Radio Frequency Identification
(RFID) technology is not new if we recollect that we used
this technology to identify friendly aircraft during World
War II. However, with the falling prices of passive tags,
RFID has thus become attractive.
Healthcare organizations are considering RFID for its
potential to improve patient safety and business
processes. RFID applications in the healthcare industry
are focused on patient safety (identification and
medication administration), business flow management, and
asset/equipment management. The healthcare industry is
realizing that patient safety and medication is the most
important business benefit of RFID. There have already
been organizations that have started pilot RFID
applications for patient and worker identification, access
control and security, and hospital equipment tracking.
The RFID tags in healthcare may be applied to people
(patients and staff) and to objects, allowing the readers
on door frames, wards and treatment areas to detect and
record interactions.
Some of the actual and proposed RFID?s applications with
significant potential to provide advantages to the
healthcare industry are: tagging patient wristbands with
ID and care information, managing distribution of
medications, coupling with nano sensor technology to
remotely monitor patients via implant, provide inventory
control, and prevent theft.
Even as the healthcare industry debates whether RFID can
deliver its promised benefits, organizations are taking
steps to plan the implementation of RFID technology.
Benefits in RFID Hospital
Management
- Patient tracking and identification & Automatic
Billing
- Asset and Equipment management and tracking
- Inventory management and control
- Reducing blood administration errors
- Making newborns more secure
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