Medical Design Briefs - February 2021 - 13

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ASK THE
EXPERT
Ralph Bright, Vice President, Interpower
Corporation, Oskaloosa, IA

Many OEMs want legacy devices to be modernized with connectivity capabilities. (Credit: Benchmark)

viders. Medical device manufacturers are including connectivity in all of their new devices, and we've also seen a great deal
of OEMs ask for legacy devices to be modernized with connectivity capabilities, " says Martensen.
This connectivity will play a crucial role in the future of medical technology. " Connectivity allows for real-time processing of
data sets and can immediately provide caregivers and patients
answers to problems that need addressing. Connectivity allows
for the collection of data sets that facilitate the development of
digital biomarkers, which are a key technology for preventative
care and early diagnostics, " says Bradnan.
Along with the move toward remote patient care and clinical
research, experts believe he importance of the IoT and connected devices will only continue to grow. " In diabetes, we see
the proliferation of connected devices in the form of glucose
meters, continuous glucose monitoring systems, insulin
pumps, and even smart insulin pens that are connected, " says
Johannesson. " Even mainstream consumer fitness and biometrics devices are connected now, and most importantly, healthcare providers are increasingly growing to not just accept but
to truly value patient-collected data as an important piece of
what goes into shaping their clinical decisions. "
Johannesson adds that the proliferation of connected devices,
however, is creating some interesting challenges for providers.
" Medical technology has proven so effective at helping patients
and their providers record and utilize their health data that it's
easy for clinical care teams to become overwhelmed with the
massive amounts of health data contributed from stand-alone
sources. Clinical teams often don't have the time and - until
recently - the tools hadn't been developed to help them effectively analyze these data so they could regularly determine the
most effective care for their patients, " he says.
" To help with this challenge, population health management tools that utilize data analytics have been developed to
assist clinicians working in diabetes and other chronic disease
states to effectively manage disease in patient populations
through aggregating and analyzing patient data. These analytical tools can help clinical teams highlight risk, predict the
course of a patient's diabetes, and even intervene before predicted events turn into costly and negative patient health outcomes, " says Johannesson.
Martensen notes that in addition to device programming,
there is now a desire for patients to be able to share clinical
information through medical devices with hospitals, caregivers, and insurance providers. " IoMT has taken over the
entire ecosystem of medical device development, and OEMs

alph Bright is Vice President
of marketing at Interpower
Corporation. Interpower is the
leading supplier of Power System
Components in the Medical Device Industry. Ralph holds a BA
from William Penn University and
a Master's in Business Administration, and he has been in the electronic component industry for
over 25 years. He helps customers design, build, and maintain electrical products for worldwide markets, including understanding power system components and the correct
means of connecting them.
MDB: What rules apply to North American hospitalgrade extension cords?
Ralph Bright: The type of cord to be used for the
hospital-grade extension cords includes SJO, SJT, SJTO, or
other jacketed type cord of equal or harder usage. The conductor size is 16, 14, and 12 AWG. UL 817 states that, " A
hospital-grade extension cord set shall have a maximum
length of 15 feet. " Hospital-grade cord sets need to have
plugs that meet the above requirements and connectors
that meet IEC 60320 requirements or another non-NEMA
approved configuration. The conductor size is 18, 16, 14,
12, and 10 AWG.
MDB: What are the requirements for hospital-grade
cords for countries outside North America?
Ralph Bright: Some countries have medical standards or
recommendations. For example, here are some countryspecific requirements for Australia and Japan. In Australia,
all plugs must be approved to AS/NZS 3112. According to
AS/NZS 3200.1.0, a rewireable 3-pin plug has to be clear;
it is optional for a molded plug to be clear. Some hospitals
prefer a clear, transparent plug on orange, flexible cable.
In Japan, hospital-grade plugs and outlet-sockets need to
be approved in accordance with JIS T 1021. Each shall be
indelibly marked with an " H, " and for plugs, a green dot is
allowed.
To learn more about Interpower Corporation, read the full-length version of this interview at www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/askexpert/0221.

www.interpower.com
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Medical Design Briefs, February 2021

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Medical Design Briefs - February 2021

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