Malcom Randall VA Medical Center Installs Welch Allyn Wireless Monitors To Secure Patient Data Encryption Across Hospital Networks

Federal facility ensures patient data security with Welch Allyn devices and integrated FIPS-certified radio

Welch Allyn, a leading medical diagnostic device company that focuses on helping clinicians improve patient outcomes, recently completed a Connex Electronic Vitals Documentation System (EVDS) installation at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center in Gainesville, FL, which includes patient data encryption across the hospitals' wireless networks. As part of the installation, the facility recently purchased and deployed 75 Connex Vital Signs Monitor (VSM) 6500 Series devices to reduce staff time spent documenting vitals and eliminate transcription errors while maintaining confidence that patient data is secure. The facility will deploy another 225 devices by the end of the year.  The integrated radio in the devices is Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) validated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) (*Certificate#1747) which is required for wireless deployment within U.S. federal government agencies under the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 (FISMA).

"These facilities were eager to incorporate the Welch Allyn Connex VSM into their EMR systems and wireless networks," said Bill Quatier, solution architect at Welch Allyn. "The FIPS validation of the radio in our Connex VSM devices demonstrates our continued commitment to meeting the needs of security-conscious healthcare organizations and enables U.S. federal government facilities to buy with confidence knowing these Welch Allyn devices meet their computing policy requirements for protecting sensitive patient information."

Welch Allyn Connex VSM devices were the first vital signs monitors authorized for wireless deployment within the U.S. federal government healthcare agencies.  The integrated Welch Allyn radio in the devices was designed specifically for the medical market and operates on hospitals' existing wireless systems using 802.11 a/b/g technology.No additional WLAN controllers or servers are required for a Welch Allyn wireless installation. Using this radio, the device safely and securely transmits vital signs data to an electronic medical record (EMR) through the company's Connex Vitals Management Software-eliminating the need for clinicians to manually input data. 

"The integrated radio in our Connex VSM devices uniquely meets the demands of clinical staff on the frontlines since it was designed specifically for low-acuity areas, like med/surg floors," added Quatier.

"The wireless coverage in these areas may be less robust than traditional monitoring locales, like telemetry units, and this radio is optimized to work seamlessly in these areas to improve clinician workflow and reduce errors.  It also provides the highest level of authentication and encryption available for commercial 802.11 networks and FIPS validation adds additional peace of mind that the data will not be breached or compromised."

Connex Vital Signs Monitor 6000 Series The Connex VSM is a full-color, touchscreen device that acts as three devices in one-providing comprehensive patient documentation on a single display. This documentation includes automatic measurements such as heart rate, blood pressure, temperature and pulse oximetry; manual parameters such as respiration, height, weight and pain level; and modifiers such as body position, O2 therapy details and others. The Connex VSM also gives the clinician the ability to control alarms, patient data and monitoring in a customized manner for each patient, and he or she can document this data right on the device-eliminating the need to locate a PC and transcribe it later. For information, visit www.welchallyn.com/FIPS.

About Welch Allyn
Welch Allyn is a leading global healthcare company that offers a complete range of digital and connected diagnostic solutions that help reduce risk and enhance workflow in a variety of clinical settings.

Founded in 1915 and headquartered in Skaneateles Falls, NY (USA), Welch Allyn is a family-owned business that employs nearly 2,500 employees in 26 different countries. The company specializes in helping doctors, nurses and other frontline practitioners across the globe enhance care by developing innovative products, breakthrough technologies and cutting-edge solutions that improve patient outcomes, safety and satisfaction. For more information, visit www.welchallyn.com.

About the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center
The Malcom Randall VA Medical Center in Gainesville is a tertiary care facility that is also an active teaching hospital, with an extensive array of specialty services. The Malcom Randall VA Medical Center combines a full range of patient care services with state-of-the-art technology that is enhanced and supported through education and research. For more information, visit www.northflorida.va.gov/.