A method for pairing a portable device with a medical device can include displaying an association code on a dynamic display of the medical device and determining whether the portable device is positioned relative to the medical device within a predetermined range of positioning parameters. If the portable device is positioned relative to the medical device within the predetermined range of positioning parameters, the method can include optically reading the association code from the dynamic display of the medical device with the portable device. Only if the portable device is positioned relative to the medical device within the predetermined range of positioning parameters, and the association code is optically read from the dynamic display of the medical device with the portable device, then the method can include pairing the portable and medical devices such that the medical device responds to commands sent from the portable device to the medical device.