RTLS & AI: Solving the Riddle of Healthcare Inefficiency

The following is a guest article by Steven Manifold, CMO at Ubisense.

Many healthcare systems around the world are overburdened. Some face the lingering effects of COVID-19, while others lack funding and staff. Healthcare providers are increasingly turning to technology to help shoulder these burdens, but are fancy tech deployments really the cure or just another placebo?   

RTLS

RTLS (Real-time Location Systems) are not new technologies, but they remain uncommon in most healthcare settings. Popular in automotive, aerospace, and general manufacturing and logistics industries, they have paved the way towards smarter, more efficient industrial practices while contributing to the much vaulted “Industry 4.0” revolution. But what are they exactly and how could they contribute to a more efficient healthcare environment?

How RTLS Works

Most RTLS systems depend on a combination of tags, sensors, and software. Tags are attached to any vital assets that need to be tracked including equipment, supplies, devices, and even people. These tags come in a variety of sizes and will vary in range and data quality. Sensors gather data from the tags and feed that data into either an onsite or cloud-based data hub. A software platform, usually with a custom-built data visualization element, will then process that data.  

By visualizing the accrued data effectively, one can begin to develop insights that can change the efficiency of a healthcare site, as well as explore time-saving automation possibilities. 

What are the Use Cases for an RTLS in Hospitals & Care Homes?

Some of the more common uses for a healthcare RTLS are:

Tracking Movable Items

Many hospitals struggle with locating items such as wheelchairs, beds, expensive equipment, and even staff. By tracking the movement of key items around a facility, one can root our inefficiency and determine why items are going missing. One can also preemptively send items to the correct locations and create specific mustering points for items. When items do not return to their muster points, alerts can be sent out. 

Emergency Room Process Monitoring

By creating a digital model of care processes, one can record interactions between staff and patients and ensure that care is being administered in an effective manner. As these systems are augmented with AI, it is even possible for events such as falls or decline in health to be predicted and prevented. Areas requiring the most resources can be prioritized automatically, with lists of follow up actions being accessible via tablet and wireless devices. 

Contact Tracing

A hot topic due to COVID-19, effective contact tracing can be the difference between a fully operational facility and one with staff shortages. An effective RTLS can monitor which staff members have interacted, and advise on who may need to socially distance. Haptic feedback can also be deployed when staff members breach social distancing guidelines. 

Intelligent Routines

Collecting real-time data on how doctors, nurses, and carers perform their regular tasks can allow an RTLS to streamline these routines and aid with compliance procedures. By helping healthcare workers see more patients in a more efficient manner, the cost of healthcare provision can be reduced and working environments will become less stressful. 

Activity Monitoring

By tracking the movement data of patients during recovery periods, doctors can better advise on their care. If a patient’s activity levels are too low, doctors will be able to call in on their patients for a discussion. If they seem adequate, the doctor can save time and continue to track progress remotely. By extending one’s system to the home, doctors can expand their reach, even offering tips on how to better follow rehabilitation plans from a distance. Dangerous locations in homes can also be geofenced, and carers can be alerted when help is needed. 

While this is just a short introduction to RTLS, it highlights some of the core areas where healthcare services can benefit from this technology. Following in the footsteps of the auto, aerospace, and logistics industries, new RTLS use cases will help provide the healthcare industry with a timely boost in efficiency.

   

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