EBME Forums Forums Free discussion Free discussion RFID Tracking

Good afternoon peeps.

We are looking at getting an RFID tracking system.

Could anyone recommend or advise on what they use?

Hi Neoteny,

It is not that simple, you can use wifi, RF or Bluetooth.
You must decide which equipment will be tagged, which will be active or passive, where to place the exciters or use the hospital wifi infrastructure. Will ICT let you into their network, security will have an input to this as well.

PM me if you need more info.

It's probably best to hire a consultant at the onset ... it will save you money in the long run.

Geoff,

There are people on this fotum that do have experience of RFID and asset tracking.

Yes, Neil ... but I doubt that satisfactory outcomes can result from a few posts on this or any other RFID-related thread (of which there have been a fair number).

As you know, a successful hospital-wide implementation of RFID begins (or rather, should begin) with at least a preliminary study, site-visit, and so forth.

As I may have mentioned in the past, the consultant's first job is to find out exactly what it is the client actually wants (or hopes to achieve). Perhaps I have been unlucky, but in many cases the client lacked any clear vision (in other words, didn't have a clue), and the mission statement needed to be coaxed (dragged) out of him.

And remember ... no good deed goes unpunished!

It helps to actually read the question...

Please stay on topic.

My suggestion would be to find a site that installed successfully and a site that is still having problems with the roll out. Most RFID suppliers will guarantee that their system works, but chances are your internal IT systems will not be compatible due to old tech being used with new tech. As Neil rightly points out, the various ways of RFID such as RF, Bluetooth and fully digital wifi is something to understand from the get go. Speak to someone who knows the internal wifi network rather than the manager of IT. If there are any sorts of IT projects underway, such as updating the network points, then get involved. Great Ormond Street is a great example of joining all of the dots up before overhauling an entire network.
The passive label RFID system is a good way to combine GS1 systems whereby barcodes are scanned on various devices or areas and this is then logged on patient records digitally. So you are actually creating GS1 and RFID at the same time.
My first route would be to identify which route is best, Passive, Digital or Bluetooth. Maybe perform a heatmap of the hospital building and identify if digital is best (triangulation is key here) or if a more cheaper Passive route would be better?
By all means send me a message and i can help further. I have used a fully digital (active) system and have also run an RFID project and know a few good reps who are very helpful.