How to Reduce Costs via RTLS Asset Tracking in Hospitals?
How Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein Reduced Losses with RFID and RTLS Technology
Customer Case: Albert Einstein Hospital
Albert Einstein Hospital in Brazil
Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, situated in São Paulo, Brazil, is a premier healthcare institution in Latin America. Renowned for its excellence in patient care, the hospital integrates cutting-edge technology with top-tier medical expertise. Offering a comprehensive range of medical services, the hospital specializes in advanced treatments and surgeries.
Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein has 686 beds in the private system and 582 in the public system, in 22 private units and 29 public units that it manages. All use cases were developed mainly for the Morumbi unit, but some processes also run in other private units, such as Perdizes, Alphaville, Alto de Pinheiros, Anália Franco, Atlética, Francisco Morato, Ibirapuera, Jardins, Klabin, Parque da Cidade, Ibirapuera Park, Santana and Vila Mariana.
Key Figures:
Beds: Over 680
Annual Patients: Approximately 2 million
Staff: More than 14,000 employees
Accreditations: First hospital outside the United States to receive Joint Commission International accreditation
Albert Einstein Hospital is committed to continuous innovation, enhancing healthcare quality and operational efficiency.
The Challenge
The Einstein analyst also pointed out the challenges for reading to take place as planned. “The hospital environment is naturally complex and presents several physical challenges that are inherent to the use of RFID, some uncontrolled variables directly impact the tag reading performance. These challenges are mainly related to the characteristics of the materials, electromagnetic fields, various means of transport and condition of the items”.
The initial challenges were about the choice of tag and reader models for a hospital environment, the definition and standardization of the installation of tags on items, the resistance of these materials and, mainly, the sensitivity of reading in different scenarios and contexts of use.
The Solution
The system in use by Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein was developed and implemented SmartXHub. “For the High Cost Items Traceability use case,” reports Vitolo, “all tags are printed and saved in our environment. In this use case, we use the GRAI and SGTIN standard from GS1. As a result, any high-cost item, once coded, enabled the transfer of items between hospital units, the serialization of items and especially the automatic identification of an item or product from the decoding of the tags, thus identifying the EAN, company number and serial number, so that this information can be used at any stage of the traceability process”.
The fixed readers are installed in the internal areas of the Morumbi unit, where they monitor reception at the Pharmacy, Central Pharmacy, Surgical Kits Pharmacy, Surgical Pharmacies, Surgical Center, Obstetric Center, Clinical Engineering, Inpatient Units, Warehouse and Warehouse, Employee Exits and Patients, Central Linen, Dirty Linen SHUT. Mobile collectors in all the institution’s premises, including external units and laundry providers, are used during inventory processes.
Equipment in use includes 21 Impinj xSpam R660 RFID readers; four Impinj xArray RFID readers; 10 Impinj R420 RFID readers with four antennas; two HUB antenna + GPIO Impinj; 52 TSL-1128 portable readers with LG K12+ smartphone; two RFID Datamars reading booths; two SATO CL4NX RFID printers; and five RFID tunnels.
Key Benefits of SmartXHUB for the Hospital
The Hospital uses RFID item tracking to increase visibility and cut down on non-essential costs.
Locating items within the hospital takes seconds
Previously, locating items throughout the multiple wings of the hospital took days. Nurses spent an average of 30 minutes per day looking for equipment. With increased inventory accuracy and the real-time location system, items are now located within seconds. Not only are items located faster, but the history of each item is now readily available, creating a safer patient environment.
Audits performed in a fraction of the time
Because RAIN RFID tags do not require direct line-of-sight scanning, hospital staff can scan entire rooms of equipment in seconds. This allows the hospital to know exactly what equipment they have and where it is.
Decreased overall inventory needs by 25%
Increased visibility and fewer lost assets led to improved asset utilization. Having a full picture of all of their items, the hospital realized they had more assets than they needed. With this new picture into their inventory, they were able to decrease overall inventory by 25% by identifying two redundant products, saving significant costs.
Better maintenance rates reduced patient risk
Since hospital personnel can track items faster and more accurately, staff can better understand where equipment has been and when it needs scheduled maintenance. This means equipment gets maintained when it needs it, significantly reducing patient risk due to faulty equipment.
Conclusion
Implementing RAIN RFID asset management at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein has significantly reduced costs and saved time. Locating items within the hospital, which previously took days, now takes seconds, enhancing inventory accuracy and ensuring a safer patient environment. Audits are performed much faster, as staff can scan entire rooms of equipment in seconds. This increased visibility has decreased overall inventory needs by 25%, eliminating redundant products and saving costs. Additionally, better maintenance tracking has reduced patient risk by ensuring timely equipment maintenance.
For more details on this innovative project and other initiatives, visit our website and stay tuned for more updates on how our customers continues to lead in safety and operational excellence
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