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Real Time Location System in Healthcare
Background£º
Real time locating system (RTLS) is a technology that can be used to track and identify the location of objects in real time using simple,
inexpensive nodes (badges/tags) attached to or embedded in objects and devices (readers) that receive the wireless signals from these tags to determine their locations.
RTLS typically refers to systems that provide passive or active (automatic) collection of location information. Radio-frequency Identification (RFID) is one of RTLS technologies.
In healthcare industry, RTLS tags can be implanted into medical devices in a medical facility, with the construction of RTLS infrastructure, RTLS system can:
1) Identify all tagged items in given location(s);
2) Identify a category of items (types/models of given
equipments) whereabouts throughout the facility
3) Identify a given type/category of items in given location(s)
4) If you put tags on people, RTLS can do the same things for employees/patients
The implication of RTLS technology to healthcare system management is tremendous, this system can track the usage and flow of equipments and flow of employees, patients in real time.
This technology can make all the processes transparent and traceable. For example, RTLS can be used to track the usage and whereabouts of any category of surgery supplies, and we can detect the potential shortage of key equipments well before it actually happens.
This technology could revolutionize the management of healthcare systems.
Summary of Works done by Our Group in This Area£º
1. RTLS Based Ubiquitous Health Care Management System Design and Implementation
The U.S. health-care system, one of the most complex systems worldwide, has suffered from ineffective logistics management, patient safety concerns and escalating costs.
Real-time location systems (RTLS) based on ubiquitous computing are a new application that will increase the visibility and operational efficiency of clinical and administrative workflow in the health-care setting.
In this project, we propose a hybrid framework to implement RTLS technology in hospitals, according to the theory of information system design theory, lean management and task-technology fit.
2.RFID-Based Healthcare Workflow Management in Sterile Processing Departments
Appropriate cleaning, disinfection and sterilization of reusable medical equipments (RMEs) in the Sterile Processing Department (SPD) are important to reduce healthcare acquired infections (HAIs) and person-to-person transmission.
Currently, healthcare facilities utilize Standard Operating Procedures (SOP¡¯s) following manufacturer¡¯s instructions to guide staffs in SPD to complete the reprocessing procedure thoroughly and consistently each time.
However, it is hard to ensure that operation steps are in proper manners by physical observations since there are no effective solutions to automatically monitor, trace, and verify the performance of SPD dynamic workflows.
Through an enhanced, interdisciplinary understanding of business process management in healthcare enterprises, we design and develop an innovative framework of real-time healthcare workflow management in SPD.
RFID-enabled intelligent objects are assigned to automatically capture the real-time data from multiple resources and RMEs.
SOA-based workflow system is used to define and execute a flexible reprocessing and supply procedure from soiled RMEs collection to ready-to-use RMEs distribution.
Via supervising the instant messages about the performance status of SPD operation processes, compliance check and smart rerun scheme are achieved by an intelligent rule engine to prevent and remedy delinquent operations.
3.Design of Ubiquitous Smart Inventory for medical supply
Having the right product at the right time at the right place and in the right condition are the well-known requirements for logistics,
especially critical for the healthcare sector due to the fact that it deals with human life and any deficiency can cause inevitable and incurable results.
Unpredictable service demand and high service level force medical logistic management to keep high inventory level. Stock-out or over-stock costs lots of waste.
Meanwhile, perishable medical inventory has expiration control and product recall processing in operation.
These mandates all trigger an enormous expectation to enhance visibility and efficiency of medical supply management.
The emergent technology of Real-Time Locating System (RTLS) may improve the potential benefits of supply chain management through reduction of inventory losses, increase of the efficiency and speed of processes and improvement of information accuracy.
Related funded projects
Real Time Location System Pre-study for Cath lab and SPD. US Department of Veteran Affairs, (PI 100%) $50,000, 10/10-12/10
RTLS-IVN Interface Module Development, US Department of Veteran Affairs, (PI, 100%) $130,000, 9/11-5/12
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