Device Connectivity Is Key To Health Care IT Revolution

The ability to create and maintain a data stream of information that flows from medical devices into electronic health records (EHRs) is starting to become an important priority for some of the nation’s hospitals. The development is a natural outgrowth of the movement toward having a viable EHR for every patient, as well as the understanding that quality of care can be enhanced if those EHRs are fed the type of data that comes from devices such as ventilators, infusion pumps, anesthesia machines, and products that measure patient vital signs. That need is creating a new, niche market for companies that offer connectivity solutions, and at some point, these changes are predicted to alter the way hospitals choose which medical devices to purchase.