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.