The Medical Internet of Things (MIoT) branch of IoT covers a lot of ground, in regard to healthcare system technologies. This includes (but certainly isn’t limited to) platforms for virtual consultations via telemedicine (which reduce the need for physical in-office visits), assistive technology like smart hearing aids or vision aids, smart implants such as pacemakers, insulin pumps or neurostimulators integrated with IoT capabilities for the transmission of patient data, other remote patient monitoring devices (like smart health monitors and convenient wearables), and of course more widely encompassing collective applications like that of smart hospitals (i.e. settings that include smart beds, automated hygiene stations, and real-time medical equipment tracking).
With a forecast of 32% growth by 2026, MIoT is expected to reach $447 billion as the connected medical device market flourishes.
The long-story-short version? Healthcare systems have access to increasingly inventive technologies, courtesy of strides made in MIoT. New levels of interconnectivity between MIoT devices and capital equipment directly affect medical provider effectiveness and life-saving patient outcomes.
Unfortunately, not everything in MIoT is a breath of fresh air. At times, it’s a gasp; due to broadened connectivity, more entry points may be taken advantage of bad actors with attack-based intentions. A pacemaker that transmits vital data to a patient’s doctor can – with zero exceptions – become hackable, for example. That could be scary.
So, capital decision-makers depend on the up-to-date cybersecurity threat information provided by MIoT experts so asset security, maintenance and replacement becomes a well-managed machine, so to speak. Yet many medical institutions lack this; not having a comprehensive medical device risk reduction strategy is concerning, and healthcare data breaches must be prevented.
Enter Asimily and HANDLE Global. The former, a risk management platform dedicated to protecting connected MIoT devices from ransomware, malware and more. And then the latter, an AI-driven, healthcare capital software solution.
Earlier this morning, Asimily and HANDLE Global announced a new integration built to optimize entire MIoT capital cycles in order to protect patients and to improve overall device procurement and management processes.
By integrating Asimily’s AI-powered risk analysis capabilities with the HANDLE Global Capital Cycle Management (CCM) platform, a single platform is being provided where healthcare system supply chain, security, and IT teams gain holistic and always-current visibility into organizations’ MIoT-connected assets.
This visibility is the key. When healthcare experts across departments can quickly see which assets or manufacturers may fall into a risk category for cybersecurity issues, the preventative measures necessary to stave off cyber attacks can be taken. Through this integration, cyber-related warnings and recalls can even be tracked and correlated to any applicable use case within a medical environment.
As Peter Hancock, VP of Global Partnerships at Asimily has described, proactivity within MIoT cybersecurity is the top priority.
“This impacts product standardization and, above all else, patient safety,” Hancock said. “As security threats against healthcare systems escalate, teams’ understandings and prioritizations of equipment pieces’ risk profiles must be profound. This not only helps to avoid the kind of attacks that are costly to budgets and reputation, but to the peace of mind for patients undergoing medical journeys. That is why we’re proud to partner with HANDLE Global, a leader in the healthcare capital equipment supply chain. This is an integration we expect healthcare systems will find unique and particularly valuable.”
Edited by
Greg Tavarez
