RESEARCH THERAPY
ASSET TRACKING AND CONTACT TRACING IN HEALTHCARE
PRESENTED BY
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How Asset Tracking can improve the patient experience
Asset tracking enables healthcare providers to know where critical and non-critical assets are located in real-time on a floor plan map . This includes items such as , beds , wheelchairs , infusion pumps and biometric monitors , among others . Staff , and highrisk patients , such as new-born babies , and elderly patients who may wander , can also be quickly located in real-time .
Asset tracking also provides information about usage patterns – even when the equipment is not in use . Knowing if assets are overutilized or underutilized can provide information such as :
» How long people wait to get access to medical equipment
» Whether assets are sitting in a storage area for long periods of time
» How regularly equipment is being serviced » How much time personnel spend looking for people and equipment
The latest technology to make its mark on asset tracking is Bluetooth Low Energy ( BLE ). BLE is a near-field technology that generally provides better location accuracy than other technologies , such as RFID or Wi-Fi , and because it uses less energy , BLE devices have a longer battery life which reduces operational and maintenance costs .
A BLE solution with an intuitive smartphone app can enable staff to locate personnel and assets on a floor plan map , with a simple auto-text search .
And the ability to easily register BLE tags for relevant assets or staff makes life easier for IT . �
14 www . intelligenthealth . tech