Which of the following are key considerations when integrating a rehabilitation device with a hospital EHR?

• A. Battery life and weight of device only
• B. Data standards, patient privacy, access controls, audit trails, medication/allergy data, and workflow integration
• C. Marketing materials alignment
• D. Only the password policy matters

Answer: (B)

When linking a rehabilitation device to a hospital EHR, the focus is on making data exchange safe, accurate, and usable within clinical workflows. The essential elements are data standards, patient privacy, access controls, audit trails, medication and allergy data, and workflow integration. Data standards ensure the device can send structured information the EHR can interpret correctly, which is why widely adopted formats like HL7 and FHIR are key. Patient privacy and access controls protect sensitive information, enforcing who can view or modify data and how it is transmitted and stored. Audit trails provide a clear record of data access and changes, supporting security and accountability. Medication and allergy data are critical for safe decision-making, ensuring the rehab data doesn’t conflict with current treatments and that clinicians have a complete view of the patient’s profile. Workflow integration means the data appears in the right place at the right time in clinicians’ routines, with appropriate triggers, documentation, and interoperability with other clinical systems.

Battery life and weight affect device usability, not the integration infrastructure. Marketing materials and focusing only on password policy don’t address the comprehensive, clinician-centered needs of interoperable, secure, and actionable EHR integration.