The integration of medical devices into the IT infrastructure of hospitals is still a major challenge. Recent research tries to adapt service oriented concepts to the field of medical devices in order to achieve an easier and better integration. However, no generalized framework for this kind of integration exists. The purpose of this paper is to identify the characteristics (the nature) of medical device services. The results were achieved by conducting a multiple-case study with three cases on two university hospitals. As a result, we identified twelve specific integration issues of medical devices and deduced eight characteristics. This paper contributes to the design of a generalized framework for the service oriented integration of medical devices. The identified characteristics can be interpreted as requirements to such a framework.     «

The integration of medical devices into the IT infrastructure of hospitals is still a major challenge. Recent research tries to adapt service oriented concepts to the field of medical devices in order to achieve an easier and better integration. However, no generalized framework for this kind of integration exists. The purpose of this paper is to identify the characteristics (the nature) of medical device services. The results were achieved by conducting a multiple-case study with three cases on...     »