For Seamless Healthcare Delivery

Radio Frequency Identification, billed to improve communication, productivity and information, can deliver better results when supported by development of computer networks and wireless data networks, says Rajesh Cheerla

Diverse technologies like tracking software, mobile user devices, multi-agent systems, coordination, databases and computing technologies are being used in modern healthcare facilities.

The development of RFID can be traced back to late 1960s, but the usage increased since 2001, when Hitachi introduced a micro RFID chip, which identifies a passive resource (medical equipment, a hospital bed, a patient document or the physical presence of a patient) and conveys information of the location and movement of a mobile resource.

Because they are miniature in size, these chips can be sewn into textile material, glued on or laminated under surfaces. The physical objects are usually symbolised in the information system by a shadow object.

The shadow object holds data and methods which can be attached to the device, but which cannot be physically stored.

What Is RFID?

Radio Frequency Identification is a generic term that is used to describe a system that transmits the identity (in the form of a unique serial number) of an object or person wirelessly, using radio waves. It is grouped under the broad category of automatic identification technologies which include bar codes, optical character readers, retinal scans etc.

Passive RFID requires manual scan of a label or tag to capture the data, while active RFID automatically transmits data or location information. Active RFID technologies are useful in reducing the amount of time and labour needed to manage data manually and to improve operations and data accuracy. Ultimately, RFID technology is designed to enable readers to capture data on tags and transmit it to a computer system—without manual intervention.

Advantages Of RFID

RFID is claimed to improve communication, productivity and information, but it cannot deliver the promise unless it is supported by development of computer networks (both internet and intranet)and wireless data networks. RFID solutions have been present for some time, but their potential has been under-utilized till now. Integration with networks for instant transmission of data has unlocked the latent utility of the system with a constant stream of fresh applications.

Unlike bar code, RFID’s data transmission can be read even if not in direct line of sight, through and around human body or articles like clothing, bed coverings and non-metallic materials.

An integrated solution including Wi-Fi based active RFID technology and wireless infrastructure will enable hospitals to track assets, patients and staff in all the facilities and use this position information to improve and increase asset utilisation and patient safety. RFID applications work directly with wireless infrastructure, enabling hospitals to use their wireless access points as active RFID readers.

RFID technology is expected to minimise risk of error in patient care. For instance, a major hospital in South East Asia is using Smart Band RFID wristbands in the hospital’s operating room to identify the right patient, right surgical site, right nurse, right blood, and right doctor. It is hoped that this additional safety check will help reduce human errors and enhance the safety of patients.

RFID is currently used to help ensure that the Five Rights of Medication Safety are achieved (right patient, drug, dose, route, and time); ensure positive patient identification, streamline operations and act as portable, dynamic databases that carry patient information to be used and updated during the patient’s stay. Future developments include tags embedded under the skin (sub-dermal tags) to act as permanent medical records and medical attendants – reminding medicine times, test appointments, etc. Other possible uses of RFID in healthcare are in managing distribution of medications, providing inventory control and in preventing theft.

Currently, a major hospital group in the Middle East is planning to introduce RFID technology in its chain of hospitals. Some instances of the proposed use are given below:

RFID In Ambulatory/Home Care

RFID tags are of use in a wide variety of applications in ambulatory/home care, including reminders to perform missed activities, prompting to help in completing activities, monitoring the ability to live independently, notifications to care providers as a response to abnormal or undesirable patterns of behaviour and records to help understand a patient’s current state. For example, recognition of daily activities that a home patient is engaged in is enabled by small RFID readers worn on the person. These readers identify any objects that the wearer touches. The sequence of touched objects is analysed by software using a probability programme to estimate the activity of the person and enables the caregiver to provide support wherever necessary.

Real Time Patient Care

Patients are equipped with RFID tags, which monitor vital signs.

Physicians and nurses have wireless PDAs enabled with means of determining their location. Intelligent applications help the system to trigger alerts, optimise rounds, support triage, simplify the user interface, provide additional data for billing reconciliation and provide communications.

For example, if a patient experiences difficulty in breathing, the patient sensors trigger an alert with notifications sent to the on-duty and nearest available paramedical and medical staff. Actions taken are communicated to all concerned as well as recorded in the tag.

Conclusion

Due to its versatility and utility, RFID is touted as the technology of the future in healthcare. In a survey conducted by a leader in RFID technology, 80 per cent of the respondents rated RFID technologies as an important component of their strategies with nearly one-third planning a major spend on RFID this year. US Food and Drug Administration is already in an advanced stage of examination to approve sub-dermal human tracking RFID technology.

Along with these positive developments, RFID has also thrown up questions on issues such as the ethics of constant monitoring, intrusion of privacy and the distribution of risk – since it might involve multiple technologies and vendors and technical issues such as compatibility and integration with existing systems.

As the usage increases, we should see the development of industry-wide standards including those legally mandated, cheaper solutions and seamless, integrated healthcare.

The writer is a Manager for Jeddah-based hospital group.
Email:rajeshcheerla@yahoo.com