1. Using RFID-Technology to Track
and Manage Medical and Care
Equipment
Dr. Jorma Jokela, Principal Lecturer, Department of
Nursing Sciences, Laurea University of Applied
Sciences, Finland
http://www.bitconferences.com/u-
home2013/program.asp#p805/07/2013

2. References
• Medical and care simulation centre
• Virtual Elderly Care Services in the Baltics
Caring TV
• Express to Connect
• COM’ON = digital platform and the associated
services for public transportation
• Guarantee - A Guardian Angel for the
Extended Home Environment
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3. 05/07/2013

4. Patient Safety: Scope of
Problem
Human Costs:
• Estimated as many as 44,000 to 98,000 deaths
each year*
• More than motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer
and AIDS combined annually
• The total number of deaths that would occur if a
747 airplane crashed killing all aboard every other
day for one year! **
Source: “To Err is Human”, Institute of Medicine, 1999 *
Source: Newhouse et.al., Measuring Patient Safety, 2005**
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5. Patient Safety
Financial Cost of Medical Errors: $29 billion each
year in the United States alone
Doctors, patients, insurers and hospital systems
play a role in eradicating errors
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6. Case
Background and Need
- The background of this project is to improve the efficient use
of medical equipment in hospitals. Currently medical
equipment is not being used efficiently.
- For example a study conducted at the Royal Alexandra
Hospital in Glasgow, Scotland shows that nurses use 0,5-1/h of
their work time simply by searching for medical equipment.
- Often expensive medical equipment is bought over the
amount actually needed to improve their accessibility.
- Quick access to medical equipment reports and data also
improves patient safety.
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7. Goal of the Project
- The goal of the developmental project is to improve
the concept for real time availability and situational
assessment of medical equipment.
- During the preparation, we will find out the
entities, who will be asked to fund the project as well as
to make a project application.
- The goal of this project will also be to make an
instrument management system which can have an RFID
or a similar automatic medical equipment tracking
system integrated into it.
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8. Project Execution
The objective of the research- and development project
is twofold.
1. The objective would be to find out and critically
evaluate the suitability and usability of the existing
material management system from the perspective of
the field of medical and care work.
In the first phase of the project we will also create an
instrument recording and tracking system which will be
piloted at the Laurea Medical and Care Simulation
Centre, so it can be developed into a user based system.
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9. Floor plan of the Simulated Hospital
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10. A4-active tag
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11. The Following Components Were
Ordered as Specified in the
Development Project
Uses an existing WLAN to
track assets in real time. A
major investment is
avoided, as an existing
wireless network can be
utilised. Ekahau navigator
works alongside the
current wireless network
and it does not interfere
with the activity of the
network.
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- A tracking system for
testing
- Uses an existing
wireless local area
network

12. Tracking in Action
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13. Tracking in Action
The tracker updates its location on the map, using the
assumed settings every 60 seconds. In picture 6, the
tracker is shown as a blue dot in the lower right-hand
corner. The accuracy of the location was found to be
very good. By moving the tracker, it’s accuracy was
found to be within a 2-3 meter radius.
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14. A4-Tracker Attached to an
IV Cart
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15. Low-Cost Asset Tracking and
Management (Passive Tags and
Barcode Labels)
- The system that was ordered supports, as an
option, passive tags and barcode labels.
- Enables the storage logging of medical equipment
using the current system.
http://www.ekahau.com/news/pressreleases/press-releases/287-
ekahau-embeds-rtls-in-nordic-id-rfid-readers-to-add-location-tracking-
to-passive-rfid-tags-and-barcode.html
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16. Conclusion
- The test concept was proven to be succesful
- Wifi -based asset tracking suitable for its
purpose
- Easy to use, low cost -> Using existing wifi
infrastructure
- Tracking and asset management web based ->
easy access
- Downside location accuracy 2-5m
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17. Potential Future Development
Ideas – Call for Partnership
- The system has been tested and researched
know-how and experience are now gained
- Market research has been conducted,
according to which hospitals are interested in
this system
- Operating the system -> there are several
manufacturers who have operating systems in
place in hospitals
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18. Thank you!
jorma.jokela@laurea.fi
05/07/2013