The Health Care RFID Blog

As healthcare reform continues to be debated, the role of health information technology continues to evolve alongside it. Hospitals are expected, now more than ever, to meet a growing list of requirements and hot button issues including compliance with various regulatory organizations and federal legislation such as HIPAA, Medicare and Medicaid; and the creation of comprehensive electronic medical records (EMR) and legal health records (LHR). Above all else, the objective on which every member of the health care community must place the most emphasis is increasing patient safety. Today’s healthcare providers are held more accountable and required to provide an environment that improves, and in no circumstance compromises, patients’ health. This, of all mandates, is the one that should not be viewed as ‘policy’…for the dedicated healthcare institution; it is the inspiration for doing what it does.

To help the healthcare industry maintain focus, on January 1 the 2010 National Patient Goals went into effect. Issued by The Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO or the Joint Commission), an independent, not-for-profit organization that accredits and certifies more than 17,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, the NPSGs were established to help accredited organizations address specific areas of concern in regards to patient safety. Half of the 2010 National Patient Safety Goals are directly applicable to healthcare organizations like yours, and those goals are as follows:

Goal 1 – Improve the accuracy of patient identification.

Goal 2 – Improve the effectiveness of communication among caregivers.

Goal 3 – Improve the safety of using medications.

Goal 7 – Reduce the risk of health care–associated infections.

Goal 8 – Accurately and completely reconcile medications across the continuum

Goal 9 – Reduce the risk of patient harm resulting from falls.

Goal 14 – Prevent health care–associated pressure ulcers

Goal 15 – The organization identifies safety risks inherent in its patient population.

Are these your organization’s goals? If so, how do you plan on achieving them? Dynamic works with healthcare providers every day to integrate RFID solutions that address several and sometimes all of JCAHO’s stated goals. We work hard to stay in front of industry issues and enlist technology partners that can help our customers address them head on – which is why we don’t feel like we need to ‘catch up’ to these goals each year. In fact, it feels a bit as though they’re catching up to us.

The industry is undergoing significant changes in a short period of time. However, there’s a difference between ‘knowing’ the trends, and ‘understanding’ them, the latter, which requires context and an action plan for applying them to one’s business. The paired adoption of EMR and RFID/RTLS systems holds the highest potential for reducing costs, minimizing risks and improving patient care, and it is this understanding that can drive the industry toward a truly interoperable model.

No surprise, then, that pairing the adoption of an EMR system with RTLS/RFID solutions helps to address many of the top trends identified in the Healthcare Technology Online above.

·         One way RFID can work efficiently with EMRs is to eliminate the need to manually enter data into the system. A change or pause in work flow is not required in order to enter and share patient information, nor will it add extra duties to staff and clinicians. Manual data entry is time consuming, expensive and prone to many of the same types of human error as found in paper records.

·         A second benefit to pairing the two technologies is accuracy, which is critical to EMR success. Automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) obtained through use of RFID solutions is accurate without requiring human intervention and seamlessly integrates with EMR systems. The best systems are accurate 100 percent of the time, with no missed events and no false positives, and they accept information in real time.

·         A third benefit is real-time updates. Most EMRs are accessible through Web browsers. Delivering information into the record immediately means that individual patient and facility summary data are available both through EMR systems and through the AIDC system dashboards. These executive dashboards allow clinicians to make informed decisions based upon the most-current patient and facility data.

As staff and budgets continue to be slashed throughout the sector, HIT is not just important – it is paramount in order to do more – and better — with less. By staying ahead of industry trends and working with the best-in-class vendors, Dynamic is able to provide cutting-edge technology and precise solutions to help healthcare providers meet both predicted – and unpredictable — challenges on the horizon  in the year ahead.

In a video posted on the Healthcare IT News Web site a registered nurse working at the Eastern Maine Medical Center describes her experience working in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and how EMRs have affected the productivity of the Medical Center. In the video she discusses how EMRs have improved the efficiency of providing care, especially in the ICU, serving as a fast way to obtain a patient’s medical history and that they have facilitated speedier data entry. Soon, this will become a reality for hospitals and healthcare providers of all sizes.

The video demonstrates a firsthand, practical account regarding how technology (i.e. EMRs) is empowering healthcare professionals with the support to do their jobs better. She describes how EMRs allow the medical staff to prepare for patients before they arrive via information from other hospitals, allows them to quickly view their medical history and to easily update and share the information. Beyond creating efficiencies, EMRs also help eliminate errors in delivery of medication. The RN specifically addresses the usefulness of having the information about medications right on the EMR so they can easily identify what the medication is, what it is used for and what it looks like.

While EMRs are helping to aim the industry in the right direction, they alone do not create a truly connected healthcare model. The healthcare industry, especially the ICU, is a very fast paced environment with multiple steps/checkpoints that are conductive to human error. When implementing RFID into the model, these processes are dramatically mitigated and many types of errors and risks can be eliminated altogether. The combination of these factors optimizes the health care environment for patient safety and staff efficiency.

RFID, specifically, addresses these factors and has virtually limitless applications once the infrastructure is in place. Automating many of these steps greatly reduces the opportunity for medical error through the correct identification of patients and staff, real-time transparency across the continuum of care, real-time location and maintenance management of assets and inventory. Here are some of the ways implementing RFID can create interoperability and its role in creating a truly connected healthcare model.

·         Improve the accuracy of patient identification: RFID wrist bands, handheld readers accurately identify patients every time (patient & staff tracking).

·         Improve the effectiveness of communication among caregivers: RFID makes real-time changes in EMRs accessible to all caregivers, facilitating the accurate and effective communication of key details (patient & staff tracking, lab & sample tracking, medication tracking).

·         Improve the safety of using medications: RFID ensures the right dosage of the right medication is given to the right person at the right time. It can prevent dangerous interactions and associate the caregiver who prescribes/ administers the drugs with the patient in the EHR (patient & staff tracking, medication tracking, inventory management).

·         Accurately and completely reconcile medications across the continuum of care: EHR via RFID provides real-time, accurate and complete information across the continuum of care (patient & staff tracking, medication tracking, lab & sample tracking).

·         Reduce the risk of patient harm resulting from falls: RFID Patient tracking can notify appropriate personnel when patients who are at high risk for falls get out of their beds/ rooms, allowing them to respond immediately and restore the patient to safe conditions. (patient tracking)

·         Improve recognition and response to changes in a patient’s condition: RFID can enable teams to quickly recognize, locate and reach a patient with the appropriate tools and medications to respond to their condition changes (patient & staff tracking, inventory management, asset tracking & maintenance, medication tracking).

It is when EMRs and other HIT are implemented to work together that the truly connected healthcare model will be achieved. Although the definition of meaningful use is continuing to change, we know that by reducing costs, minimizing risks and improving patient care, meaningful use is being achieved through this model.

While EMRs have assumed a starring role in the ‘meaningful use’ conversation (and rightfully so – they could profoundly overhaul and streamline the industry), integrating additional health information technology (HIT) will be necessary to create a truly connected healthcare model. The most ‘meaningful use’ of HIT is in integrated systems, and the power of the individual solutions are most evident when used in combination with others, thus creating interoperability.  With HIT solutions that speak and respond to each other, the result can be greater accuracy, reach and effectiveness than that which any single technology could possibly achieve on its own –a classic case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.

Interoperability is critical to making this next generation of the healthcare industry stronger, more efficient and safer for patients. At Dynamic, we all know how vital interoperability is and are excited to see the interactive demonstrations and exhibits at this year’s Interoperability Showcase that will be featured at the HIMSS10 Conference. If you are attending HIMSS this year, the Interoperability Showcase may help you envision how seemingly disparate HIT solutions can work together in harmony. The Showcase will, literally, bring to life standards-based connectivity in simulated healthcare environments. Dynamic will be exhibiting at HIMSS10 and will be showcasing a wide range of turn-key solutions incorporating RFID, RTLS, GPS and related technologies that enable real-time management of mobile personnel, assets and resources to government and commercial clients.

Our business does not operate in a vacuum; just like the connectivity being encouraged throughout an entire system, Dynamic believes in understanding the entire HIT universe in order to provide our customers informed, contextual information and guidance. Leveraging opportunities like the Showcase will help our own team better understand other solutions along the HIT continuum…after all, in a truly connected system, we may work together one day.

Implementing RFID and RTLS technology is a proven way for health care organizations to reduce costs, minimize risks and improve patient care across many facets of the health care system. The most important aspect of getting started in implementing this type of technology is to find a trusted partner that is knowledgeable in this space to who can help create a strategy around implementation.   A strategic plan for deploying a new technology within your organization is by definition flexible – because it is only truly strategic if it maps back to your unique objectives, your organization’s deployment may look very different than deployment in another.  Your foray into RTLS can be as bold or as careful as you deem appropriate.

Realizing that you have options in the scale and timing of RTLS deployment can make even ‘baby steps’ into this arena sure and strong. Did you know that you can test, roll out and elicit staff support for RTLS by:

·         developing an enterprise level solution gradually while still realizing ROI?

·         ensuring smooth deployment by engaging with a solutions provider that both installs and supports specific RFID technologies (i.e. RTLS, Passive, BAP, IR-RF) for specific health care challenges?

·         participating in a pilot program first or just starting at a low level such as tagging equipment to make sure it is not leaving the doors of your building?

Taking the first “baby step” may seem intimidating, but ultimately, RFID and RTLS can and will do wonders for your organization.

Why RTLS and RFID ?

·         Immediate ROI in terms of reduced operating costs, cost savings, and mitigation of future risk and loss

·         Accurate and verifiable records of chain of contact and treatment times for each patient

·         Accurate monitoring of equipment maintenance and medication storage conditions

·         Tracking and monitoring of compliance with standards and certifications (Medicare, Joint Commission; CCHIT, etc.)

·         A means to immediately and automatically locate staff, patients and assets in real-time; to associate them with each other, and to integrate these data with virtually any other electronic system. This could include EHRs, HIEs, nurse call, billing, bed management, security, pharmacy, etc.

·         A distinct and proven advantage in the competitive health care marketplace

Working closing with a trusted partner can make implementing RTLS and RFID a painless process and help to get you the ROI you are looking for, finding the solutions you need that fit your budget.

There is no progress without change, but for the most part, people and institutions resist it. Change plays upon the fear of the unknown, evoking emotions of uncertainty and defensiveness in even the most seasoned, confident professional. Throw a new technology into the mix like an RFID or RTLS solution, and there’s the added risk that end-users will dismiss the solution as cumbersome before even putting it to practical use.

With health care applications, the real risk lies in process, not the technology. The process by which a new technology is introduced, evangelized and adopted within a health care organization can determine not only the fate of the technology acceptance, but the overall advancement of the organization.  Accelerating the pace at which new solutions and ideas about health care are spread throughout the system should be a priority, as these challenges to the status quo can significantly reduce costs, minimize risks and improve patient care and satisfaction.

Despite this change imperative, new technology initiatives often fail due to lack of preparedness for cultural change. Disgruntled staff can hinder successful integration of new technology into any organization – it should come as no surprise, then, that RFID adoption in the health care environment is no exception.

While RFID has been proven to streamline information processing and eliminate human error, its implementation is in danger of being a failure, or at the very least a sketchy venture, if the end-users are not on board. So, is ‘on-boarding’ as simple as a series of IT-hosted training sessions and a leave-behind manual? Not if you want individuals across the system to truly commit to and connect with the technology.

In The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, Malcolm Gladwell’s best-selling book about ‘moments of critical mass,’ the author observes, “Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread just like viruses do.” And so the concept of technology diffusion – sometimes also called evangelism or advocacy – goes. Simply put, diffusion of innovation is the process by which a new product, service or idea is communicated throughout an organization.  Depending upon the size of your organization, it may be one or a handful of select user evangelists (engaged physicians, devoted nurses, front-line administration) who serve as early adopters of a new technology – for example, an RFID asset tracking solution – and then vouch for its ease of use and effectiveness to peers.  Often times, the day-to-day user serves the IT advocate role more effectively than the IT professional or high-level administrator proper because they can anticipate colleague questions and issues.

If done wisely, technology adoption is one of the more egalitarian processes a health care system will undertake. Traditional hierarchies and bureaucracies within the organization go out the window, because an entire user group must be included in the process in order for it thrive. Still, harnessing the interest and influence of key internal staff to use the technology and share anecdotal evidence of its benefit is a critical step in managing technology or process change in the health care setting.

Facilitating the stages and addressing the issues that arise at each stage is useful to introduce RFID into health care facilities with the best possible results. The stages are as follows:

·         Initiation: Introduction of the technology

·         Fascination: Seeing the benefits of integrating the technology

·         Disenchantment: Annoyance of and resistance to the changes

·         Mental Isolation: Wishing to return to the familiar system

·         Adjustment and recovery: Acceptance of the new system

At Dynamic we leverage an offering we call our Change Management Support (CMS) offering, which addresses each stage and incorporates them in the implementation of RFID into health care environments. By facilitating informational workshops, we establish the groundwork for a successful undertaking and can help organizations identify internal champions of technology initiatives.

Pairing together our RFID solutions for health care with our Change Management Support we help facilitate education, communication and transparency throughout the RFID adoption process. Our scalable RFID solutions improve patient care, reduce costs, minimize risks and are interoperable with your existing systems.

Today’s section of the series will present the summary and main points of the APIC Position Paper on Surveillance Technology for Infection Control. Also, see the end of the post for news from the NYTimes.

Manual prevention compliance monitoring

The paper argues that the manual surveillance and review based on assessments of risk in a particular area are not the most efficient or effective way to measure HAI prevention efforts. While this has been teh standard approach, APIC recognizes that it limits scope and requires a tremendous amount of human resources. New efforts must reduce the human element to control costs and compensate for staff cuts and increasing demand for compliance reporting to various public and private agencies.

“The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) supports the use of automated surveillance technologies as an essential part of infection prevention and control activities.”

Benefits of automated surveillance (APIC Position Paper Summary)

Streamline and facilitate efficient review of relevant data, promoting rapid identification of sentinel events and detection of outbreaks

• Manual methods “inefficient, labor intensive and error prone”
• Research shows automated surveillance is more efficient, has predictive value

Expand and better define the scope of infection prevention activities

• Can measure compliance beyond the typical high-risk ICUs
• Reports from current automated surveillance users show improved practices, cost avoidance and reduction in overall rates of some HAIs
• Enterprise surveillance facilitates directing attention to areas where it is most needed and has largest impact to improve care

Reduce infection prevention department time spent on surveillance and clerical tasks

• Several studies report time savings (as much as 65 percent)
• Experts say gains in efficiency are greater and more time is spent in prevention and intervention
• Administrators have added value of infection prevention programs resulting in the need for more (rather than fewer) preventionists.

Improve response to public health issues

• Detect, manage, investigate and report on outbreaks, communicable diseases, unusual clusters, etc. of community-acquired illnesses.
• Regulatory compliance
• Automatically, accurately and reliably collect, filter, report and demonstrate compliance for Centers for Medicare an Medicate Services (CMS), The Joint Commission (TJC/JCAHO), and other regulatory entities.
• Show the infection control and compliance figures for the entire facility.

Financial performance

• Cost savings from the prevention of HAIs.
• Cost savings in human resources for manual compliance monitoring.

Note: This was not explicitly stated in this section of the report, but with improved regulatory compliance there would be increased revenue from increased reimbursement. The cost savings from reduction in liability was not mentioned but is another significant factor.

Potential to enhance antibiotic stewardship programs

• Antimicrobial stewardship together with comprehensive infection control limits the emergence and transmission of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.
• Such programs have proven cost effective.

Finally, the APIC paper outlines what it has determined an electronic surveillance system should include and how to assess a potential solution. This section will only touch on the elements a system should include. Later in the paper we will tie in the criteria for evaluating a solution into our comparative analysis of the various RFID-integrated infection control technologies.

Elements recommended by APIC for electronic surveillance systems:

Ability to pull essential clinical information for individual patients from hospital data sources throughout the facility.

Ability to take data from various clinical and/or diagnostic systems (i.e. laboratory, pharmacy, radiology) and translate that data into information and/or alerts that can be acted upon.

Ability to retrieve data that is in real time and actionable.

Ability to send standard electronic messages (e.g., electronic laboratory reports, ADT data), and/or clinical documents using Clinical Document Architecture (CDA) to public health departments for notifiable disease reporting and to the National Healthcare Safety Network [NHSN]).”

In light of these essential elements, RFID solutions have shown potential as a tool to significantly address and improve infection control compliance to prevent HAIs. The next section of this article will directly introduce RFID for infection control.

APIC position paper: Importance of surveillance technology to prevent HAIs (Click to view source)

In related news … there is a NYTimes editorial today discussing the features of the most efficient, effective care providers. How do you measure up?

It should come as no surprise that the leaders in providing less expensive and more effective care involves the use of health IT in most cases. The authors looked for regions with low Medicare costs (or declining) and above average quality scores. The top ten were invited to DC to share their stories. What do these look like?

• Quality scores are well above average
• Spend $1500 (16 percent) less per Medicare patient than average with a slower annual growth rate
• Utilize Health IT to improve quality, communication, and manage patient data. Some have gone from the worst to among the best using these systems.
• Reduced unnecessary and duplicate tests, partly with the help of electronic systems.
• Quality-focused care; creative pay models.

Visit the NYTimes editorial page to read the entire piece.

Today’s section of the series will look at the prevalence of the HAI problem using facts from the CDC. It will also discuss barriers — both observed and self-reported — to proper hand hygiene compliance.

The scope of the healthcare-acquired infection (HAI) problem: CDC Stats

According to the CDC, HAIs account for about 1.7 million infections and 99,000 deaths each year. Most of these are preventable by proper hand washing. Here are a few facts from the CDC’s March 2009 report on the direct medical costs of HAIs.

About 1 in every 4.5 hospital admissions results in an HAI.

Direct annual costs to US hospitals (adjusted for inflation) range from $28.4-$33.8 billion to $35.7 - $45 billion.

Anywhere from 30-70 percent of HAIs are preventable by proper handwashing, equaling a savings of $5.6-

$6.8 billion to $25-31.5 billion to the healthcare system with effective prevention measures.

“HAIs in hospitals are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States” (Health Public Reports, 2007).

Research shows that proper hand hygiene compliance can prevent HAIs, yet compliance rates remain shockingly low. Consider the facts from The CDC published a research multidisciplinary study on improving HHC in a special edition of its Emerging Infectious Diseases magazine[1]. The study, entitled “Improving Adherence to Hand Hygiene Practice: A Multidisciplinary Approach, states that “Hand hygiene is the simplest, most effective measure for preventing nosocomial infections,” yet health-care workers’ compliance levels are unacceptably low — averaging around 50 percent
The study outlines both objectively determined and self-reported factors that influence non-compliance.

Objectively observed barriers to proper HHC:

Self-reported barriers to proper HHC:

Skin irritation
Inaccessible supplies
Interference with patient-worker interaction
Patient needs prioritized
Wearing gloves - belief that it eliminates the need for handwashing
Forgetfulness
Ignorance of guidelines
Not enough time
High workload/understaffing
Lack of scientific proof of the impact of HHC on infection rates

The report suggests that interventions must be based on various levels of behavior interaction to address individual, environmental and institutional factors that influence compliance rates.

This is in line with recommendations across the board from various stakeholders who understand the importance of addressing the barriers to compliance. One of the largest stakeholder groups are infection control professionals tasked with reducing infection rates through prevention initiatives, compliance monitoring and measuring results. The next section of this whitepaper presents the opinion of one such stakeholder group who posits that surveillance technology is a key factor in preventing HAIs.

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) recently published a position paper on the use of electronic surveillance tools to prevent HAIs[2]. Without yet discussing particular technologies, this section will summarize the arguments put forth by APIC in support of surveillance technologies.

Even, or perhaps especially, those at the front lines of infection control realize the futility of manual surveillance of infection prevention compliance. APIC recognizes the necessity for surveillance technologies in this arena in order to make any significant progress in HAI prevention.

The paper states that continuous monitoring can be used to implement improvement initiatives and assess the effectiveness of interventions in addition to proving data for interfacility comparison. Technology solutions can facilitate this type of continuous data sharing.

Tomorrow, the next section of this series will review and summarize the main points of the APIC recommendation for technology surveillance tools to prevent HAIs.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Download PDF

Dynamic Computer Corporation (DCC) is piloting a cutting-edge sensor-based hand hygiene compliance solution to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) at the University of Miami Center for Patient Safety. HAIs are among the top ten causes of death in the US.

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. July 29, 2009 — The University of Miami UM-JMH Center for Patient Safety has successfully launched a hand hygiene compliance (HHC) pilot project with the help of two Michigan-based technology businesses who specialize in health care real-time locating solutions (RTLS).

Dynamic Computer Corporation is a health care RTLS systems integrator based in Farmington Hills, Mich. Traverse City -based Versus Technology designed the automatic HHC system using their patented infrared – radio frequency (IR-RF) technology that has been deployed in hundreds of hospitals for automating patient workflow events. The HHC solution can be deployed as a standalone system or as part of an enterprise RTLS system.

How the HHC solution works

The solution uses small IR-RF sensors in soap dispensing units that read staff ID badges and monitor the location and timing of hand-washing events. Employees hear a verification sound upon successful information capture about whom, when and where the hand washing event has occurred.

“Nothing matters more than the safety of our patients. That’s why we are working with Versus and DCC to create an exciting, technologically-advanced system to decrease healthcare-associated infections,” said David J. Birnbach, M.D., M.P.H., Director, UM-JMH Center for Patient Safety.

The goal of the HHC solution is to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) by promoting evidence-based practices and fostering a culture of safety and accountability. Hospitals are able to accurately track and report on HHC compliance in real time, and retroactively to monitor problem areas for additional training where necessary. Staff members are alerted in real time when they forget to wash their hands, before an adverse event takes place.

“This is a reliable and affordable solution with compound benefits for hospitals seeking to improve patient care and processes while greatly reducing costs,” said Farida Ali, DCC President & CEO. “This is just one example of how innovative technologies are transforming the way we deliver care. Everyone is a stakeholder.”

Henry Tenarvitz, Chief Intellectual Property Officer of Versus agrees, “It is very important to Versus Technology that we provide solutions that not only reduce the potential for hospital acquired infections, but do so in a way that increases hospital staff efficiency.” Tenarvitz continued, “Our commitment to making compliance systems affordable has driven Versus to discover ways to leverage existing nurse call infrastructure to control installation costs.”

The UM-JMH Center for Patient Safety is planning to use the system to train students, resident physicians and nurses, and to advance their mission of preventing medical errors and improving patient safety.

“The expertise of these partners is the ideal complement for our mission, and together we can create a culture of patient safety,” said Dr. Birnbach.

How big is the HAI problem?

“Americans don’t expect to get additional infections when they go into the hospital. Stopping health care associated infections and improving the quality of care is one of our top priorities,” stated HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in an press release earlier this month.

According to the CDC, HAIs account for about 1.7 million infections and 99,000 deaths each year. Most of these are preventable by proper hand washing. Here are a few facts from the CDC’s March 2009 report on the direct medical costs of HAIs.

• There are about 4.5 HAIs for every 100 hospital admissions
• Direct annual costs to US hospitals (adjusted for inflation) range from $28.4-$33.8 billion to $35.7 - $45 billion.
• Anywhere from about 20-70 percent of HAIs are preventable, equaling a saving s of $5.6- $6.8 billion to $25-31.5 billion to the healthcare system with effective prevention measures.
• “HAIs in hospitals are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States” (Health Public Reports, 2007).

For more information on RF-integrated HHC solutions, contact Dynamic at www.DynamicRFIDSolutions.com/contact or call toll free 866-257-2111.

About Dynamic Computer Corporation (Est. 1979). www.DCC-Online.com | www.DynamicRFIDSolutions.com

About Versus Technology Inc. (Pink Sheets: VSTI). www.VersusTech.com

About UM-JMH Center for Patient Safety. Hand Hygiene Training Program

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Recently Healthcare IT News published an article entitled; Healthcare providers looking for IT that provides ROI, the point was that in today’s economy IT managers really need to look to spending their scares resources on projects that have the strongest ROI. To me this is a very ambiguous question because who determines where the largest ROI is returned per resource spent can readily influence the decision. Different department heads will have different opinions based on their individual needs but it is difficult to question the motives behind IT decision to support a project.

I feel it has always been best to prioritize needs and wants when developing a plan of action, this hold true for IT as well as any other department. The problem sometimes lies in that IT needs to be onboard and if they are not your project is put off, who’s budget is it? If IT needs to be involved and they do not have resources to support your project then you need to allocate additional resources for IT. Sometimes projects are chosen based on input mainly from IT because other department heads can not question the IT managers’ decision.

We have seen this playing out recently with regard to RTLS system selection. Many IT managers recently budgeted large amounts for installing or up-dating their Wi-Fi network. They pitched to the budgeting committee that they needed it for a whole host of future projects including RTLS for asset tracking. Now that other RTLS technologies are proving to be a better choice then traditional Wi-Fi based solutions the IT managers are struggle to justify their investment in their Wi-Fi network so they support Wi-Fi based RTLS just to keep their allocated resources.

Decision making should be based on an overall best plan. This is why larger healthcare providers seek advice with a technology futurist. A futurist will take a more holistic approach considering the needs not only today but well into the future. There has been heavy input recently regarding EHR’s because of first- the need for them, second - because of coming government mandates and incentives. This is the time to step back and realize that focusing on exchanging EHR’s is highly beneficial but so is inputting the information correctly and timely. This is the time to address both issues. Choosing a solution that is not able to meet both of these needs will be a waist of resources and will require additional resources to be spent in the near future that with planning may not be.

So, be careful because many times ROI remains in the eye of the beholder?

Ralph Wagner
Health Care Solutions Manager
Dynamic RFID Solutions
866-257-2111