Q&A: How Philips supports technical operations with its patient monitoring

With the need for flexible, secure and reliable patient monitoring greater than ever, Philips has developed a new vision for patient monitoring. It should seamlessly connect hospitals and other care locations across the enterprise. It should embrace server virtualization. And, when possible, it should work on existing network infrastructure controlled by customers.

To help health systems achieve this transformation, Philips has invested in contemporary cybersecurity, networking and virtual environments, as well as system compatibility. It also offers a true partnership, one that helps enterprise systems adapt and tackle new challenges. 

Interested in learning more? These answers to common customer questions can help with preparation before pursuing the transition: 

A: Philips believes patient monitoring is a mission-critical system like the EMR, so it should get deployed and managed like one. (Similar to the EMR, this approach should include a system administrator to help coordinate and manage the solution.) Rather than taking a unit-level approach, a single monitoring platform should connect locations across the enterprise and take advantage, whenever possible, of existing infrastructure. 

Benefits of this approach include: 

A: While customers can still purchase physical servers, Philips does not suggest doing so, as they lack redundancy and could fail. Instead, Philips recommends deploying virtual servers, which many health systems already use in their data centers for other mission-critical systems. In addition to potentially leveraging existing infrastructure investments, virtual servers: 

A Philips solution architect can explain the options for virtualization, including virtualization of enterprise links for PIC iX, the Philips patient monitoring informatics platform. Health systems can also receive help virtualizing existing Philips physical servers.

A: Yes. Philips embraces the trend of health systems shifting away from proprietary, vendor-supplied networks. Philips has made significant investments to promote the IT compatibility of its patient monitors, so that they work with existing wired and wireless infrastructure. Philips data architects can partner with health system IT teams to explore how patient monitoring components can seamlessly integrate. 

A: Philips can include components such as bedside monitors, surveillance/overview stations, servers and even wireless Smart-hopping infrastructure. Placing devices on existing networks gives customers the capability to monitor network traffic more securely and provides the flexibility to conveniently relocate devices as needed. Additionally, customers can isolate Philips devices from the broader network using various technologies, if desired. 

A: Yes. Historically, Philips has focused on its Smart-hopping wireless solution, which uses the 1.4 GHz band designated for medical devices. While Philips plans to continue offering and updating Smart-hopping, it also supports 802.11 systems running on 2.4 GHZ or 5 GHz frequencies. This expansion acknowledges the flexibility and scalability that 802.11 can provide, as well as the security and reliability improvements achieved by such networks in recent years. If needed, Philips can help customers enhance their 802.11 networks to meet its monitoring requirements, a process that can benefit all connected wireless devices. For customers deciding between Smart-hopping and 802.11, Philips can help coordinate a meeting with IT, biomedical and clinical teams to fully discuss the options.

A: At Philips, cybersecurity is a top concern. Many security functions are already built into Philips solutions, and Philips partners with customers to then design secure systems that meet customized needs. As a first step, Philips can set up a cybersecurity meeting with a customer’s chief information security officer and IT security team. Such meetings cover the security already built into Philips solutions, best practices used by other customers, and roles and responsibilities for Philips and the customer. Additional topics can include network isolation, operating system patching, password policies, disaster recovery and endpoint protection.

A: The partnership includes training for technical teams to manage the Philips system, as well as best practices for deploying Philips solutions on existing networks. Philips works to provide support each step of the way, with patient safety always a top priority. It’s also important to help IT and biomedical teams collaborate on implementation and management. Philips can establish a joint meeting to discuss system architecture, failure scenarios and best practices.

A: Philips realizes this model may represent a departure from the traditional approach to patient monitoring. In response, it offers various options to match comfort levels and ease the transition. Philips also understands that reliability and patient safety are top priorities, with many fail-safes built into the solutions. Customers don’t just receive specifications but are supported through a consultative approach to design. The process includes walking through requirements and discussing best practices used by other health systems.