Overview
ISO/IEEE 11073-20702:2018 defines a medical devices communication profile for web services within the ISO/IEEE 11073 family for point-of-care (PoC) device interoperability. The standard specifies a communication protocol for distributed systems composed of PoC medical devices and medical IT systems that need to exchange clinical data or safely control networked devices by profiling Web Service specifications. Additional Web Service specifications (profiles and bindings) are included as part of the standard.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Web Services profiling for medical devices: The standard profiles standard Web Service technologies to suit medical device use cases, emphasizing reliable, interoperable device-to-IT and device-to-device communication.
- Supported technologies (keywords): Devices Profile for Web Services (DPWS), Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), WS-Discovery, Streaming Web Services, Efficient XML Interchange (EXI), and other WS-* specifications referenced for efficient, discoverable, and secure exchanges.
- Distributed system requirements: Defines how PoC devices and medical IT components register, discover, exchange measurement and metadata, and accept safe remote control commands in a networked environment.
- Safety and point-of-care focus: Addresses safety considerations for control and data exchange in clinical settings where timely and accurate device information is critical.
- Interoperability and efficiency: Uses XML and EXI encodings and standard Web Service bindings to balance interoperability, message compactness, and performance for constrained devices.
Practical applications
- Integrating bedside monitors, infusion pumps, and diagnostic devices with hospital information systems (HIS), electronic health records (EHR), and clinical middleware using Web Services.
- Enabling automatic discovery and registration of PoC devices on clinical networks for streamlined workflow and device management.
- Supporting remote configuration, monitoring, and safe control of networked medical devices in acute care, ambulatory, and telehealth environments.
- Implementing streaming telemetry or event notifications from devices to monitoring applications using Web Services profiles.
Who uses this standard
- Medical device manufacturers implementing networked PoC device communication stacks.
- Systems integrators and clinical IT teams building device connectivity solutions, middleware, and EHR integrations.
- Software developers implementing DPWS/SOAP/EXI-based clients and services for clinical device interoperability.
- Regulatory and quality engineers assessing conformance and safety implications of device communication implementations.
Related standards
- ISO/IEEE 11073 family for point-of-care medical device communication (this part profiles Web Services).
- IEEE Std 11073-20702 (original IEEE designation) - adopted as ISO/IEEE 11073-20702:2018.
Keywords: ISO/IEEE 11073-20702, medical device communication, PoC, point-of-care, DPWS, SOAP, WS-Discovery, EXI, Streaming Web Services, medical IT interoperability, MDC.