While, I do not have a crystal ball…these are some of my predictions.
1. BYOD (Bring your own device), the growth will continue to be driven by the Android and IOS platform.
2. Proprietary networks for patient monitoring (like WMTS), will be overshadowed by the past 13 years of success of the WLAN (wireless LAN) in healthcare as costs and management pressures increase.
3. WLAN enabled medical devices will become more and more commoditized; thus the value will be somewhat wireless multi-functionality; and will need to demonstrate cost savings for connectivity across the entire IDN.
4. 802.11ac adoption will increase driven by 802.11ac client devices as well as lower cost 2×2 802.11ac access points.
5. Cloud based WLAN management systems will continue to be adopted that will drive down management costs.
6. GigEthernet will start to be displaced by an optical infrastructure (at a lower CAPEX/OPEX model) that will be driven by bandwidth requirements of 802.11ac and LTE.
7. Hospitals will just deploy wireless coverage like electricity everywhere to provide pervasive 802.11 and 4G coverage needed by the mobile healthcare worker and all the WLAN enabled medical devices. This includes a guest and secure connectivity model.
8. Multi-functional wireless RTLS will make RTLS a reality and deliver real business value across the entire enterprise.
9. Coaxial cable utilized for DAS will give way a to potential total optical infrastructure that will drive down costs and increase capacity.
10. What has been considered telemedicine in the past will become a reality as remotely monitored patients will be connected to the enterprise.
11. LPBT (Low Power Bluetooth) incorporation and the IOS/Android tablet/smartphone as gateways will open up new business model for the connected medical device.
12. Device companies will develop more extensive testing methodologies for the incorporation of wireless capabilities, as well as for regulatory approval and enterprise deployments.
13. Wireless data analytics will continue to grow to correlate data from mobile clients, locations, and device types.
14. 802.11r and 802.11k will make their way into mobile devices and access points providing a seamless handoff experience.
15. RFID while being talked about for over a decade will actually deliver measurable value.
16. Pressure will be on medical device companies to demonstrate mobile connectivity to the EMR as purchase decision move out of just the clinical area.
17. Commoditization is starting to occur with infrastructure manufactures and integration firms as they will have to deliver more and more value.
18. The traditional wireless site design will be displaced by a more consistent software based modeling that decreases costs and improves accuracy.
