RFID & RTLS in Healthcare: Part 1 - Who Uses RFID in Healthcare?

A common myth is that large hospitals are the only adopters of RFID and RTLS technology in healthcare.  

The reality?  RFID Asset Tracking is being widely used in a number of different healthcare segments other than hospitals. 

These include medical labs, emergency medical services, doctor’s offices and clinics, and even manufacturers of healthcare products, supplies and medications. Even relatively small doctors’ practices are using asset tracking to track equipment for service and maintenance schedules, as well as keep track of incoming medication and consumables. And, hospitals are deploying asset tracking in highly diversified settings and applications, from inventory management of equipment and supplies to compliance and real-time asset location.  

The following table lists some of the most common business processes for RFID  and RTLS Asset Tracking:

Common RFID-RTLS ApplicaTIONS – HEALTHCARE

Our RFID & RTLS in Healthcare - Myths and Realities guide has more information. 

Integrating RFID with SAP

RFID and sensor data is real-time, high volume and operational in nature. RFID technology is designed to inform and enrich systems and processes, not be an end in itself. To that end, most OAT deployments include enterprise systems integration of some kind.

Many of our customers are SAP customers as well, particularly in Manufacturing, Logistics, Aerospace and Defense.   Since an ERP system such as SAP serves as the system of record, informing these systems with RFID and RTLS can provide up-to-the minute updates for manufacturing, logistics and service operations.  

To simplify deployments, we've co-produced Manufacturing, A&D and Supply Chain webinars and deployment guides with SAP to illustrate OAT-SAP integration by specific functional area, use case and business process.  

RFID-enabled SAP in Manufacturing

RFID-enabled SAP in Aerospace & Defense

RFID-enabled SAP in the Supply Chain

Integrating RFID & RTLS Data with SAP Applications

Introducing the Airbus A350 - First RFID-enabled Aircraft

The Airbus A350 made its formal debut at the Paris Air Show this week.
It is the first aircraft to be RFID-enabled from the ground up, with approximately 3000 RFID-tagged component parts on each A350.
The RFID tags are designed to remain with the parts throughout their entire lifecycle in order to digitally store the full maintenance history - improving process automation and traceability for suppliers, airlines and MRO providers.

RFID Journal details the part marking announcement here. OATSystems has worked closely with Airbus since 2008 -- first to RFID-enable the A380 supply chain and then to roll out part marking programs for the Airbus A350.
More info on the Airbus A350 Part Marking Program, and supplier packages here.

RFID in Retail - Scaling up Item-Level Inventory Management

Great discussion on RFID in Retail yesterday with RFID Journal, featuring presentations from our customer C&A  who is rolling out RFID across 25 EU stores in Europe and deployment considerations for scaling up to Chain-Wide RFID.  Here's a demonstration of our RFID handheld inventory management solution, that enables store associates to count merchandise in teams, and aggregate item-level inventory at the enterprise level.


To accompany the RFID in Retail event, the RFID for Retail Planning Guide - "Scaling Up" outlines key considerations for moving from RFID retail pilots to chain-wide deployments. 

The planning guide is designed to provide retail professionals with the background information to thoughtfully scope a multi-store RFID deployment, including:

•Solution Components of Chain-Wide RFID Solutions
•Building a Holistic View of Inventory Management
•Systems Architecture Considerations
•Extending RFID Use Cases
•Implementation Planning Processes

How to Track Tools with RFID

OAT Systems Engineer Kapil Asher demonstrates how to track hand tools, tooling, specialized equipment and conveyances with RFID technology

From bearing pullers to digital calipers to composite tooling, jigs, right-to-use tools and FOD prevention, a flexible RFID tracking system has it covered.

5 Myths About Asset Tracking in Healthcare

In any new application area, it’s easy to run into misconceptions or just flat-out errors about the applicability or challenges associated with a technology such as asset tracking. Asset tracking has a long, impressive track record in a wide variety of industries with similar supply chains and workflows as healthcare – such as industrial manufacturing and even retailing. Here are a few common myths and the real-worth truths about the utility of asset tracking in healthcare, from an article in Healthcare Technology Online:

Redefining Tool Tracking for Equipment and Indirect Materials

Tools = Tooling = Indirect Materials = Conveyances = Equipment

Every industry and every business function needs to track capital equipment, whether it's used for service, manufacturing or  distribution operations.

For service providers in Healthcare, Aviation, Utilities and Transportation, the cost of tracking equipment is not just related to the value of the asset, but how often it is needed. A missing wheelchair or infusion pump can compromise patient care. A missing towbar or test kit can result in flight delays. 
For manufacturers - particularly for those with complex processes , production equipment and tooling is highly-specialized, single-sourced and difficult to replace. Misplaced or out-of-spec equipment can derail a production schedule.
For logistics providers - conveyances and reusable transport items (RTIs) must be carefully managed - missing conveyances make for missed shipments.

On the OATSystems website we have separate sections for equipment tracking and tool tracking based on how indirect materials are defined in different industries.  

When building our "asset wall"  and asset tracking for RFID Journal Live this year, we used sample assets from healthcare, manufacturing, aviation and transportation.   In this case, we didn't need to define "tool tracking" in a thousand words - we had the pictures, (of surgical trays, medical supplies, infusion pumps, autoclaves, ventilators, conveyances, bearing pullers, digital calipers, roll cages, composite tooling...) instead.