RFID in Healthcare

Due to the revolution rush in technology we’re always tempted to use the most advanced of innovative technologies.  Without always noticing it, we use automatic data capture technology that depends on radio-frequency electromagnetic fields. The latter technology is referred to as Radio-Frequency Identification or RFID. RFID is an automatic identification technology which uses radio-frequency electromagnetic fields to distinguish objects bearing tags when they are scanned by a specific reader. RFID uses several radio frequencies and different types of tags exist with different transmission methods and power supply sources.
RFID tags typically comprise of an electronic chip with an antenna in order to transmit information onto the reader.

Just as people use RFID to carry out the different tasks of their daily lives, industries also make use of this technology as part of a predictive maintenance program. The latter are designed to help determine the condition of the equipment in use to forecast when maintenance should be done. This approach guarantees cost savings overtime, since tasks are usually done only when warranted.

RFID is basically invading every corner of our lives. It is used and integrated into all sectors and industries without exception. RFID is successfully implemented by many healthcare organizations to tag a variety of mobile fixed assets including infusion pumps, feeding devices, scanners, monitors, wheelchairs, mattresses and beds, since managing numerous costly, mobile equipment is a daily challenge and is labor-intensive. A remarkable portion of fixed asset inventories are lost, stolen or misplaced, impacting productivity every day.

Hospitals are huge, busy facilities that demand great organization when tracking expensive medical equipment, supplies, and fixed assets. Often, quick response times are an essential part of the operations of hospitals. Furthermore, with multi-departmental and multi-campus facilities, it is necessary for patient files as well as inventory locations and records to be easily accessed anywhere in the hospital. With RFID-based fixed asset tracking software, maintaining accurate records of all hospital fixed assets is a piece of cake! The RFID-based fixed asset tracking software typically saves locations, inventory levels, maintenance records, user history, status (in-use, sterile, etc.) and more in one database through the use of RFID fixed asset tags.

Tragging’s RFID-based fixed asset tracking software is easy-to-use and can be costumed to fit the requirements of your medical institution be it a hospital, nursing home, emergency treatment center, or psychiatric facility. By utilizing Tragging RFID-based fixed asset tracking software, your health care services will interest from reduced equipment search times, ameliorate material management coordination, and cut costs due to prevention of damage, loss, and theft. Exact position of an item can be immediately located by searching for a stock RFID number or an item can be scanned and then swiftly returned to where it belongs anywhere in the hospital. RFID scans can also be used to check-in/out equipment by staff, practitioners, and patients as well. With exact records of inventory being kept in a single database, materials are easily managed. Purchases, material movement (on- and off-site), waste management, inventory control, and routine maintenance are all closely supervised in order to optimize the lifespan of each of your hospital fixed assets. Finally, damage, loss, and theft are easily prevented by monitoring user history, tracking movement of items, and notifying security in case that equipment leaves hospital premises without permission.

Fixed asset tracking in hospitals:  tagging the items has to consider the environment in which those fixed assets are used. Unlike the barcode, RFID exceeds the limitations that are bound to the barcode labels. Barcode fall short because they are printed labels that could be easily damaged or washed out, being in a health institute where it demands everything being sterilized and sanitized; barcodes fail immensely.

RFID on the other hand are more versatile, they are developed in such a way to endure high pressure and temperature. We offer you very small waterproof and heat proof RFID tags that can endure harsh circumstances and can easily be attached to equipment and instruments that require sterilization.  Using RFID Hospital tags you can keep track of what has been sterilized, when it was sterilized and where it is at this very moment.

Some of the advantages of using RFID-based fixed asset tracking software in the healthcare industry are listed below:

• Reduces inventory expenses and lessens equipment search times
• Deter theft and automate maintenance with real-time discernibility into the location and status of equipment (check whether it is sterilized/unsterile, broken/fixed, in use/available),
• Save capital expenses and reduce time spent by staff to locate misplaced equipment
• Determine the availability status to improve operational performance
• Enhance patient throughput by minimizing equipment search times for doctors
• Monitor par level with location-based work orders that enhance utilization and reduce rental expenses
• Notify security before equipment leaves the hospital premises to prevent theft
• Automate work order warnings and measure on-time servicing to increase availability
• Track fixed asset movement history to isolate process improvements and boost workflows
• Enhance  inventory management
• Track inventory across departments and minimize costs due to loss, damage, and theft
• Maximize maintenance effectiveness by organizing the maintenance processes to expand the durability of assets and improve productivity
• Expand warranty recovery by enhancing tracking of repairs that are entitled for warranty claims
• Enhance reliability and risk management
• Reduces time and cost in maintenance of hospital equipment
• Remotely access information of fixed assets at various location
• Promote a climate of control in labs, stores and operation theater
• Stock control of expensive inventory items
• Monitors Contracts of Annual Maintenance and the period of guarantee of fixed assets
• Improves efficiency by automatically calculating depreciation of each fixed asset
• Track the environment of usage when equipment are taken out for medical camps
• Easy monitoring of insurance and premium details of a fixed assets

With all the advantages described and much more, it is easy to perceive why Tragging’s RFID-based Fixed Assets tracking software is the best key to integrate in your hospital’s organization!

• Why track fixed assets?
• Ways to track fixed assets

Promoting Best Practices

To begin with, you have to confirm the fixed assets information by performing a complete physical inventory to validate the hospital’s fixed assets.  Without it, no amount of added processes, controls, or correct calculations can guarantee the precision of fixed asset accounting.

• Tackle what so called “ghost” assets: A “ghost” asset is any property that is lost, stolen, or unusable, but is still registered as a dynamic fixed asset in the system.
• Perform a physical fixed asset inventories: Inventory of Fixed assets should be done on a regular basis using standardized methods. This will result in the most precise information possible in the health system’s fixed asset management system.
• Tag assets properly: When a hospital possess multiple fixed assets that are very similar, it is simple to commit mistakes by creating duplicate fixed asset records or failing to discard the correct fixed asset when identical fixed assets are expired. The easiest solution is to tag each fixed asset with an RFID tag which provides a rapid inventory process through the use of a handheld reader that can scan and record the information of the tags attached to each fixed asset
• Using the right labels for the job: Labels are an essential component of fixed asset management system that is often ignored. Choose the right type of RFID tags for fixed assets and environment in which the fixed assets operate.

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Moreover, in order to reduce the risk of unnecessary human error and make the best use of employee time, it is fundamental that the fixed asset management system is incorporated with your accounting system. All fixed asset management system modules should integrate perfectly together and reunite within one centralized system of record. Whenever data can be automatically shared between applications, time will be automatically saved. Integration also ensures that clerical errors, such as typos, do not cost the hospital money and jeopardize accuracy.

We at Tragging, offer the utmost RFID based business solutions. We introduced our very first product Tragging’s Fixed Assets Tracking Software, which is RFID-based solution, after a strenuous work and continuous research in the marketplace. We offer you the fixed assets tracking software to grant you real time information on fixed asset management – location, condition and operating environment within your hospital.

Hospitals have been concentrating so much on saving lives that they have ignored that fact that they are costing (sometimes unintentionally) the hospital’s management more than it can actually bear. This is why hospitals should seriously consider adopting a revolutionary technology that saves them both time and money. As healthcare organizations constantly work to offer better and more efficient healthcare to their patients, the adaptation of RFID can provide advanced solutions that protect and secure patients, visitors, staff, assets, and equipment. Integrating these solutions can provide a healthcare facility with the power to supply security, IT, facilities, and clinicians with transparent information about financial and operational decision making while at the same time reinforcing the lifesaving mission of the healthcare facility.

Finally, Tragging Fixed Assets Tracking software allows companies, in any industry be it healthcare, or education, etc. to track what fixed assets it owns, where are those fixed assets located, who has the fixed assets, when were the fixed assets checked out, when are fixed assets due for return, when are fixed assets scheduled for maintenance, and the cost and depreciation of each fixed asset.

Consequently, when integrating such Fixed Assets Tracking software into your organization, you will definitely reduce expenses through preventing losses and improved equipment maintenance. Not to mention reducing new and unnecessary equipment purchases, and can more accurately obtain depreciation schedules.

It is worthy of notice that the benefits of a Fixed Assets Tracking software outweigh the costs of the program. It is important that before purchasing a Fixed Assets Tracking software that you assess where your business stands and where you intend it to be within the near future.

To learn more about the advantages of Tragging’s Fixed Assets Tracking Software
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