While the 4.0 specification has been around a little while, I envision this changing the landscape for a variety of reasons in the medical device world. Some attributes
Bluetooth® Smart Technology is Medical Grade
Bluetooth Smart is the ideal wireless standard for medical and wellness applications, whether in a hospital environment or the home. Bluetooth Smart offers key advantages:
128-bit AES encryption ensures a highly secure network, keeping patient and medical information confidential
Frequency-hopping radio eliminates network interference and provides strong immunity to RF noise sources such as electrosurgical devices and common household appliances that many patients have at home
Efficient power consumption provides an ideal solution for battery powered, mobile handheld devices and patient-worn sensors. Devices can run for months or even years without recharging
Wirelessly transmit data over distances that range up to 100 meters (300 feet), for greater connection flexibility
It is thought that sooner than later the WLAN infrastructure providers will just make this a part of their AP(s). Not all medical devices may need the bandwidth of WLAN and there also is the power consumption requirement.
