A Framework for the Interconnection of Controller Area Network (can) Based Critical Care Units

Patient monitoring helps increasing the mortality by timely notification of exceeding vital signs. By using the vital sign data the critical care staff can make necessary life saving interventions. This requires the underlying network to be very robust so that timely and error free information flow can be guaranteed. Moreover there is a need for a cost effective and robust network technology for continuous and realtime vital signs monitoring in resource constraint settings in developing countries. In this paper we proposed a system of hospitals with interconnected intensive care units. Each intensive care unit employs Controller Area Network (CAN) as underlying technology for networking of bedside units. The data of these bedside units can be communicated with other hospital using higher level protocols such as Ethernet. This allow the hospital staff to share the health information of the patients with the specialized staff in another hospital to provide better cure to the patient and consequently can increase the mortality.