One week ago, HIMSS began at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas. Due to the global pandemic, it
was different than past years. Quieter. But that didn’t stop deals from getting done. The private
meeting rooms were abuzz throughout the show. One of the hot topics about attendees was
real-time location services. Healthcare delivery organizations are now seeing the tremendous
benefit of RTLS for improving response times and clinician satisfaction.
In case you aren’t familiar with it, RTLS is a system providing real-time tracking of medical
equipment, staff, and patients. Designed to be compatible with clinical environments big and
small, this solution responds to the emerging needs of an ever-demanding industry.
In a fast-paced environment such as a hospital or other medical facility, the inability of locating
machinery or personnel at the drop of a hat can have negative repercussions on workflow
management and ultimately patient care. A thorough RTLS system acts as a sort of internal
GPS sharing information regarding not only the exact location of an item but also its availability
status.
There are many ways RTLS can benefit your healthcare organization. Below, we have gathered
three for your consideration:
RTLS improves clinical facilities’ workflow
In a medical environment, the importance of acting fast cannot be overestimated. Beside
reducing wait times and gaps in between activities, the prompt location of staff and patients can make a difference in an emergency care situation. Since it is not uncommon for hospitalized people to be moved from a department to another, real-time tracking can spare busy personnel back-and-forth phone calls to locate their patients. By reducing these steps, RLTS can optimize the workflow of even the most understaffed facilities.
RTLS promotes employee satisfaction
Thanks to thorough data tracking of all relevant patient information, RTLS helps medical staff to quickly get through admin-related issues and better focus on those tasks requiring expertise and brainwork. This, in turn, results in an overall less stressful and more pleasant experience for
nurses and physicians, leading to improved employee satisfaction.
RTLS helps with the maintenance of medical equipment
Most medical facilities are fast-paced, crowded spaces characterized by the constant movement of people and equipment alike. For this reason, losing track of vital and expensive machinery is sadly not an uncommon event. By pinpointing the location of all pieces of equipment, hospital personnel can not only easily always access the equipment but can also gain instant insight into any malfunction before it escalates.
This year’s edition of HIMSS saw the participation of several RTLS providers. We were pleased
to share interesting discussions with:
● C3 Wireless
● Cox Business
● Infinite Leap
● IntraPosition Ltd
● Midmark RTLS
● Sonitor
Our takeaway from HIMSS 2021 is clear: In an ever-connected environment such as healthcare
facilities, real-time location services are bound to become increasingly important. Medical
organizations of all sizes can now reap the benefits of a solution designed to optimize workflow, rid personnel of redundant tasks, and get them closer to their bottom line: the highest possible standard of patient care.
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