Real Time Location Systems (RTLS) are based on platform technology for enterprise-wide, real-time tracking of assets and people. Such systems are available using a wide range of radio frequency technologies. But systems that incorporate multiple transmitting and receiving antennas using an ideal frequency designed specifically for complex indoor location tracking, may offer the best accuracy and the greatest return on investment in the hospital setting.

Hospital environments pose unique challenges when it comes to implementation of such tracking systems. Nursing staffs need to find clean, available equipment for patient care and search for particular types of equipment such as single vs. multichannel infusion pumps. Clinical engineering staffs need to track equipment by model and serial numbers for preventive maintenance or product recall purposes. Patient-transport staffs may be only interested in tracking wheelchairs, beds, and stretchers. And hospital IT staffs want systems that provide coverage throughout a facility without interfering with existing wireless data networks.

Without such systems, hospitals have a difficult time locating mobile medical devices. Misplaced, lost, or stolen devices often cannot be located when needed, potentially costing hospitals millions of dollars annually, wasting valuable staff resources, and lowering the quality of patient care.

This was found to be true in 2003 when we at RadarFind recognized a need for hospital-specific tracking systems. After researching the technologies available at that time, we learned that early adopter hospitals were using off-the-shelf technology designed for industrial customers in a warehouse setting a design that did not effectively address the everyday challenges facing a hospital. We seized the opportunity to develop a better solution engineered specifically for hospitals.

Educating a market poised for adoption

Before designing a single component, we spent 14 months interviewing various departmental staff from nearly 60 hospitals to fully understand equipment tracking needs from multiple hospital user perspectives. The RadarFind system was first implemented at Wayne Memorial Hospital in Goldsboro, NC, in 2006. The hospital realized a full return-on-investment in less than a year of implementation, with more than $400,000 in savings from avoiding new equipment capital and maintenance expenditures based on the utilization data generated. Seven other hospitals and hospital systems have been contracted to date with six hospitals fully deployed.

The RadarFind system was developed based on the needs of hospitals that recognize the unique benefits and myriad applications of a hospital-centric location awareness solution.

Clinical engineers asked for a scalable system in order to tag potentially thousands of devices with multiple types of tags that could easily attach to the various-sized items to be tracked. The system had to operate and provide visibility everywhere in the hospital, or else clinical engineering staff remained vulnerable to losing equipment within the facility.

Equipment status information was also identified as a key system requirement. Without it, staff might locate a device, only to find it unavailable. A color-coded status mechanism on the tag itself would also be helpful in identifying equipment. The tag's battery needed to last the life of the device being tracked and not require a battery to be changed (a burden to clinical engineering staff).

Hospital information technology departments unanimously needed a new system to work with existing technologies without special configuration or excessive new connections. It also had to conform to all security procedures and policies and not affect data throughput. User access to the system was requested to be browser-based and able to accommodate non-PC savvy staff.

Hospital administrators requested robust reporting functions to analyze the system's data and to identify workflow and process improvements enabled by the tracking system in order to obtain a return-on-investment within a year of implementation.

Nursing staffs wanted on-duty nurses to be able to access location and status data in no more than three clicks on a screen. Accuracy was imperative, with resolution great enough to minimize search times.

And facilities staffs required a system with non-invasive installation that met electrical safety regulations, could be installed in patient-occupied rooms, and was unobtrusive in appearance. It could not monopolize limited electrical outlets, nor require any additional wiring.