The health and safety of hospital patients and staff are the first priority for hospital administrators. However, this cannot be achieved without a working inventory management system that provides accurate information on various devices and equipment such as beds, wheelchairs, oxygen tanks, and other stuff. RTLS (radio frequency identification) is an advanced technology that has revolutionized hospital inventory management by simplifying the process.
The core advantages of healthcare RTLS are as follows:
How RTLS Benefits Patients and Doctors
Real-time location systems in healthcare can cut costs
RTLS is a smart technology that can help healthcare providers increase efficiency, reduce costs and enhance patient care. For example, RTLS systems make it easier to find equipment in the hospital for both patients and staff. This means staff members don’t have to spend time looking for equipment while caring for a patient, which increases productivity and reduces the risk of injury from moving heavy objects by hand.
Help reduce medical errors
It can help reduce medical errors by making it easier to locate an instrument or a piece of equipment. For example, if a doctor needs to use a blood pressure cuff, and it’s not right in front of them but rather across the room, the doctor might have trouble finding it. With RTLS, however, the cuff could be located by computer software that alerts the doctor when they are close enough to use it and too far away. Another example of how RTLS helps reduce medical errors is with sutures.
If a patient has been stitched up, and the doctor needs to retrieve a suture from their cabinet in order to close up the wound again with a second stitch, all they need to do is pull out the needle and thread and take them over to where the patient is lying. Of course, without running any risk of accidentally stabbing themselves. This way, RTLS makes life easier for both doctors and patients.
Help save time
RTLS also reduces the time patients spend waiting for certain types of medical equipment, such as wheelchairs or crutches, after being discharged from the hospital because these items can be tracked when needed most, such as immediately following surgery.
RTLS helps staff find equipment quickly and easily by enabling them to locate it from anywhere within your hospital or clinic or outside through real-time tracking on their mobile device or smartwatch.
Enhance efficiency
By enabling real-time visibility into all critical assets within your facility, RTLS allows you, as an administrator or director, to monitor usage patterns and make changes where necessary. This way, everyone gets what they need when they need it most, during patient care moments.
RTLS reduces risk
RTLS reduces risk in several ways. For instance, it can help prevent theft and misuse of medical equipment and medications by the staff or patients. Also, it prevents medical equipment from being used in locations where they are not supposed to be used. And RTLS helps ensure that the right person uses the right device at the right time and location.
RTLS systems ensure equipment and devices are in secure areas
RTLS systems ensure that equipment and devices are secured in their proper locations. These systems are designed to track assets, from medical equipment to patients. For example, if an RTLS system is installed in a hospital or clinic, it can be used to track patients by using RFID tags on their ID bracelets. The system can then monitor the location of each patient at all times. Similarly, with an RTLS system installed in a hospital operating room (OR), staff members could know whether they left anything behind after surgery. This also helps prevent theft during surgery.
RTLS helps boost patient confidence in their hospital stay
RTLS can be used to track all of this information. It gives patients peace of mind, knowing exactly where they are at all times. In addition, RTLS helps boost patient confidence during the hospital stay. Patients can see that they have been given the best care possible while there and know what is happening at all times. This means that your staff members will not have to keep checking up on their whereabouts or harassing them with questions.
Improve patient flow in medical facilities
Patient flow in medical facilities is the movement of patients from one place to another within a healthcare facility. It takes into account how quickly patients move through each stage of the process, from registration to discharge. A well-planned patient flow can help reduce patient wait times and increase the efficiency of your medical facilities, which means that you’ll have more resources available for providing quality care to people who need it.
It’s crucial to note that patient flow is a key component of patient satisfaction. When you want your patients to be happy with their experience at your hospital or health clinic, focus on creating an efficient system with short wait times and as few bottlenecks as possible.
Healthcare equipment tracking
In the healthcare industry, RTLS helps track equipment locations and reduces the risk of theft. Additionally, it improves patient flow and experience by providing real-time information about patients’ available rooms.
Conclusion
The benefits of implementing an RTLS system are far-reaching. The technology helps hospitals and medical facilities improve patient care and keep costs low by reducing waste, improving efficiency in patient flow, and ensuring that expensive equipment doesn’t go missing. It also boosts staff morale by providing them with a more efficient work environment, which is good news for everyone involved.