The idea of medical device interoperability has been around for quite some time. The standards have been debated and discussed since the end of the 20th century. Today, we seem to be closer and closer to the reality of “plug and play” medical devices. With the ever increasing costs of healthcare, organizations have existed for the standardization of clinical devices (hospital rooms and operating rooms) and the emerging home-health industry.

Previously, it was very expensive and took too much time and effort for a third party to create an interoperable environment. The definite of a standard is that it eliminates this need of time and money.

We have displayed the effectiveness of interoperable devices with 802.11 Wi-Fi Networks and with Bluetooth accessories for one’s cell phone. We should be able to apply these same ideas to medical devices. With the implementation of a “plug and play” environment, there is the ability to have many advantages to the market and most importantly to patients. Some of these advantages include increased in productivity, a reduction in medical errors, real-time information gathering/sharing, and improved patient safety.

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