Tech & Innovation in Healthcare

Question: I am interested in improving our medical equipment organization and enhancing patient monitoring in our facility. Can you provide information on a technology that could help us achieve these goals, and explain how it can be implemented in a healthcare setting?

Nebraska Subscriber

Answer: One technology you could use to organize your equipment and monitor your patients is with radio frequency identification (RFID). RFID uses radio waves to transmit data between an RFID tag and a reader. The tag is built with a microchip and an antenna and can store and transmit the data when the tag comes in range of a reader.

RFID technology is often used in access control systems like employee ID badges or key cards for building access. When the cardholder places the RFID-enabled card near a reader, the system verifies the user’s identity and will either grant or deny access based on their authorization level.

In addition to area or building access, RFID tags can be used in healthcare to track medical equipment and patients.

Staffers can attach RFID tags to medical devices in your facility for inventory purposes. Once the tags have been scanned and labeled in your system, you can easily check the number of a specific equipment (i.e. digital blood pressure cuffs) and where they are located within the facility. This system will allow you to also easily relocate any equipment to meet patient care demand.

You can also use RFID tags on patient wristbands. The tags will make it easy to identify and track patients while they’re in your facility. Key data such as care plans, prescriptions, and drug administrations can be included in the tag, so healthcare personnel will be able to review this information quickly and efficiently.

Additionally, for a patient who may wander away from their room, the RFID tags will help staff locate the patient and guide them back to where they need to be.