Safe and Secure Healthcare with OnlineSuiteplus
Cybersecurity is a growing concern for healthcare providers, with a primary focus on patient safety along with the potential business risk. Threats to hospital networks often include the loss of patient data and other sensitive data that must be protected in compliance with local regulations, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
In an ever-evolving threat landscape, the future may not be predictable, but its risks can be addressed today with careful design choices.
The latest devices are prepared for emerging threats to ensure patient safety and protect data security. We achieve this at both the product and process level with our latest infusion ecosystem, Space®plus & OnlineSuiteplus, and our professional support.
Cybersecurity standards as design philosophy – Get ready for the digital future
At B. Braun, security is not just a marketing claim. It is in the DNA of every product. 70 years of innovation in infusion therapy is now combined with state-of-the-art security. How can our latest infusion system meet this high standard? We set out to create a completely new infusion system with a focus on safety and security, not just a facelift.
The Space®plus & OnlineSuiteplus ecosystem is setting a new benchmark in healthcare cybersecurity thanks to its security-comes-first approach.
It features an innovative hardware and software architecture designed in compliance with industry-leading best practices and the latest international recommendations and standards (ISO/NIST). For both security and reliability, IT communication and infusion pump core functions are strictly separated in the system architecture. By making this fundamental change, our infusion pump system is unique on the market.
When combined with OnlineSuiteplus, it provides the data source for continuous quality improvements in infusion therapy. This is the intelligent digital infusion system for hospitals that want to offer their patients individualized and safe infusion therapy with complete clinical flexibility.
The Space®plus & OnlineSuiteplus ecosystem is the digital solution of choice for the healthcare sector. Like any device and service in a connected ecosystem, it faces three challenges. Let’s take a look at how it tackles them.
The smart therapy ecosystem is scalable, flexible, and adaptable when it comes to cyber security issues.
The Cybersecurity Triangle
Authentication
Mutual authentication for all connections applies individual identities to each device.
For example, all members of the Space®plus ecosystem trust each other and communicate with each other only after they have mutually authenticated.
Encryption
End-to-end encryption protects data in transit, data at rest, and data in process.
For example, the drug library file sent to each pump is encrypted. Pumps will only accept the encrypted drug library files sent from OnlineSuiteplus and not other files.
Integrity
Code signing ensures the integrity of data sent to and from a device to prevent unwanted changes.
For example, only drug library data that has been signed by the OnlineSuiteplus Drug Library Manager (DLM) will be accepted by the infusion pump. The pump only accepts signed software from B. Braun.
The Space®plus and OnlineSuiteplus system is B. Braun’s first infusion pump platform that was developed with the intention of meeting all primary requirements with a clear focus on patient safety as well as electronic medical record (EMR) or patient data management system (PDMS) connectivity and cybersecurity.
Therefore, all data that is transmitted through the hospital network between the Space®plus infusion pumps and the OnlineSuiteplus servers is end-to-end encrypted.
Lifecycle management & data protection
To protect against the increasing cyberattacks in healthcare, hospital information systems and medical devices must be regularly updated. Keeping the system up to date with the latest technology ensures that security can be maintained.
When developing Space®plus and OnlineSuiteplus, we remained focused on ease of software updates from the beginning.
15–19% of medical devices were running on out-of-date operating systems, which poses a security risk.1
B. Braun is committed to providing software updates in a timely manner as new threats emerge. Applying those updates is the last step in the process. It is recommended that devices always run the latest software updates to ensure compliance with the latest safety standards and bug fixes.
Important patches and updates are part of post-market cybersecurity management for medical devices. Our healthcare service will continue to maintain security patches throughout the entire lifecycle of the product.
Healthcare 4.0: Smart technology, smart hospitals
Partnership out-of-the-box and customized
B. Braun has a global community of trained experts to provide tailored consulting services to hospitals’ information technology and biomedical departments. We support the secure integration of the standard interfaces between medical devices and the hospital network as well as customized solutions. We are also equipped to provide maintenance support.
OnlineSuiteplus is your smart asset management system. View the status quo of your devices in real-time with just a click. Efficient processes for updating infusion devices with the latest software and drug library data through the hospital’s network are an essential time-saving benefit for the biomedical engineering department.
Clinical availability is maintained because infusion therapy is not interrupted during the controlled transfer of updates.
DeviceManagerplus provides technicians with a centralized toolbox for managing infusion pumps across the entire hospital via its network.
Digital hospital connectivity – Be free with WiFi!
OnlineSuiteplus is the robust and reliable gateway to a new dimension of secure interoperability. The OnlineSuiteplus platform provides smart solutions for maintaining the Space®plus infusion pumps throughout the complete lifecycle in the hospital.
Updates and upgrades of the Space®plus system components can be managed separately and centrally with the OnlineSuiteplus platform to keep everything up to date with cybersecurity standards.
The benefit for hospitals of this on-the-fly update approach is that there is no need to physically touch and remove devices from the clinical workflow anymore. This ensures ease of use in every step of the therapy process.
The upgrade and update procedure managed via the OnlineSuiteplus does not disturb clinical workflows or interrupt patients’ therapy. The integrated WiFi module in every Space®plus infusion pump ensures the highest flexibility, which results in a low total cost of ownership.
Electronic medical records (EMR) as big data manager
Electronic medical records (EMR) can help to handle big data. The technology of EMR allows healthcare professionals to easily update and track patient data at different healthcare facilities. Preventive examinations, screenings, and monitoring are less likely to be forgotten or duplicated. That’s how EMRs improve provider efficiency.2
For years, B. Braun has been working closely with the major suppliers of EMR systems. The entire Space®plus & OnlineSuiteplus system is engineered to be seamlessly connected with a variety of EMR systems using the bi-directional HL7-IHE interface.
Service & consulting
Consulting is one of B. Braun’s core healthcare services to support our customers on their way to a more secure hospital. You can rely on our expertise long after the system has been integrated into your hospital. Consulting and maintenance are available over the entire lifecycle of a product.
B. Braun has established processes to monitor the latest vulnerabilities, threats, or risks. Threat analysts will proactively implement measures as required and, together with you, we reconcile defense depth to make the network more scalable and ultimately more secure.
Advanced. Superior. Digital.
REFERENCES:
1 Murphy G. Jan 19, 2021. Healthcare security challenge: How cyberattacks are evolving. https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/94381-healthcare-security-challenge-how-cyberattacks-are-evolving (last access 26.10.21).
2 ShobhitRathi. Dec 4, 2019. EMR. Future of medical technology. https://medium.com/@shobhitrathi10/emr-future-of-medical-technology-df53f1a0cd06 (last access 26.10.21).