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Electronics
Smarter devices, stronger partnerships
As devices grow smaller, smarter and more connected, many medical device OEMs are under pressure to move beyond component purchasing and work more closely with electronics manufacturing services (EMS) partners. Abi Millar discusses the changing role of the EMS partner in a digital age with Marc Schaepkens, chief technology offi cer of advanced imaging solutions at GE HealthCare.
O
ver the past few years, healthcare has moved decisively away from the analogue age. While electronic medical devices are hardly new – external electronic pacemakers date to the 1950s, with the first fully implantable pacemaker implanted in 1958, while implantable insulin pumps entered human use in the early 1980s – the shift we are seeing today is more profound. Devices have become smarter, smaller and more connected, with digitisation affecting almost every area of healthcare.
For example, AI-driven algorithms are being used to detect cancers. Wearable devices are tracking health metrics in real time. Remote monitoring and telehealth consultations are minimising the need for in-person appointments. And connected devices in hospitals are streaming data directly to nurses’ stations.
www.medicaldevice-developments.com
A term now gaining traction is the ‘Internet of Medical Things’ (IoMT), which refers to the network of medical devices and applications connected to healthcare IT systems. IoMT represents a sea change in how healthcare is delivered, and patients, providers and industry alike are reckoning with what that might mean.
“As healthcare technology becomes more connected and software-defined, OEMs need to manage a wider set of technical requirements than traditional device design alone,” says Marc Schaepkens, chief technology officer of advanced imaging solutions at GE HealthCare.
Navigating these complexities is a daily reality at GE HealthCare. The company offers a range of connected technologies, software and workflow solutions, from
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