Medical Message Coding Libraries for Selective Field Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods of message communication in clinical environments expose sensitive information to intermediaries, which can lead to unauthorized access or tampering, especially when intermediaries have programming defects or are compromised.
Innovation Solution
The use of different signal coding libraries, where a limited library is deployed to intermediaries to prevent access to certain message fields, while an expanded library is used by the target devices to decode and access all fields, ensuring that intermediaries cannot modify or access sensitive information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If intermediaries are given full access to message fields to perform routing and management operations, then ease of operation is improved, but security and reliability deteriorate due to unauthorized access or tampering
Solution Approach 1:
The signal coding library is segmented into different versions: a limited version for intermediaries that contains only the fields needed for routing and management, and a complete version for target devices that contains all fields. This segmentation allows intermediaries to operate effectively while preventing them from accessing or modifying sensitive fields they should not touch.
Solution Approach 2:
Sensitive fields are extracted from the intermediary's accessible scope by omitting them from the limited signal coding library. The intermediary can only decode and access fields that are explicitly included in its version of the library, while fields excluded from the library cannot be decoded or accessed by the intermediary, effectively removing them from the intermediary's reach.
2Adaptability or versatility
If all message fields are made accessible to all devices, then adaptability is improved, but security worsens due to exposure of sensitive information
Solution Approach 1:
Different devices in the communication path are assigned different qualities of access to message fields. Intermediaries receive a limited signal coding library with restricted field access appropriate for their routing function, while target devices receive the complete library with full field access. This local differentiation of access rights allows each device to have the appropriate level of adaptability while maintaining security.
3Reliability
If intermediaries are compromised or have programming defects, then reliability deteriorates, but the system complexity increases when implementing protection mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by generating and distributing the limited signal coding library to intermediaries before any communication occurs. This proactive measure ensures that intermediaries are pre-configured with restricted access capabilities, preventing potential security issues before they can manifest. The limited library is prepared in advance with only the necessary fields for routing, eliminating the need for complex runtime security checks.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for managing encoded communications for medical devices in a clinical environment are provided. Different versions of signal coding libraries are generated for different devices in a communication path. A first signal coding library may be generated using a first signal definition that includes a set of fields. A second signal coding library may be generated using a second signal definition that includes a subset of the fields of the first signal definition, and excludes one or more of the fields of the first signal definition. A message encoded using the first signal coding library may not be completely decodable using the second signal coding library. By selectively deploying the signal coding libraries to different systems, devices, and components in a clinical environment, access to information in message fields can be effectively managed.