- Email: [email protected]
Interference between digital television and medical telemetry devices
Interference Between Digital Television and Medical Telemetry Devices ertain medical telemetry devices, such as cardiac monitors, are allowed to use television (TV) broadcast channels on the radio frequency spectrum that are unoccupied in their geographic area. TV stations now are beginning to use these formerly unoccupied TV channels as they transition to digital television (DTV) service. When this occurs, the digital signal can interfere with medical telemetry systems, and such cases of interference have been reported. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), along with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), are working to avert such cases in the future. Medical telemetry devices have long shared the TV broadcast spectrum on a secondary basis. TV stations are licensed to be the primary users, and
Int J Trauma Nurs 1998;4:113-4. Copyright © 1998 by the Emergency Nurses Association. 1075-4210/98/$5.00 + 0 65/1/91467
telemetry devices, which are secondary users, are subject to interference from the primary user. Secondary users must not cause interference with
A new TV signal can interfere with a hospital's telemetry system and render it unusable.
the primary user. A new TV signal can interfere with a hospital's telemetry system and render it unusable. Until the long-term spectrum of medical devices can be evaluated, the FCC and the FDA will work together to avoid future interference problems. The FCC will ensure that TV broadcasters communicate with area hospitals and other health care facilities to void interference to medical telemetry devices. The FCC will contact manufacturers of medical telemetry devices to ask that they assist
Table. Resources for information regarding digital TV and medical telemetry interference FCC Information on spectrum-sharing:
www.fcc,govlBureauslEngineering "rechnologylNews_Releases119981nret8002,html (Note that this address is upper/lower case sensitive) General issues: Write to Julius P. Knapp, FCC, Office of Engineering and Technology, 1919 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20554. Fax: 202-418-1944 E-mail: [email protected] FDA Submit reports to the MedWatch Program: Mail to MedWatch, FDA, HF-2, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857. Fax: 800-FDA-0178 Telephone: 800-FDA-1088. To obtain additional copies of medical device advisories: Internet: www.fda.gov/cd rh/safety.html
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their customers in determining whether they may be affected by new DTV operations and, if appro 7 priate, assist them in finding vacant channels. Information on spectrum-sharing between DTV and medical telemetry devices will be made available to the public on the FCC Interuet Website (Table). The FDA will contact all hospitals and nursing homes in the United States, alerting them to the potential problem, and provide advice on how to avoid future incidents. The FDA will also work with medical device manufacturers to ensure that medical devices are adequately labeled to alert users concerning the need to take steps to avoid interference. Medical facilities are encouraged to work with
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the manufacturers of telemetry systems to determine which channel or frequencies are being used and to consult the FCC for DTV channels that will be coming on-line in a given area. If the telemetry systems are found to be transmitting on channels that are scheduled to be used by a local station, the facility should work with the manufacturer to determine when the local TV stations plan to begin broadcasting on those channels, and to change the telemetry channels to unused channels before the expected broadcast date to avoid interference. In accordance with the Safe Medical Devices Act of 1990, hospitals and other user facilities are required to report telemetry system malfunction caused by electromagnetic interference or any other reasons to the FDA MedWatch Program (Table)
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TRAUMA NURSING/Trauma Technology
VOLUME 4, NUMBER 3
Int J Trauma Nurs 1998;4:113-4. Copyright © 1998 by the Emergency Nurses Association. 1075-4210/98/$5.00 + 0 65/1/91467
telemetry devices, which are secondary users, are subject to interference from the primary user. Secondary users must not cause interference with
A new TV signal can interfere with a hospital's telemetry system and render it unusable.
the primary user. A new TV signal can interfere with a hospital's telemetry system and render it unusable. Until the long-term spectrum of medical devices can be evaluated, the FCC and the FDA will work together to avoid future interference problems. The FCC will ensure that TV broadcasters communicate with area hospitals and other health care facilities to void interference to medical telemetry devices. The FCC will contact manufacturers of medical telemetry devices to ask that they assist
Table. Resources for information regarding digital TV and medical telemetry interference FCC Information on spectrum-sharing:
www.fcc,govlBureauslEngineering "rechnologylNews_Releases119981nret8002,html (Note that this address is upper/lower case sensitive) General issues: Write to Julius P. Knapp, FCC, Office of Engineering and Technology, 1919 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20554. Fax: 202-418-1944 E-mail: [email protected] FDA Submit reports to the MedWatch Program: Mail to MedWatch, FDA, HF-2, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857. Fax: 800-FDA-0178 Telephone: 800-FDA-1088. To obtain additional copies of medical device advisories: Internet: www.fda.gov/cd rh/safety.html
JULY-SEPTEMBER 1998
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TRAUMA NURSING/TraumaTechnology 113
their customers in determining whether they may be affected by new DTV operations and, if appro 7 priate, assist them in finding vacant channels. Information on spectrum-sharing between DTV and medical telemetry devices will be made available to the public on the FCC Interuet Website (Table). The FDA will contact all hospitals and nursing homes in the United States, alerting them to the potential problem, and provide advice on how to avoid future incidents. The FDA will also work with medical device manufacturers to ensure that medical devices are adequately labeled to alert users concerning the need to take steps to avoid interference. Medical facilities are encouraged to work with
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the manufacturers of telemetry systems to determine which channel or frequencies are being used and to consult the FCC for DTV channels that will be coming on-line in a given area. If the telemetry systems are found to be transmitting on channels that are scheduled to be used by a local station, the facility should work with the manufacturer to determine when the local TV stations plan to begin broadcasting on those channels, and to change the telemetry channels to unused channels before the expected broadcast date to avoid interference. In accordance with the Safe Medical Devices Act of 1990, hospitals and other user facilities are required to report telemetry system malfunction caused by electromagnetic interference or any other reasons to the FDA MedWatch Program (Table)
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TRAUMA NURSING/Trauma Technology
VOLUME 4, NUMBER 3