reality,” Hoglund said.
- Monitor the situation. Follow developments through media, blogs, and organizations such as AAMI, HIMSS, ASHE, and the ECRI Institute.
Additionally, Hoglund advised hospitals to discuss this potential channel change with vendors when looking to purchase telemetry systems. Hospitals, he said, should ask vendors about their long-term plans to address this issue.
“Creating the strategy and getting together with CEOs will allow you to step back and make the right decisions,” he said. “I would have something in the contract that could potentially protect you. Learn about alternative technologies that won’t be affected by this.”
For additional information on how to register, click here.
Posted: July 25, 2012