CareFusion’s Alaris Infusion Pump Certified for Data Encryption at V.A.

In a an increasingly wireless world, healthcare data “floating through the air” is among the most dangerous of information transmitted wirelessly.

Along those lines, CareFusion has reported that its Alaris infusion system is the “first and only” such system to receive a new data encryption certification now required for infusion devices operating on U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital networks. The certification, known as Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2, certifies that Alaris is compliant with stringent wireless encryption and physical security requirements set by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

The NIST FIPS program defines various levels of physical and data encryption security that devices must meet in order to operate on federal wireless networks. The FIPS 140-2 standard is designed to protect sensitive but unclassified information, such as electronic health records. CareFusion’s Alaris Systems Manager facilitates wireless communications between the pump system and a hospital’s wireless network to provide an enterprise-grade, secure deployment architecture.



“We’ve been helping the VA network of hospitals deliver quality care for many years,” said J.C. Kyrillos, senior vice president and general manager of Infusion Systems at CareFusion. “This federal certification underscores CareFusion’s commitment to advanced technology that is designed to protect patient safety and confidentiality. In the event this wireless security requirement extends to other Federal care providers, we are well positioned and ready to support provider needs.”

CareFusion is based in San Diego, Calif.