Why does the medical industry need healthcare asset tracking in hospitals in general? Multiple reasons call for technological solutions to the most painful challenges of the industry. It might not be visible on the surface since most people refer to staff shortage and allocation of financial resources but the root of the problem is often in lack of that same asset tracking in hospitals. The way a facility handles routine tasks, starting from staff logging into a shift to the check out of patients influences its efficiency.
Let’s take a look at common components of hospital management, and see where asset tracking can come in handy.
Equipment
It goes from one extreme to the other, either hoarding or shortage of things. Uncontrolled use of equipment causes more than storage issues. It leads to more expenses and chaotic purchasing. Besides, it adds extra load on the staff who has to conduct treatments as usual while managing admin issues with the resources. Implementing proper asset tracking in hospitals eases down the job for the personnel and for the hospital administration. Among the concerns that hospital managers name is misplaced equipment, like a wheelchair left in a random bedroom. Having a tracking button on each piece of equipment changes the situation dramatically.
Inventory
Equipment is not the only resource in the hospital that eats into the budget and requires attention, and control. Poor inventory management and asset tracking in hospitals influence the overall budget of the enterprise, its commercial success, and the quality of care provided. Besides, inventory for hospitals is a part of customer billing, hence has to be synchronized with all the operations properly.
Personnel
Medical personnel are undoubtedly working under pressure most of the time. To relieve the stress and create a better working environment, companies can introduce technological tools that will take the burden off their shoulders. Things like electronic patient records, shift logs, and prescriptions increase the operational efficiency of the organization and also spare time for personnel.
Patients
The main consumer of medical services is the patient. Whether it’s a person using emergency services once in a blue moon, or a patient with a chronic disease paying regular visits to the doctors, the quality of service has to be the best. The results of the study show that extended wait times and billing issues are among common patient complaints. Both can be mended with the software that has a feature of asset tracking in hospitals.
Why do hospitals need asset tracking systems?
The operations of any medical facility revolve around patients, equipment, inventory, and personnel. To reach a balance in managing all the resources within one enterprise, one needs to have a unified support system. Hospital staff needs easy access to the inventory, work schedule, and patient records. The equipment requires a maintenance schedule, and in case one X-ray machine fails, it wreaks havoc in the emergency department. How can asset tracking in hospitals help?
Asset tracking initially referred to the method of pinpointing the physical assets possessed by organizations, and now it is also applied to persons. The Internet of Things introduced easy tracking solutions into many industries and even led to the appearance of the Internet of Health Things. From 2016 to 2020 the size of the Internet of health market reached 161 million devices.
Initially, asset tracking systems were designed to gain control of the resources of any enterprise. However, the more they are used, the more advantages are discovered. In addition to simply knowing the location of the asset, the user can get information on its state and utilization dynamics.
How does RTLS help asset tracking in hospitals?
The RTLS market size in 2023 was USD 2.0 billion and is expected to reach USD 5.08 by 2028. Wi-Fi is the most popular technology adopted by hospitals: its market share is almost 50%. Real-time location tracking systems include multiple options. Depending on the range, capabilities, and other characteristics, business owners can integrate one or multiple options into their ticketing systems for asset tracking in hospitals.
Wi-Fi
Asset tracking in hospitals can be conducted with the help of a well-known WiFi technology. Patients, assets, and staff are equipped with WiFi tags which are small, battery-powered devices that emit a WiFi signal. The hospital is equipped with WiFi access points which are usually already in place for the WiFi network of the facility. These APs get signals from WiFi tags.
Then the system uses signals from multiple APs to triangulate the position of each tag. The data from APs is processed by the central software system to determine the location of each tag. With the implementation of advanced systems, it’s possible to get real-time and historical information on locations.
WiFi tags are used for staff location and management, as well as patient safety. For example, some patients are wander risk due to their medical condition, and it eases the task for medical personnel to monitor their location.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is not the leading but possible option for asset tracking in hospitals. It employs energy-efficient tags with batteries that can last for years. The receivers, called beacons are installed all over the facility to pick up signals from BLE tags. The system gets the asset’s location by measuring the signal from the tag to multiple beacons and using triangulation algorithms. BLE beacons often help in navigating complex hospital layouts and improve patient and visitor experience in the hospital.
Infrared
Infrared real-time location systems use infrared light to track and identify the locations of objects and people within the building. Patients, staff, or objects are equipped with IR tags while rooms or designated areas are equipped with IR sensors. IR requires a line of sight between the tag and the sensor. So, this system is suitable for room-level or bed-level location tracking.
Ultra-Wideband
UWB tags emit short pulses over a wide spectrum of radio frequencies and are used for asset tracking in hospitals. The facility is usually equipped with readers or anchors which are connected to a central system. UWB RTLS uses the time of flight method to identify the location. It measures the time it takes for a signal to travel from a tag to multiple anchors. Using the distance measurements from multiple anchors, the system applies trilateration algorithms to pinpoint the exact location of the tag in three-dimensional space.
Ultrasound
Assets, staff, or patients have tags that emit ultrasonic signals. These tags are activated by movement, pushing a button, or at pre-set intervals. The facility is equipped with receivers that are usually installed on the ceiling. The receivers detect the ultrasonic signals emitted by the tags. The system uses the time difference of arrival technique, measuring the time it takes for the ultrasonic signal to travel from the tag to the receivers. Since sound travels much slower than radio waves, this method allows for very precise location measurements. Ultrasound does not interfere with medical equipment and it makes it safe for use in sensitive healthcare environments. Along with infrared, ultrasound asset tracking in hospitals is regarded as the most accurate.
RFID
RFID asset tracking in hospitals consists of tags, readers, and antennas. A tag attached to a wheelchair, for example, emits radio waves and they are captured by readers to identify and track the assets through the facility. So, which types of tags can you use for hospital asset tracking? They can be active or passive.
- Passive tags that operate without a battery. The reader’s electromagnetic wave activates them.
- Active tags have a power source and offer a long read range and larger memory capacity.
The examples of RFID asset tracking in hospitals are:
- Tracking mobile equipment: infusion pumps, wheelchairs, ventilators.
- Monitoring the temperature and location of blood bags and medicine.
- Managing sterile instrument trays and surgical kits.
- Tracking linen and laundry services in the hospital.
- Finding lost or misplaced equipment.
BJCHealthcare is a nonprofit healthcare organization operating hospitals in Illinois and Missouri. They were looking for more visibility for their inventory to avoid product over- or under-stock. The organization claims that the pressure to improve operational efficiency and decrease spending is high, and RFID asset tracking is the solution to many problems they face.
BJCHealthcare case raised multiple questions about inventory management in healthcare. They figured out that about $12.1 million is spent on unnecessary equipment in the hospitals annually. From 7% to 10% of products expire on shelves since they are tracked manually. The solution BJCHealthcare implemented, perfected their documentation and enabled them to capture $7.7 billion in supplies, and from $65 000 to $212 000 in product charges that would have been lost due to underbilling.
AirTags
In search of an affordable and effective device for asset tracking in hospitals, Reddit users concluded that Apple AirTags can perform the function of RFID. These small, disc-shaped devices use Bluetooth to locate items. AirTags are marketed for personal use, yet, artful users managed to repurpose them. Here are some common examples of AirTag use in hospitals:
- Patient assets. In some scenarios, AirTags are used to keep track of patient-associated items, like personal belongings during a hospital stay. However, the privacy and security of these devices is not sufficient.
- Equipment maintenance tracking. AirTags can potentially be used for equipment maintenance schedules. If a piece of equipment needs regular servicing, the tag can track when it was last serviced and when it is due for another round of maintenance.
- Hospital equipment can be tagged with AirTags so that staff can use the FindMy app on their Apple devices to locate these items. The staff can track the real-time location of wheelchairs, portable monitors, and other equipment to reduce the time spent on the search for items.
Impact of asset tracking on hospital operations
Multiple industries have already achieved great results with asset-tracking solutions. Logistics, warehouses, and even sports facilities took hold of the technology that saves them time and costs. Hospital management is no different. It is the same inventory and workload balancing, intending to deliver the highest quality of services. Here is how asset tracking in hospitals can help.
Minimize errors
Every patient visit to a medical facility is followed by a lot of data, or in other words patient records. It would seem like a routine process that the staff is competent enough to conduct. However, multiple factors influence human work, and errors happen a lot. One of the studies showed that medication error is a widespread problem. What seems a little mistake in numbers or spelling, leads to serious consequences for patients and medical workers. Providing medical workers with digital tools can not only prevent errors but empower professionals. Data entry is just another tiresome task that technology can handle.
Store patient data securely
HIPPA, GDPR, PIPEDA, and other federal or provincial regulations require medical facilities to store patient data securely. One of the purposes of these regulations is to ensure that patient insurance and healthcare plans are correct. For hospitals, compliance is vital and the data collected on the patient has to be protected from breach. Custom-made software solutions allow the design of the system with a high degree of security.
Optimize inventory management
Inventory can become the largest budget item or the source of generating more income. With software like a hospital equipment tracking system, you can get hold of your inventory location and additional data, like quantity, and frequency of use. The data on the utilization of your inventory gives meaningful insights into the demand. Besides, resources like medications often need proper storage conditions. IoT allows you to trace the use of inventory and manage temperature, moisture, and other storage conditions in real time.
Connect with patients
Connecting with patients is not about establishing friendships. It is about being able to communicate with them regarding their issues anytime and anywhere. Connectivity is vital for medical workers and enables them to take action in time to prevent fatalities. Wearables represent one of the tools that help patient data collection and processing. They were particularly successful in preventing readmissions, McKinsey research shows. Since patients can be monitored remotely with the help of asset tracking in hospitals, the number of appointments is reduced.
Improve operational efficiency
The software and in particular, asset tracking in hospitals, changes the way routine operations are conducted. It optimizes all the tasks and drives more productivity. For example, mobile devices and AI tools for dictation save time in writing patient records. Real-time access to equipment data prevents rescheduling of the procedures. It results in more time that medical workers can actually devote to patient communication and care, increases customer satisfaction, and efficiency of the organization.
What to look for in a hospital asset tracking system?
When choosing the software for your organization, start with assessing your resources. What would you like it to do? If you are not sure, the tech partner will be able to help you discover all the hidden opportunities. Here are the basic features that any medical enterprise needs for asset tracking in hospitals.
- Real-time tracking
It can be applied to patients, hardware, or other inventory. When it comes to inventory, oftentimes, hoarding happens. The root of the problem is usually the lack of accurate data. How many surgical kits do you have? Which ones are in use at the moment? Access to such data helps with scheduling procedures, improving the work environment for medical professionals, and of course, decreasing the wait time for the patient.
- Maintenance notification
Hospital operations rely heavily on machines. Hence, maintaining them is vital. Using IoT sensors and software, you can connect your resources and have an accurate maintenance schedule without disrupting the workflow. Another advantage is in the remote access to the machines and remote troubleshooting of the problems.
- Automated reporting
The variety of sensors that exist on the market enables healthcare professionals to collect any data one can imagine. Be it blood pressure, cardiac monitoring, or availability of medicine, custom-made software stores and synchronizes such information making it visible in real time. Hence, cutting the time of a professional to seconds. By just logging into the system a doctor can see all relevant case information, and provide the patient with the treatment as soon as possible.
- Integrations
For sure, the existing or legacy systems in the organization not always can be replaced and erased completely. Besides, there can be other tools that you need for functioning. Hence, tailored to your needs solutions should allow integrations and enable scalability, even if you haven’t prepared a plan for it yet. The software is a tool that supports the company at all stages of development.
- Mobile applications
McKinsey experts predict that the use of mobile apps will channel medicine in a different direction and empower patients to be more cautious about their health. It in turn should lead to less frequent emergency visits. With the help of apps and asset tracking in hospitals, patients can communicate with healthcare specialists, plan visits, and pay bills. There is another benefit of mobile apps. Healthcare professionals gain access to patient information remotely and can react quickly.
Why is IoT a game-changer for asset tracking in hospitals?
The most persuasive argument in support of IoT in the medical industry is its affordability. The rise in popularity of this technology brought a lot of benefits to healthcare and simultaneously its price fell. So, the technology is secure enough, accessible, easy to install, and cheap to maintain.
The Internet of Things (IoT) blends well with other industries, and it led to the occurrence of a new term Internet of Medical Things. Medical devices connected with the help of networking technology with the purpose of gathering data became especially significant in times of pandemic. Remote monitoring of patients allowed for reduced exposure to the virus for medical professionals, and protected them. The use of Medical IoT is wide, and is not limited to asset tracking in hospitals:
- On-body devices
Heart rate, glucose, and depression monitoring devices belong to the on-body devices that assist medical professionals with remote monitoring. They can be used in hospitals as well as at home.
- In-home devices
Telehealth represented by video consultations helps doctors monitor not only the patient’s state but also modify the medication plan, and write new prescriptions.
- In-hospital devices
The list of devices used in hospitals is long. It starts with a hospital asset tracking system for inventory, and personnel, and ends with patient flow monitoring. Also, sensors for controlling the environment for patient and medical storage can be installed.
- Mobile devices
Some medical services are mobile. Paramedics can track patient parameters while transporting them with the help of IoT devices. In the same way, the logistics of pharmaceuticals use sensors for maintaining transportation conditions.
Develop your asset tracking solution for hospitals with Euristiq
To obtain your tool for asset tracking in hospitals, you do not have to be a specialist in the field of technology. Euristiq provides consultation and advisory services with the aim of discovering your real needs and finding optimal solutions. If you find vulnerabilities in your inventory, warehouse, patient, or personnel management, the chances are that you lack visibility. We can give you the right tools to collect analytics, improve operational efficiency, and drive more revenue. Book a consultation to see what IoT solution is the best match for you!
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