| There are a lot of interesting ways to use RFID | | | | track patient movements within a facility. Patients |
| products in the medical field. However now that the | | | | with afflictions such as Alzheimer's, can be tracked |
| tags, themselves, can be made small; | | | | within a facility to ensure they do not get lost or |
| pharmaceuticals, lab samples, wristbands and other | | | | enter an area where they might harm themselves. |
| medical equipment can be tracked and traced, and | | | | Laboratories can use RFID-products to track tissue |
| data entry can be automated. Thus, RFID-products in | | | | or fluid samples. As samples move through various |
| the medical field are aiding in the elimination of | | | | preparation steps, they can be automatically tracked, |
| medical mistakes. | | | | reducing errors from data entry or mishandling. |
| There are two types of RFID product tags widely | | | | Samples that arrive at the pathologist for analysis will |
| used in medical applications. The first are HF (High | | | | automatically have the patient record and the |
| Frequency) tags, which have short read ranges (up | | | | indication called to the computer screen to ensure |
| to 3 inches). These tags can be used to tag tissue | | | | proper association of the sample with the patient. |
| samples, blood and other critical fluids. They work | | | | Finally, drug discovery firms are thinking of ways to |
| well in proximity to liquids and human tissue. UHF | | | | use RFID-products to automate the tracking and |
| RFID-products have longer read ranges, but unless | | | | location of the millions of proprietary pharmaceutical |
| they are properly engineered, can be detuned by | | | | compounds they have in their libraries. These very |
| proximity to tissue, fluids and metals. These | | | | valuable assets are difficult to inventory, but it is |
| RFID-products are used to track and locate critical | | | | essential that it be done with a very high level of |
| medical devices, manage inventories of medical items, | | | | accuracy. RFID-products are perceived as an enabling |
| and, sometimes for tracking and identifying patients. | | | | technology for the automation of this task, but the |
| The vast majority of these RFID-products are | | | | high density and small size of these samples still |
| compatible with worldwide standards and are easily | | | | present challenges. |
| deployed, because of their compatibility with widely | | | | The implementation of RFID-products in the medical |
| available and competitively priced RFID readers | | | | field has raised some concerns related to the |
| One of the fastest growing applications for | | | | confidentiality of medical information. In the vast |
| RFID-product tags is to track of the pharmaceuticals | | | | majority of cases, RFID product tags are used only |
| and ensure their authenticity. Application of | | | | as 'license plates' for the items they tag. That is, |
| RFID-products to solve the problem of counterfeit | | | | they contain only an identifying number, and all the |
| drugs will dramatically increase the effectiveness of | | | | 'human readable' information about an asset, drug, |
| anti-counterfeiting efforts. This will improve U.S. drug | | | | tissue sample or patient, resides in a database on a |
| safety. | | | | computer that is linked to the RFID-product via that |
| In the medical equipment field, RFID-product tags can | | | | license plate number. Thus, security for the |
| be used to track and locate medical devices. The use | | | | information resides in the data system, rather than in |
| of RFID-products on equipment and RTLS (Real time | | | | the RFID-product or the transmissions between the |
| locating systems), enables hospital staff to rapidly | | | | RFID-product and the RFID reader. The FDA has |
| locate critical medical devices. When you need a | | | | outlined four components for ensuring medical |
| defribulator, you need to locate it fast! This enhances | | | | information security. Information must be kept |
| patient safety, and can reduce the amount of | | | | confidential, it must be accurate and complete and it |
| equipment investment needed. Additionally these tags | | | | is available and accessible by following the prescribed |
| can be used to inventory equipment and | | | | process. By storing this information in a computer |
| consumables used in an operation, including scalpels, | | | | based system, where security measures are already |
| sponges, clamps and other surgical equipment. At the | | | | well established, the use of RFID-products in medical |
| end of an operation everything can be automatically | | | | processes does in not put at risk the security of this |
| accounted for. Finally, applying RFID-products to | | | | confidential information. |
| assets aids medical institutions in automating | | | | The implementation of RFID-products in medical |
| inventory management, reducing overhead and | | | | applications is reaching maturity in many areas. |
| minimizing duplicate supplies of critical inventory. | | | | Reduction of data entry errors, automation of work |
| RFID-product tags can also be used in patient | | | | and information flows, improvement of asset and |
| identification. These RFID-products, in the form of ID | | | | consumable inventories and better association of |
| cards, wrist or ankle bands, or labels applied to | | | | treatment plans with patients are all benefits of |
| patient records, can greatly aid in assuring that the | | | | RFID-products in the medical field. The results are |
| right procedures and medications are applied. In | | | | better patient outcomes and lower costs. It is clear |
| addition, the RFID-products enable data system to | | | | that established applications will continue to grow and |
| call the correct record for the patient who is | | | | that new applications will emerge for RFID-products |
| scanned, and aids in the reducing errors associated | | | | in the medical arena. |
| with data entry. Finally, RFID-products can be used to | | | | |