Medication inventory management

RFID tags are not only for tracking high-value equipment, but they can also help follow medications in a hospital. For instance, the tags and receivers can be in the facility's pharmacies or storage areas. They can transmit updates to tracking software in near real-time, giving administrators an accurate picture of medication inventory.

According to the CDC, 76.3% of all hospital visits included drug therapy. If you consider this statistic, it’s obvious that facilities go through vast amounts of medications daily. RFID tags can alert administrators in charge of pharmaceuticals when boxes of drugs get moved from storage or opened.

Hospitals can see the increased use of specific medications and order more to avoid shortages. On the other end of the demand spectrum, they can also track little-used medicines, ensuring they don’t expire unused.

To combat theft of regulated substances, the hospital can deploy RFID tags to send alerts when the medication leaves the restricted pharmacy area. In addition to finding unexpected movement of drugs, the RFID tags can establish a chain of custody to define which staff members are responsible for the medications.

Medical equipment tracking

Asset tags on high-value equipment connect to asset management software, which contains data about maintenance and usage. Unlike barcodes, QR codes, and other identifiers, RFID tags can provide location information for equipment with range. RFID tags send a signal to antennas and receivers, and the devices triangulate the signals to define the location of the equipment. With carefully placed receivers, managers can find their healthcare machines anywhere within the building.

Likewise, any staff with access can receive alerts from RFID tags when a piece of equipment moves out of a defined area. Because they don’t require a line of sight for scanning, RFID tags can be secured in the equipment where they’re more difficult to remove.

Staff can also use RFID tags to find the right equipment quickly. Emergencies and unexpected treatment needs are the norm in a hospital, and staff can use RFID data to find the tools they need in seconds.

Patient tracking

The same feature that tracks the equipment locations can also help with patient care. Staff can provide patients with wearable tags on the ID wristband or clothing that they can use to define the patient’s location.

Patient tracking helps hospitals ensure each patient gets the care they need. Patients may have to go to different hospital units to get scans, have laboratory tests or undergo treatments or procedures. RFID tags can create a digital trail for these visits, ensuring the patient has the necessary services.

RFID tags can also alert staff when a patient leaves a specific area. This feature can be helpful in some situations, such as in memory care units or in neonatal when staff needs to be alerted of a patient leaving or being taken out of an area.

Finally, staff can locate patients quickly when it’s time to provide care. For example, physicians may have limited time to meet with each patient. If they know their location, they can go there immediately. Overall, RFID tags can improve efficiency and reduce time wasted on location or waiting for patients.

Staff tracking

Staff can wear RFID tags on a wristband or name badge or simply pinned to their scrubs. The devices allow receivers to triangulate the location of staff. As with equipment tracking, the goal is ultimately to improve efficiency and manage workflow.

Managers can make decisions and assign tasks based on location, reducing the time it takes for patients to get care. They can also collect data to improve workflow and deployment patterns throughout the hospital.

In addition to verifying work attendance and restricting access to sensitive or restricted areas, RFID tags can also help with infection control and show if a staff member had contact with an infected and contagious patient.

Visitor tracking

Visitors may also receive RFID tags on wristbands, badges or lanyards. As with staff and patients, these can be used to track movements, limit access to restricted areas and track contacts in the event of a contagious infection or outbreak.

An RFID-equipped badge can also help hospital staff locate visitors in public areas if they need to make care decisions for family members receiving treatment in the hospital.

Predicting patient flow and admission rates

RFID tags produce data that software can collect, collate and store. After the program processes the info, analysts can take over and find trends and insights about hospital traffic and patterns in admission rates. For instance, the data can show seasonal changes in patient levels and help set benchmarks that tell managers when to increase staffing and supply levels.

These insights can help with staffing and resource planning and ensure the hospital is prepared for an influx of patients and provides the necessary support in each area of the hospital.