Medical wearables – safe and functional
A healthcare system that sees itself solely as a "repair shop" is expensive and inefficient. In view of funding gaps, a shortage of skilled workers, and demographic trends that are resulting in a growing proportion of older people in society – and thus more cases of illness – a change of course is urgently needed. The task for the future is to use prevention to avoid or slow down acute illnesses and to manage chronic illnesses outside of healthcare facilities.
In addition to political will and appropriate financing models, this also requires suitable technology. In addition to stationary devices that only allow examinations in clinics and practices, mobile versions are needed that can also be used at home by patients. Or even "wearables," i.e., devices that can be worn on the body and thus integrated into the everyday life of those affected.
The development of wearables presents device manufacturers with completely new challenges. Despite miniaturization, functionality must be largely retained, a battery must be integrated into the smaller housing, and, finally, special efforts must be made to ensure data security.
The communication interface and data transmission, as well as data collection and storage, are critical issues that not only affect patient trust but also play a major role in the certification process. It is therefore important to place a special focus on cybersecurity and privacy from the outset of development.
To learn more about the guiding principles that support this requirement, the development steps that can be derived from them, and how this affects the selection of hardware components and other sub-processes, such as PCB design, please refer to our white paper "Secure Mobile Hardware for Clinical Use." These are illustrated using a practical concept—the development of a secure, miniaturized 12-channel ECG— . Download the white paper here.
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