Implementing RFID technology in various industries is on the rise nowadays. It’s been successful in many industries, like manufacturing, logistics, and retail. While RFID is not a new technology, the way it has evolved over the years is worth the appreciation.
Today, RFID solutions are helpful for any business for tracking location, data collection, and more. It is even useful in sectors like inventory control, supply chain management, etc.
Aside from that, it helps many authorities to keep track of prisoners. And, farmers can also use it to keep track of their animals. Likewise, it is also helpful in the healthcare industry. In heathcare industry, it leads to better patient safety/care and hospital workflow.
What is RFID Technology?
RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification. The technology works on a tag system. It consists of a special tag that’s fixed on an item and further the radio waves track that particular tag. The RFID is further divided into three parts – Reader, Transponder, and Antenna.
The antenna is to convey a radio wave or frequency signal that leads to the way of communication with the RFID tag. Whenever the RFID tag passes through the frequency field of antenna scanning, it identifies a specific activation signal. Furthermore, it stores the data it collects through the antenna.
The RFID technology is the same as Barcode technology. But the major difference is that RFID is faster than the Barcode scanner. Another difference is that you need to scan an object or a product via a barcode scanner for tracking its information. On the other hand, RFID makes use of radio waves to track the data.
Benefits of Using RFID Technology in Healthcare
RFID is a very powerful tool to help you manage hospital functions. Here are some major ways RFID benefits in the healthcare industry:
An RFID band is often tied on a patient’s wrist to keep track of the patient. This wristband further carries all the related data – such as name, allergies, medical record, etc.
It helps in reducing costs while increasing productivity. This further improves outcomes for caregivers and patients.
Effective management, tracking, and timely maintenance of pricey hospital equipment.
Optimized work routines and schedules for healthcare professionals.
Easy management and medical device location due to RFID tracking devices development.
Decreased loss of data and human errors.
Improved security in hospitals.
Better measures against theft of medication, infection spreading, and hospital property.
Guaranteed medical products’ quality due to advanced RFID-based authentication.
Applications of RFID Technology in the Healthcare Industry
RFID technology has so much to offer to the healthcare industry. Therefore, its applications are useful in several emerging and established healthcare organizations. For instance, in laboratories, hospitals, and private clinics.
Here are some important applications of RFID technology in the healthcare industry:
1. Healthcare Monitoring
RFID technology in healthcare sector provides real-time tracking of medications or blood samples. Moreover, it offers real-time visibility into the hospital inventory. The RFID also enables the hospital to check the temperature of various heat-sensitive drugs. Or helps the management to take necessary measures to maintain compliance and standards.
2. Epidemic Infection Tracking Control
With the infectious disease epidemic tracking monitoring system and a hospital’s exposure history fed in an RFID tracking control system, any government unit can accurately get the dynamic information of the whole process. Hence, they can help in preventing the recurrence of infection control issues. The healthcare institutions and home isolation centers can also manage the waste management. Furthermore, the RFID technology can help with is the transparent dynamic tracking information. This eliminates people’s doubts about infectious diseases.
3. Precise Mother-Infant Tracking
Mothers and newborns need to be well-identified in a delivery room soon after birth. After that, mothers and babies are often moved out of the delivery room. So, RFID technology is helpful here for identification tracking. The staff needs to put RFID wrist bands on the mother and the baby at the time of the birth. It ensures that there is no confusion regarding the recognition.
The hospitals need to provide two non-transferable tags for newborns and mothers. These RFID tags must also include the identification number, the full name of the mother, time of birth, date of birth, and other content that’s important for the identification of a mother and a child.
4. Asset Tagging For East Check-in & Check-out Process
For making the activity very effective, the RFID technology is helpful in the health industry for asset tracking and tagging. Being a professional practice, it’s important to use RFID-based tagging equipment to track all the information related to check-in and check-out of patients.
5. Equipment Tracking With RFID Technology
Equipment, machines and vehicle tracking is essential for hospitals. It does not just make people aware of the locations of vehicles and equipment. But also offers better asset maintenance. All hospital assets are important and need to be always in ready-to-use mode. The RFID tags are even useful for tracking assets while moving in and out of the hospital premises.
Whenever it comes to operation theatres, it is crucial to inspect assets that are done regularly. This way the unplanned breakdowns are often avoided. The asset maintenance management software is essential here to handle such important assets.
Conclusion
RFID innovation is known to have a lot of potential for assisting the medical services in hospitals. Furthermore, the system opens up more doors for operational effectiveness. It also enhances security, and cost savings. how? Due to tagging assets, stocks, patient data, and patient records. While many hospitals in big cities are already using RFID technology, the major healthcare sector remains deprived of this technology. RFID systems are majorly used in countries, like the USA, Germany, France, UK, Japan, Spain, Italy, etc.
There are still many countries in the world that need to start implementing RFID solutions to improve the level of patient safety/care and overall workflow. Furthermore, it is helpful in better management of equipment and assets.
