Radio frequency identification (RFID) is one killer technology that has the potential to introduce dramatic new efficiencies in patient care and provide solutions to a wide range of business needs.
RFID chips are tiny radio-frequency transmitters that broadcast data to local or satellite based receivers. Each chip has a unique tag so that its location and other data can be captured. It also includes middleware to capture and process the signals and applications that use the information for business support.
Bedside Benefits
In a hospital management system with RFID for patients, the software would provide all patient-related information to the doctor or nurse in one shot, like on a monitor in a ward. This allows the nurse to ensure that the patient receives right dose of only the prescribed medication. Also, electronic record of nurse’s visit is created; as a result, nurses could spend more time with the patients rather than writing reports.
A hospital can issue RFID tag or wristband, each with a tiny antenna & a micro chip to every patient & have all the important information about the patient stored in it. The data can be read from the chip using an electromagnetic reader device. Thus, automating the storage, tracking, utilization & billing through RFID helps maintain accuracy of data, collect information without disturbing patients, reduce medical errors, improves efficiency & productivity, allows accurate billing, and significant inventory cost savings. Also, the information can be sent immediately via the internet to doctors or other hospitals when needed. The doctors & nurses can use PDA or laptops to access patient information within the hospital through intranet.
The RFID tag provides a Unique ID to every patient that allows to edit/update patient information in the database in future & the data is password protected & thereby secure.
The tagging in case of crash trolleys allows keep equipments & drugs in place & ready to use to deliver timely care.
Tracking People
Apart from tracking the doctors & patients, RFID tags can be used to keep track of new born in hospitals, so that they are not taken away without permission. This is beneficial in countries with high incident of abduction of the new born!
Apart from this RFID can be used to track inventory of medical resources like movable equipments, pharmaceuticals within the hospital supply chain, identifying the location of doctors, nurses on the basis of their proximity in case of potential emergencies.
Compared to barcode scanning, RFID has improved efficiency with reduced scan times. Using RFID, we can have a hands free approach to managing patients data & resources used in patient care.
