The ZigBee Alliance and the American Telemedicine Association (News - Alert) “ATA” have signed a new liaison agreement with an aim to educate both healthcare professionals and consumers on the benefits of telecommunications technologies.

ZigBee is the global wireless language based on IEEE (News - Alert) 802.15.4 connecting dramatically different devices to work together and enhance everyday life.

 

Under the new partnership, ATA and ZigBee Alliance will focus on the many capabilities of ZigBee Health Care, an open standard for secure monitoring and management of non-critical, low-acuity healthcare and wellness services.

“Today's requirements to reduce healthcare cost while maintaining and further improving high quality levels of medical care to a burgeoning population calls for a very robust, cost-effective wireless technology that supports independent living and remote chronic disease management,” said Jonathan Linkous, CEO of the American Telemedicine Association, in a statement.


ZigBee Health Care offers the ATA a ready-to-implement telehealth solution featuring interference-free and secure wireless connectivity. This solution can support many common non-critical medical devices and provides a robust network ideal for secure, remote patient monitoring and one that helps aging and physically challenged people remain independent.

“We are honored to be working with the American Telehealth Association to expand telehealth solutions for all consumers and care providers,” said Robert Heile, chairman of the ZigBee Alliance. “ATA's members are a knowledgeable community of technology, medical device and health care industry leaders who can help us deliver greater independence, safety and improved health to everyone everywhere, every day.”