At the Medical Devices Connectivity Conference during EBME Expo 2026, Emily Baker and Martijn van Duffelen had the pleasure to join a round table discussion with clinical and technical professionals who live and breathe Medical Device Integration (MDI).
Through a structured and highly engaging discussion, participants explored the challenges, recommendations and practical actions that can make or break a connectivity project. From this, the group shaped a set of strategic and operational recommendations for any hospital embarking on such a journey.
Reflecting on the session, Emily Baker commented: “What stood out most was how aligned people were on the key success factors. Regardless of where organisations were in their connectivity journey, the same themes kept coming back: clear expectations, strong multidisciplinary teams and a systems-thinking approach.”
Key themes from the discussion
From the discussion, three strategic themes clearly stood out.
- Clarify expectations
Take the time to understand what the project is truly aiming to achieve and ensure stakeholder expectations are openly discussed from the outset - Building the right team
Assemble an interdisciplinary team supported by strong governance; the right people make all the difference - Applying systems thinking
Treat people, processes and technology as equal partners in the solution
Practical recommendations
Alongside the strategic themes, two practical recommendations received strong support from the group:
- Learn from others
Visit exemplar sites and ask suppliers to showcase real-world implementations - Prioritise solutions over products
Look for cohesive, interoperable solutions rather than isolated products; vendor neutrality remains essential
From round table to panel discussions
The following day, Emily and Martijn had the opportunity to share these insights during a panel discussion at the Medical Devices Connectivity Conference.
The audience brought thoughtful questions and shared experiences from ongoing integration projects across the NHS, HSCNI and HSE, reinforcing how relevant medical device integration remains across healthcare systems today.
“It was energising to see how much momentum there is and how relevant these challenges continue to be,” said Emily Baker. “The conversations reinforced that successful connectivity is not determined by technology alone. It requires alignment, collaboration and a clear understanding of the outcomes organisations are trying to achieve.”
Looking ahead
One message emerged clearly from both the round table and panel discussion: successful connectivity projects are built on clear objectives, strong collaboration and a systems-thinking approach.
As healthcare organisations continue their digital transformation journeys, the importance of connected and interoperable solutions remains a recurring theme across the healthcare community.