UK Information Commissioner’s Office Surveys Use of Smart Medical Devices

The UK’s data protection watchdog on Tuesday launched an informal survey aimed at gaining insights on how organizations are using data-enabled medical devices and apps. The results will be used to shape e-Health regulations and protect personal information, the Information Commissioner’s Office says.

Specific issues touched on in the survey include IT security in device procurement policies, information governance and incident response processes, and end-of-life policies for defunct devices.

The survey also seeks information on the technologies being used, whether they can connect to the internet, the kinds of operating systems being used, whether mobile devices or tablets are used to support clinical or administrative work, and any policies that are in place to ensure the devices and apps are secure and used properly.

“As e-Health gets smarter, medical device and data protection regulators are increasingly going to find themselves having to regulate different and sometimes overlapping aspects of the same technology,” the ICO says. “Working together harmoniously will be an important challenge. —Kellen Owings

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