RFID Technology in Hospitals

The healthcare industry has incorporated technology to improve patient service delivery. The use of RFID technology to track items in hospitals has resulted in significantly improved service delivery.

RFID technology has numerous applications in healthcare. Because of its versatility, it is one of the most influential and dynamic tools for any hospital.

It can be used to track patients, surgical tools, and laundry, among other things. This article discusses the top seven RFID applications in hospitals. Continue reading.

RFID Technology's 7 Hospital Applications

1.Inventory Management in the Medical and Pharmaceutical Sectors

Hospitals keep a large supply of medicines on hand to treat various medical conditions. As a result, tracking can be difficult, especially when a hospital has a large amount of liquid medication.

Manual counting and barcode scanning take time and can result in inventory errors. This challenge has sparked innovation in the tracking industry. Many manufacturers are developing RFID tags that will help to simplify the tracking process.

While RFID technology provides an ideal tracking solution, most tags will not function properly with liquid products. Another significant challenge in the pharmaceutical industry is this limitation.

Fortunately, RFID tag manufacturers are creating one-of-a-kind tags that can work with liquid products. As a result, you should only choose a customized RFID that will allow you to track all products regardless of their condition.

RFID tags that are liquid-compatible provide the following advantages:

Improves pharmaceutical data accuracy Eliminates procurement delays, which would otherwise lead to treatment inefficiencies

Constant data capture via fixed RFID readers ensures real-time stock monitoring.

Reduces the amount of time needed for inventory management and saves money.

RFID tags also assist hospitals and pharmaceutical manufacturers in authenticating their products and eliminating counterfeits on the market.

Manufacturers will place an RFID tag on the original medicine bottle/box and encrypt it with specific authentication information to accomplish this.

As a result, the hospital staff will simply use an RFID reader to determine the authenticity of the product. Manufacturers are using tamper-proof RFID labels in some cases.

2.Tracking Of Patients And Employees

Hospitals require a high-level security system to ensure the safety of their patients and employees at all times. There is a need to implement a highly efficient tracking system that can provide accurate information in real time.

Most hospitals are currently using passive and active RFID tags to track the location of their patients and staff. Using these tags provides numerous advantages to hospitals, including:

The ease with which patient information can be verified

Patients' safety is ensured because their locations can be determined in real time.

Reduces wait times and other service delivery bottlenecks

RFID Tags in Patient and Employee Management

Passive RFID tags are primarily used in the verification and management of patient records. Because wristbands are less likely to be lost, most hospitals prefer to use them.

The wristband contains an RFID tag that contains all of the patient's information. It will keep all of the specific patient records, which will supplement the notes of the doctors/nurses.

This way, nurses will be unable to accidentally switch the patient's files, potentially leading to incorrect treatment and death.

Active RFID Tags in Patient and Employee Management

In hospitals, active RFID tags are used to track the movement of patients and staff. Real-Time Location RFID Systems (RTLS) have recently seen rapid adoption to identify hiccups in the workflow. This technology ensures that patients receive the appropriate care in a timely manner.

In this case, both patients and staff will be issued RFID-enabled badges. The tags will aid in tracking the amount of time patients spend in any given office. The systems will detect delays, allowing management to resolve issues in real time.

Furthermore, the RTLS system is useful for tracking newborn babies. This technique aids in reducing child theft and providing the best medical care possible.

To accomplish this, all newborns' legs are fitted with an RFID RTLS tag. When the child approaches the door, an alarm sounds and the door immediately locks. Taking the tag off the child's leg will also trigger an alarm indicating the child's location.

3.Controlling Surgical Tool Sterilization

Surgical instruments should always be clean and sterile to avoid infections that can progress to sepsis. All tools must be cleaned, disinfected, and sterilized in a timely manner.

Scissors, scalpels, retractors, and clamps are examples of surgical tools that should be readily available. Once used, these tools carry a large number of bacteria that can be passed on to the next patient, causing medical complications.

To avoid this, hospitals use RFID technology to track the tools and ensure that they are sterilized before use.

However, because most surgical tools are metallic, you may be unable to use RFID tags. As a result, you should always select RFID tags that can operate optimally on metallic surfaces.

The RFID tag contains a chip that contains all of the information about cleaning specific surgical tools. The tag will record all of the data, including the autoclave used to sterilize it and the time it was sterilized.

When employing this method, keep the following points in mind:

Not all RFID tags can withstand the autoclave.

Not all RFID tags function optimally on metal surfaces.

As a result, you should always select a tag that has been specially designed to withstand these two environments. If you have any questions, we recommend that you contact the manufacturer.

4.Inventory Control for Single-Use Items

Several items in a hospital are intended for one-time use. If an inventory error occurs, the products can easily run out of stock without the procurement officer's knowledge.

Gloves, plastic vials, and gauze are examples of single-use items. You understand that these items are required for service delivery. As a result, they should be readily available in any hospital.

However, the products are relatively inexpensive, and using high-priced tags would be impractical. As a result, hospitals should use RFID inlays that are both cost-effective and efficient.

The following are the advantages that any hospital will gain by tracking their single-use items with RFID:

It is simple to keep track of the products. Because these items have an RFID tag, they can be stored in a specific location equipped with an RFID reader. Disposable gloves, for example, can be stored on shelves and vending machines using an RFID reader. The reader will provide real-time stock balance information.

It is simple to customize the inventory. Most hospitals have safeguards in place to prevent the theft and misuse of single-use items. One of the most reliable methods is to integrate the inventory with the staff's RFID-enabled badges. As a result, the RFID reader will record every time the staff uses the vending machine. The hospital will be able to determine how many pieces each staff member uses in any given month or other time period this way.

5.Tracking of Assets

To ensure the safety of patients, hospitals should have the highest level of security. Any individual's identity should be verified before they are allowed into any given room.

As a result, the hospital will avoid the following risks:

Unauthorized persons snatching patients from their rooms

Prevent infection from spreading to high-sterile areas.

Stops people from wandering around, which can result in accidents and injuries.

RFID badges are given to authorized hospital staff to achieve access control. An RFID reader is also installed on the door. As a result, the staff will only need to wave the badge in order for the door to open.

6.Control of Access/Security

To ensure the safety of patients, hospitals should have the highest level of security. Any individual's identity should be verified before they are allowed into any given room.

As a result, the hospital will avoid the following risks:

Unauthorized persons snatching patients from their rooms

Prevent infection from spreading to high-sterile areas.

Stops people from wandering around, which can result in accidents and injuries.

RFID badges are given to authorized hospital staff to achieve access control. An RFID reader is also installed on the door. As a result, the staff will only need to wave the badge in order for the door to open.

7.Tracking of Laundry

Hospitals should provide their patients with the best possible hygiene. This is a sure way to avoid cross-contamination and thus speed up the patient's recovery.

Bed sheets, towels, and blankets must always be cleaned and disinfected before being used by the next patient.

The hospital will need an efficient RFID system to accomplish this. All of these items will be embedded with an RFID laundry tag that will show their current status.

Conclusion

An effective tracking system in a hospital is critical because it ensures that patients receive the best possible health care. RFID technology is one of the most effective tracking techniques. This article covers everything you need to know about RFID tracking in hospitals.