RFID Hospital Patient Tracking – Extensive Use

Like what the acronym stands for, RFID is simply radio frequency identification and its technology is now fully used in almost everything and in almost all industries. In the medical and healthcare industry, its most important use is in the rfid hospital patient tracking Queensland system.

Since its success, hospitals and big medical care facilities are now using the system to not just track their special patients. These days, the RFID system is also being used in tracking their doctors and mobile expensive medical equipments.

Tags

The RFID is usually made of high-resistant plastic material with a single-use clasp and a transponder embedded in it. The tag effectively allows the tracking, identification and location of the patient. The system can limit their departure or access to certain areas in the facility.

These tags are attached to ID bracelets worn by all concerned. Their most important use is on patients who require special attention whose exact locations are constantly monitored.

The systems are now provided with electronic links for wireless communication of patient data. Medical authorities can do an instant assessment on critical equipments and people and their location.

Benefits

The benefits of using rfid hospital patient tracking Queensland are immediate and practical. First, there is the continuous tracking of the location of every patient. With regards to equipments, authorities don’t lose connection with their expensive instruments and equipments.

In the facility itself, with the tracking device at work, no person can enter designated areas that are restricted to everyone except those authorized (pediatrics, drugs, etc.). Sometimes, some areas are altogether restricted not just for patients but including hospital personnel. These are in times of emergencies, terrorist threats, epidemics and other extreme cases.

The latest models have transponders embedded in them to allow recording of some patient information, including health history and allergies, if any. The RFID tags can be used to access the information for review and updates. 

Basics / other uses

There are several ways the tracking system works. Because of the presence of tags, a fixed reader electronically “interrogates” these mobile tags. Mobile readers interrogate both fixed and mobile tags.

In some, a mobile PDA reader for hospital personnel can scan mobile and fixed tags too. Doctors can use theirs to scan patient information. The nurses use theirs on such actions as log medication inventories, for instance.

ER patient tracking

RFID hospital patient tracking Queensland is also significantly used on patients whose whereabouts and condition after treatment and care at the hospital’s emergency room. The tracking software is integrated with the hospital’s own ID system where special patients are given an RFID tag. (This also integrates with the RFID tags worn by physicians and other ED staff.)

These days, the files carried on the patient’s tags contain important data like address, medical details, health history, allergies, prescriptions, clinical reports, test results and certificates, name of attending doctors, and insurance company details.

The technology uses the unique code and handheld readers that can communicate with the tags. (For the hospital, this effectively reduces the human factor and manpower reduction). In the meantime, the patient is immediately cared for if lost and had been found.  

Nurse Call – In Step with Technology

In basic terms, the system of patients calling the attentions and help from their nurse is simply called nurse call in the old days. Through the years, this had been mandated into an official regulation for nurses and the hospitals or medical facilities concerned.

The main devices used were simple buttons that patients can use to call the attention of their nurses or caregivers. In the intervening years, there had been many improvements and innovations integrated into the program and make it a sophisticated form of communications between patients and the hospitals (represented by the nurses and doctors).

The old wired buttons had given way to wireless technologies to today’s computer-assisted systems, and more.

Systems

The basic action is having the nurse buttons where the patients can press them whenever there is a necessity to call the attention of the nurses who are mostly at their nurses’ stations. The assigned nurse then goes over and checks on the patient. These days, the nurses can talk to their patients directly.

With the new technology and other innovations (advances) in communications, the call for assistance from nurses had developed alongside with them. The pioneering technology was the simple nurse button used by the patients and the nurses.

Later, the development in technology made it possible for patients to talk directly to nurses (if the present condition of the patient allows it). This eliminated the tedious process of nurses having to physically come over and inquire the patient on what he/she needs. (This needs another time-consuming trip to accomplish the request.)

Benefits

In a nurse call Queensland, there are two benefits. One is directly for the patient in real time (fast, efficient) and the benefits that affects the medical facility (or hospital) indirectly, and can only be evident later.

In the first place, the patients enjoys the practical benefits when nurses come to their aid in helping them get up from their bed, turning up or down the room temperature, and other various chores impossible for the patient to do.

The hospitals get the indirect benefit in the form of reputation it gathers from their patients and the healthcare family. This one is priceless and cannot be measured tactically.

Goodwill

The generation of goodwill accrued with their brand of services makes the hospital earn a reputation among its co-establishments, and is directly responsible in their current standing in the community. In terms of business, the word of mouth type of advertising benefits them greatly.

There is also the so-called efficiency quotient gathered from the alert system for their nurses. This becomes substantial enough in terms of operational savings for the facility. (The smooth management of manpower in the complex avoids duplication of duties and redundant actions. in turn; this reduces expenses, and will eventually translate into saving later.)

The workflow within the nursing staff alone is enhanced not just by the patient satisfaction but also for the whole organization itself. Nurse call Queensland is one such healthcare system that altogether helps everyone – the nurses, the patients and the hospitals.