Dive Brief:
- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has voted to allow unlicensed devices (for example, garage door openers, cordless phones and Bluetooth devices) to operate on the same frequency as wireless medical monitoring devices.
- The decision to allow the "white space devices" to operate on the same frequency was made despite protests by the American Hospital Association (AHA) and several members of Congress.
- The technology operates on Channel 37 of the UHF band -- most of which is used for television broadcasts. At the FCC hearing, Chairman Tom Wheeler said, "Wireless medical telemetry devices and radio astronomy services will continue to have interference protection on Channel 37."
Dive Insight:
Following the decision, AHA Executive Vice President Rick Pollack issued a statement expressing concern over the new rules. "We believe that the technical rules adopted today by the FCC, which would allow unlicensed devices to operate in relatively close geographic proximity on the same frequency as hospitals’ Wireless Medical Telemetry System, is not in the best interest of patients," he said. "These unlicensed devices may cause interference with wireless monitoring, preventing doctors and nurses from receiving vital information."
The AHA and several members of Congress also requested a delay "to allow hospitals more time to work cooperatively with the unlicensed device community to create a compromise that protects patients."