PISCATAWAY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IEEE, the world's largest professional organization advancing technology for humanity, today announced a joint effort between IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA), IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (IEEE-EMBS), and the Intelligent Health Association (IHA). These organizations are working cooperatively to advance development and promotion of interoperable, standards-based solutions, and to introduce new educational programs within the global healthcare ecosystem. The shared initiative is helping to further IEEE’s goal of fostering innovation in eHealth environments.
“Emerging eHealth technologies are opening the door to new opportunities for better and more personalized healthcare. Continuing this move toward enhanced quality of care requires a deeper understanding of the critical role interoperability plays in the development of innovative medical technologies,” said William (Bill) Ash, strategic technology program director, IEEE-SA. “IHA is a global collaborative organization whose goal of helping drive the ‘Evolution to the Health Revolution™’ aligns closely with those of IEEE. We’re very pleased to be working with them to raise industry consciousness about the benefits that greater interoperability and standardization bring and look forward to a productive relationship moving forward.”
“The IHA serves as an agent of change by encouraging adoption and implementation of promising technologies within the health community, resulting in better health for people of all ages worldwide,” said Harry P. Pappas, founder and CEO, Intelligent Health Association. “IEEE is playing a significant role in facilitating interoperability among healthcare applications and medical devices. We’re very pleased to have the opportunity to work side-by-side on educating key industry stakeholders about those emerging technologies and their supporting standards that will spur the next generation of eHealth innovation.”
Under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the organizations are collaborating on a variety of educational and other related activities. Among these collective endeavors are a series of sessions presented during IHA’s 2015 “How Disruptive Technologies are Enabling the Healthcare Revolution” Workshops held on 12 April at Chicago’s Roosevelt University, prior to the 2015 HIMSS Annual Conference where IEEE is exhibiting (Booth # 6956, North Hall). This series of intensive workshops focused on the Internet of Things (IoT), wearables, and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies in the health community. IEEE-SA experts were featured speakers during the following sessions:
- From Wearable Sensors to Smart Implants – This presentation by IEEE Fellow and Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Professor Guang-Zhong Yang, director and co-founder, Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery, and deputy chairman, Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, explored the evolution of pervasive health monitoring, including emerging developments and technical challenges.
- Implementing IoT in Clinical Environments: Fact Vs. Froth – Scott Philips, vice co-chair, IEEE Location Services Working Group, and principal, RFID portfolio, Kaiser Permanente joined fellow panelists in examining challenges and opportunities for IoT implementation in healthcare environments, its impact on healthcare delivery at the point of care, and the value that can be delivered from IoT-based solutions.
- Integration of Wearables and Standards – Moderated by Professor Yang, Mr. Ash and other expert panelists discussed the integration of tomorrow’s wearables into people’s everyday lives and the vital role standards will play.
- Location Services and Standards to Help Improve Efficiency and Effectiveness in Healthcare Operations – In a workshop chaired by Emily Sopensky, 2015 chair, IEEE Technical Committee on RFID, Mr. Ash and his fellow IEEE Standards for RFID RTLS panelists outlined current IEEE RFID RTLS standards and their application in the healthcare market, as well as standards projects currently in development.
- Sensors and Informatics...Personalized Health Anytime, Anywhere – Professor Yang discussed the increasing availability of sensor enriched smart, wearable devices, the knowledge about our own health and wellbeing that is evolving rapidly. Such a trend in sensor informatics has given rise to the big personal data, which is set to influence the future of healthcare.
- Intelligent Medical Home – The Intelligent Medical Home tour included an interactive journey through five rooms with demonstrations of the latest innovative medical equipment. During the brief walking tour, visitors were introduced to a variety of technologies, learn about their impact on patient care and safety, and heard how today’s home becomes part of the healthcare continuum.
For more information about IHA’s 2015 Workshops, please visit http://bit.ly/IHAWorkshops2015. To learn more about IEEE-SA, visit us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, connect with us on LinkedIn, or on the Standards Insight Blog.
About the IEEE Standards Association
The IEEE Standards Association, a globally recognized standards-setting body within IEEE, develops consensus standards through an open process that engages industry and brings together a broad stakeholder community. IEEE standards set specifications and best practices based on current scientific and technological knowledge. The IEEE-SA has a portfolio of over 1,100 active standards and more than 500 standards under development. For more information visit the IEEE-SA Web site.
About IEEE-EMBS
IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) is the world's largest international society of biomedical engineers. The organization's 9,100 members reside in some 97 countries around the world. EMBS provides its members with access to the people, practices, information, ideas and opinions that are shaping one of the fastest growing fields in science
About IEEE
IEEE, a large, global technical professional organization, is dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. Through its highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities, IEEE is the trusted voice on a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer electronics. Learn more at the IEEE Web site.
