AAMI Workshop to Focus on Growing Wireless Challenges

AAMI will hold an invitation-only workshop to address the growth of wireless technology in hospitals and how to properly manage it.

The workshop, cosponsored by the ECRI Institute, American Society for Healthcare Engineering, and the American College of Clinical Engineering, will run Oct. 4-5 in Herndon, VA, outside of Washington, D.C. It will immediately follow an AAMI-U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) two-day summit on interoperability.

Wireless devices have great potential to improve patient care, but can also create headaches for hospitals, said Chris Riha, senior director at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, VA. Riha said his network has expanded to accommodate more than 600 infusion pumps and 300 wireless computers.

Hospitals are dealing with “varying wireless characteristics in new devices, and challenges associated with the clinical use of those devices—for example, patient safety, clinical effectiveness, security, and even regulatory aspects,” said Phil Raymond, wireless architect for Philips Healthcare, part of the team that helped develop the workshop’s agenda.

The goals of the workshop include reaching consensus on how to solve major issues, identifying research gaps, and increasing awareness of wireless challenges.

“A workshop where all voices can be heard and stakeholders and subject matter experts are engaged is a great way to not only educate oneself in these matters but to network with all the players and peers,” Raymond said.

For more information on the wireless workshop and to request an invitation, contact Chris Dinegar at cdinegar@aami.org. Space is limited.

For more information on the interoperability summit, including how to register, visit www.aami.org/interoperability.

AAMI, the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, is a nonprofit organization founded in 1967. It is a diverse community of nearly 7,000 healthcare technology professionals united by one important mission—supporting the healthcare community in the development, management, and use of safe and effective medical technology.