The Role of technology in delivering patient care

[Toby]

Hi guys,

I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday break 

In case you have not seen it, I thought I would share this story from O2's blog site 'The Blue'

It talks about the beneficial effects of technology in patient-centred care.

Role of technology in delivering patient care

I'd love to know what you think about it, so sound off below if you have something to say

Toby

[Liquid]

I think we need to be very careful with how we proceed linking up vital systems like this to the Internet.

Pacemakers, insulin packs, electrical stimulation packs(parkingsons) and pumps for drips have all been proven to be compromisable.

Paranoid maybe but I'm sure I'm not the only one who'd prefere a closed system keeping me healthy.

"Sorry your pacemakers antivirus subscription has now expired."

^^
Scary haha

[sheepdog]

In principle its an interesting idea. However anything this big is usually wrecked by the big IT firms cashing in on gov money to implement. That always overruns both deadlines and budgets and we end up with a sloppy system that has to be supported for years that nobody likes and ends up costing a fortune.

Just wait till support hours ends 

[adamtemp64]

IT in the nhs do not get me going on that one we provide a service to the nhs yet each trust operates different accounting software different purchasing software and even some outsource those functions yet keep staff in the trust.

The main it project for patient records has even beens crapped after billions spent on it.

IT has cost the nhs more than the savings being made at present. (rant over)

[jonsie]

My local health centre spent thousands setting it up and are now changing it all again.

Terrible waste of resources.

[Toby]

---

@Liquid wrote:
I think we need to be very careful with how we proceed linking up vital systems like this to the Internet.

Pacemakers, insulin packs, electrical stimulation packs(parkingsons) and pumps for drips have all been proven to be compromisable.

Paranoid maybe but I'm sure I'm not the only one who'd prefer a closed system keeping me healthy.

"Sorry your pacemakers antivirus subscription has now expired."

^^
Scary haha

---

What do you mean by compromisable Liquid?

I'd love to read any pages you have seen this on.

Cheers

[Liquid]

Pacemaker

http://www.scmagazine.com.au/News/319508,hacked-terminals-capable-of-causing-pacemaker-mass-murder.a...

the stimulation packs I mention are merely an extension of pacemaker technology. They are controlled via reducing the electrical disturbance caused by parkingsons. However not as high voltage they still contain enough juice to cripple the nerve syste. Which could lead to paralysis even worse death.

Insulin/drip pumps internal/external

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/10/27/fatal_insulin_pump_attack/

i can find the others with a bit more time ill edit later.

These attacks are plausible with limited investment and a fair knowledge of programming. I imagine the younger generations(ones who haven't got limited intellect) would find programming of this rather easy.

Bear in mind these attacks are only short range currently because of limitations in wifi. Now imagine these devices connected to 3G and inevitably the Internet, suddenly limited range becomes unlimited. Some 12 year old on the other side of the world could reak havoc without realising his/her implications.

[Toby]

Awesome cheers for that Liquid!