4 Ways Medical Computers Support Legacy Healthcare Applications

Upgrade Your Computer, Not Your Dvices

According to a Forescout study of IoT and medical device security, some of the most popular IoT medical devices are infusion pumps, patient tracking tools, and imaging systems. Cose to 70% of devices being run at the facilities they surveyed were running on legacy windows software that had support cutoff by Microsoft in January of 2020.

Of course, improving your facility’s efficiency is not as simple as replacing legacy tech. Thankfully, there is a solution. One that combines the power, security, and reliability of modern hardware while also allowing for seamless integration into legacy systems. That solution is medical-grade computers customized to include legacy device-supporting RS232 ports.

Yesterday’s Familiar Tools With Today’s Reliability

The beauty of customization means medical computers combine modern computer’s lightning-fast processing power with the necessary ports to run legacy devices. A computer on wheels can be customized with RS232 ports without compromising performance. This means that healthcare facilities not only get to keep legacy devices the entire staff is used to, but they can chuck out the old inefficient computers those devices were running on.

X-ray Imaging

Modern medical displays customized to include RS232 ports allow facilities to have a central hub computer for their X-ray solutions without upgrading their peripheral imaging equipment. Medical computers are designed with more powerful processors and specs than the average legacy-enabled PC, which dramatically speeds up existing X-ray tech.

In addition to these boosts in efficiency, a medical computer with RS232 ports lets you swap in a more capable computer without jeopardizing FDA compliance. This is because you’re simply only swapping out a single part of the infrastructure instead of an entire fleet of devices, each of which would need to have their replacements scouted for FDA compliance.

Anesthesia

Anesthesia involves numerous peripherals and specialized software, much of which is woefully outdated. Fortunately, as with imaging, a computer with RS232 ports can be swapped in without changing out peripherals or software. Medical computers are particularly useful in anesthesia because they are specifically designed to be safe for operating rooms. Their fanless design means they don’t spray harmful bacteria around the room. Coupled with IEC60601-1 certification, this means these legacy anesthesia solutions can now actually be wheeled into the operating room, allowing for more responsive, real-time reactions to patients during surgery. Again, we see how these computers enable legacy systems to be used and be used even more efficiently than before.

Improved Cybersecurity

On one end, IoMT devices allow easier data sharing, and on the other end, they are vulnerable to attack from cybercriminals. The risk is especially acute with legacy devices, which often no longer receive software updates. Unfortunately, healthcare providers rely on these legacy devices to provide care wherever and whenever necessary despite this increased risk. Modern medical computers feature authentication tools like biometric scanners, CaC readers, and RFID scanners, providing much-needed security for these legacy devices. Imprivata single sign-on certification takes advantage of SSO software that authenticates login credentials through off-site servers.

Taking these modern protections and including them on devices that allow for legacy tool use helps facilities continue to use their familiar pieces of hardware and software while also simultaneously mitigating cybersecurity risks inherent in their use.

Blending the Past with the Future

Healthcare has never been one for the philosophy of “out with the old, in with the new.” There are several instances where the use of older, legacy hardware and software simply provides better, more efficient care because of their familiarity and connectivity with an established network of devices. Incorporating more modern computers allows for those same tools to be employed while also helping patch holes in their convenience factor with more modern processing power, cybersecurity insurances, and more. For more information on how you can begin implementing these modern PCs into your legacy programs, contact a professional from Cybernet’s team today.