MT-CONNECT and MedTech Summit 2018 join Bitkom to present information on “secure digitalisation – from the manufacturer to the patient”

MT-CONNECT and MedTech Summit 2018 join Bitkom to present information on “secure digitalisation – from the manufacturer to the patient”

MT-CONNECT, the exhibition for suppliers and manufacturers of medical technology, and the international medical technology congress MedTech Summit, will be exploring the major trending topic of IT security in Nuremberg on 11 and 12 April 2018. Cybersecurity will have its own thematic slot on 12 April. A comprehensive programme is currently being prepared in association with Bitkom, the industry association for the German information and telecommunications sector. “Digitalisation is also impacting the health sector, with digital technologies offering great potential e.g. for diagnosis, therapy and security of supply. Medical technology plays a key role, and like other sectors is subject to fundamental changes. Bitkom is also committed to promoting digitalisation in the health sector and to developing and successfully implementing new data-driven business models,” says Julia Hagen, Health & Pharma Consultant at Bitkom.

At its Digital Transformation Division, Bitkom is addressing this issue through an E-Health Working Group, in which cybersecurity also plays a major role, from protecting patient data to securing IT infrastructures in hospitals or medical practices. At the MedTech Summit, Hagen will talk about protecting IT networks in a presentation with the title: “Connected Health: Challenges for Infrastructure”. Topics like the use of blockchain technologies to prevent tampering with patient data are also on the agenda. Dr Eberhard Scheuer from the University of Zurich will explain the possibilities of a healthcare blockchain, while Stefan Winter from Philips Research will present some case studies from the IT security field. In addition, trade visitors and exhibitors can learn more about the topic of digitalisation from a practical standpoint in the exhibition forum.

“Digitalisation is one of the hot topics at MT-CONNECT – and in this context IT security aspects also play an important role,” says Alexander Stein, Exhibition Director MT-CONNECT. “This year we are again expecting to see a wide range of services and solutions relating to e-health and digital applications, tailored of course to the needs of the healthcare sector.”

Forum MedTech Pharma e.V., which is the honorary sponsor of the MedTech Summit Congress and MT-CONNECT, is seeing considerably more interest in the issue of cybersecurity. “In the medical technology sector we are currently observing a significant increase in the importance of IT security. Thanks to current trending issues like web-based health services, electronic patient files or mobile health, this aspect is increasingly becoming the focus of our network activities,” says Dr Matthias Schier, Managing Director of Forum MedTech Pharma. “This issue affects users and manufacturers alike, and also necessitates dialogue with various authorities.” The current position paper on IT security published by the ZVEI Medical Engineering Division has also raised stronger awareness of this topic.

Through the ZVEI Medical Engineering Division, BVMed and Bitkom, MT-CONNECT now enjoys the support of three partners with extensive expertise in medical technology and digitalisation.

MT-CONNECT and the MedTech Summit will take place on 11 and 12 April 2018 in Nuremberg. Information for exhibitors and visitors is provided at: www.mt-connect.de/en.

About MT-CONNECT and the MedTech Summit
The MT-CONNECT exhibition in conjunction with MedTech Summit – Congress & Partnering is the No. 1 networking platform for the international medical technology scene. MT-CONNECT has a distinct focus on suppliers and manufacturers of medical technology. Suppliers and service providers showcase their products and solutions for manufacturers and meet representatives from purchasing, product management and R&D departments. At the MedTech Summit, experts from the research, development and practical application fields discuss future developments in the industry from an interdisciplinary perspective. This unique blend of trade fair, congress and partnering event was designed in consultation with industry insiders and is supported by numerous industry associations. The honorary sponsor of the MT-CONNECT fair and MedTech Summit is Forum MedTech Pharma e.V., the largest network for the health sector in Germany and the rest of Europe. The next MT-CONNECT with MedTech Summit will be held in Nuremberg on 11 and 12 April 2018.

Contact for press and media MT-CONNECT
Jens Fuderholz, TBN Public Relations GmbH
Benno Wagner, Simon Kögel, NürnbergMesse GmbH
T +49 911 86 06-89 02
simon.koegel@nuernbergmesse.de

Contact for press and media MedTech Summit
Marlene Klemm
T +49 911 206 71 333
klemm@medtech-pharma.de

For all press releases, further information and photos please visit:
www.mt-connect.de/en/news

For information about the MedTech Summit please go to:
www.medtech-summit.de