EBME Forums Forums Management Modernisation (Formerly, Controls Assurance) RF ID tags

Hello Everyone,

Does anyway use RF id tagging for their medical equipment?

Great Ormond Street do and we at UCLH are looking seriously at it.
Robert

Now you know where I work

CUH currently have active tags on mobile/equipment library equipment and are due to begin a programme of passive tags for all medical devices.

Not trying to be funny or controversial here but why would you tag your equipment with RFID tags? To my mind it’s a solution looking for a problem. It’s a major financial investment, you have to get so close to the passive tags to read them that you would be as well reading the label you stuck on previously, active tags have batteries so you need a major effort to keep the batteries alive, it won't stop equipment theft. Maybe it’s just me being even more dense than usual but honestly I just don’t get it. So my question is, by tagging your equipment what are you hoping to achieve?

See earlier threads. This one, for example.

For what it's worth (not much, most likely), I also believe that the expense involved could be far better used elsewhere.

We looked at this when we did a major rebuild.
But decided like above it doesnt stop theft. And providing you have really proactive MEL staff its not worth it. You also get a lot more value out of having a MEL.

Have you ever found every pump in a hospital when the service is due. But if you knew where every pump was it would make servicing them on time so much easier.
I boss of mine was in the states and they had every wheelchair tagged as well so when someone wanted to move a patient the system told them where the nearest chair was.
The nurses liked the system as they never had to hunt for equipment the system told them where it was.
Yes libraries work and good ones work well...... but do they run 24/7 365 days a year?
Robert

I have to agree with Rob, how many departments service infusion device inhouse? How much time and effort do you waste looking for pumps?

Answer:- none.

You just need to get the user departments to take responsibility for their equipment.

Thanks Geoff, those were the words I was looking for. Go down to the Wards develop a decent relationship with them and you won't have to look for anything. Now don't laugh but we have a number of Plum pumps connected to our wireless network with one of the thoughts being that we could locate them with ease. Turns out they don't always speak to the nearest access point, it's usually one floor out above or below. Sorry chaps expensive way to track your equipment. Hard to justify in my view.