A hierarchical relational deployment model ( 100 ) facilitates grouping wireless devices in a healthcare environment into subgroups based on relationships between the devices, and a hierarchical key pre-distribution scheme ( 110 ) permits distribution of unique keying material for security domains of respective groups of devices, prior to deploying the devices in a healthcare network. Devices can then execute a handshake protocol by which they identify their deepest common node in the deployment model ( 100 ), and employ keying material assigned to that nodes group in the pre-distribution scheme ( 110 ) to facilitate granular communication security.
