Wireless Wellness-Monitoring, How Safe is it?
Although only 5 % of all medical devices have wireless
capabilities, a recent study by the IMS indicates that 35 % of wireless-enabled
medical devices sold in 2016 will be powered by Bluetooth technology. This
projection suggests industry optimism that the Medical Field is in the process
of embracing wireless wellness-monitoring as part of common medical
practice.
Bluetooth Smart is Bluetooth’s brand for wireless medical devices that
collect specific monitoring data and submit them to a variety of compatible
mobile Bluetooth Smart Ready devices. Today, there are Bluetooth Smart products
that track parameters for heart, glucose and blood pressure in medical
facilities, taking advantage of low power usage and long battery life.
Bluetooth technology is significant to mobile medical wellness monitoring
because it provides a widely used infrastructure to collect and share medical
data for medical assessment. The benefits allow patients to be able to easily
receive multiple medical opinions and faster attention should their condition
suddenly change. In spite of these advantages however, Bluetooth technology has
been slow to catch on in the medical industry because of its higher costs and
security vulnerabilities placing patients and Hospital
Information Systems at risk.
Security specialists have found worrying breakdowns in wireless security:
• Within 300 meters of the device, wireless
insulin pumps could be compromised.
• Implantable medical devices such as pacemakers that transmit information could be infiltrated, data accessed and/or new commands executed, giving the patient an electric shock or ceasing the device’s functionality.
• Implantable medical devices such as pacemakers that transmit information could be infiltrated, data accessed and/or new commands executed, giving the patient an electric shock or ceasing the device’s functionality.
But how susceptible is Bluetooth technology to hacking? According to an
article on blog platform, HubPages, outlining Bluetooth Hacks and Bluetooth
device security issues, both the devices and data transmitted are susceptible to
being intercepted or high jacked for malicious or otherwise unauthorized intent.
Security specialists feel that hospital IT staff can’t properly apply a
reasonable security plan to secure mobile medical devices because the problem
must be first addressed at the manufacturing level.
So although mobile medical devices and wireless monitoring is on the rise, awareness of security vulnerabilities in wireless technology is only beginning to be raised. In order to mitigate potential damages and risks to patients and hospitals, better controls should be applied both by governmental licensing bodies like the FDA and by manufacturers themselves to ensure the secure flow of wireless data and medical device operation.
So although mobile medical devices and wireless monitoring is on the rise, awareness of security vulnerabilities in wireless technology is only beginning to be raised. In order to mitigate potential damages and risks to patients and hospitals, better controls should be applied both by governmental licensing bodies like the FDA and by manufacturers themselves to ensure the secure flow of wireless data and medical device operation.
Source: http://www.medwow.com/articles/
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