BARRIERS TO REAL-TIME LOCATION SYSTEMS ADOPTION IN THE MEDICAL FIELD

What are the barriers preventing widespread real-time location system (RTLS) implementation in health care facilities? We have compiled case studies of RTLS implementations in medical facilities. By examining the documented successes and failures of existing applications we have isolated three main obstacles that seem to deter industry change.

Andrew Adams | Terrill Chalmers | Matthew Schiller | Kevin O’Connor | Stephen Elliott

Overview

Background

Cost Privacy Efficiency

Benefits • Real-time location system (RTLS) is an automatic

identification and tracking system used in many industries to manage objects and people.

• Traditionally used in supply chain management and manufacturing, RTLS has become more prevalent in a variety of fields including health care.

• Uses tags and wireless technologies including radio, ultrasound, and infrared to map assets in a defined area

• Hospital efficiency including increased patient throughput rates and decreased equipment searching time

• Better patient care including decreased wait times and more accurate matching of patients to medications

• Reduced healthcare costs including more accurate workflow planning and reduced redundancy of staff and supplies

• Acquisition of equipment, upgrade to infrastructure, including wiring, and installation

• Maintenance including constant tag replacement and IT and database support

• Certain wireless signals unable to provide room-specific location accuracy

• Tag durability concerns such as ability to survive sterilization

• Battery life inconsistency

• Sensitive medical data transported wirelessly

• Legal liability with HIPPA and ISO standards

• Third party solutions may be more vulnerable to data loss

Conclusion The main barriers to implementation of RTLS in health care facilities seem to fit into our categories of cost, efficiency, and privacy. Despite the concerns, health care facility administrators should find ways to mitigate these barriers and move towards universal adoption. With advancements in technology, lower costs and better accuracy may soon render many of these concerns moot.

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