Medical Device Connectivity to an EHR Network Is More Than Just “Plug and Play”

Medical device connectivity to an organization’s electronic health record (EHR) system is an objective for achieving meaningful use, but this goal cannot be achieved simply by plugging the device into a computer, called the “plug-and-play” approach. Instead, solutions for connectivity must be thoughtfully planned with attention to how the solutions will affect clinician workflow, the facility’s physical requirements, and the need for infrastructure changes, writes ECRI Institute’s Scott DiDonato, associate consultant, Applied Solutions Group, in the March 2013 Health Facilities Management. To receive federal incentives for adopting EHR systems, organizations must demonstrate that the system meets meaningful use requirements. One such goal is capturing data from medical devices into the EHR system so clinicians have better access to the data and can use it for patient care decisions. Because of differences in the type of information transferred and the format for displaying the information, medical devices can rarely be directly connected to the EHR system.