Authors:
Kerry Fang
1
;
Quoc Trieu
1
;
Heidi Bjering
1
;
Steven Thomas
2
;
Jim Basilakis
1
and
Jeewani Ginige
1
Affiliations:
1
School of Computer, Data and Mathematical Sciences, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
;
2
South Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
Keyword(s):
Vital Signs Measurement, Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), Remote Monitoring, Security, Interoperability.
Abstract:
The increasing need to provide care outside of hospitals necessitates remote monitoring of basic vital signs of patients from places such as private homes and aged care facilities. While much exploratory research has been done on using Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) devices for remote monitoring, there is a requirement to examine the practicality associated with the mass use of affordable off-the-shelf devices in terms of usability, secure access to data, and integration into hospital-based information systems. This paper investigates various security aspects in nine vital signs sensor devices that can be purchased and used for homecare monitoring in Australia. Specifically, the security and privacy aspects of these devices and associated software, regulatory compliance, interoperability, and formats of the accessible data streams were investigated. It was found that the devices were not entirely secure, as personal health information could be accessed using appropriate tools. Onl
y one vendor enabled encryption during data transmission and provided an API to access data. While the clinical use of these devices with integration into hospital systems for practical remote monitoring is not easily achievable, it is possible to use devices for day-to-day vital signs monitoring purposes in a home setting.
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