Health IT & Quality: Why Things Matter
Not free of risks
Although medical IoT offers great benefits, it also presents several challenges and risks. Many security threats on the Internet, such as viruses and ransomware, present an environment where sensor-generated data could be harvested and used for criminal purposes. Similar to theft of financial information, the sensor data can be used to steal identities, impersonate individuals, or extort money from victims. Therefore, hardened security protocols and technology are required to protect patients.
Similar to anecdotal reports of cars being “attacked” by hackers, devices controlled by medical IoT are at risk. Any deployment of these devices demands a robust plan to prevent their infiltration by hackers who may be inclined to injure patients, or to lash out at the manufacturers of the sensors or the provider organization using them.
As the medical IoT market evolves, the FDA must remain current with new technologies and, in turn, determine the level of oversight required. The FDA will balance potential risks to patients with the need to encourage innovation. As these sensor technologies and supporting software evolve rapidly, the FDA will need to access adequate expertise to make proper determinations. This will not be an easy task.
Finally, medical IoT opens up an area of medical liability that remains undefined. If sensors fail and there is an unexpected event, is the sensor manufacturer or the provider responsible? What level of harm must be present to trigger liability?
Despite all the challenges posed by medical IoT, the benefits far exceed the risks. Allowing providers to monitor their patients more closely delivers better outcomes. Giving patients access to more information about their conditions affords them better control over their treatment. Medical IoT presents an unlimited number of possibilities to improve clinical and financial outcomes. The sooner visionary innovators create the use cases and the sensors, the better.
Barry Chaiken is the president of DocsNetwork Ltd. and has more than 25 years of experience in medical research, epidemiology, clinical information technology, and patient safety. He is board certified in general preventive medicine and public health and is a fellow, and former board member and chair of HIMSS. At DocsNetwork, Chaiken worked on quality improvement studies, health IT clinical transformation projects, and clinical investigations for the National Institutes of Health, UK National Health Service, and Boston University Medical School. He is currently an adjunct professor of informatics at Boston University’s School of Management. Chaiken may be contacted at bchaiken@docsnetwork.com.
Reference
Internet of Things. (2016, May 9). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved May 10, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Internet_of_Things&oldid=719442160