University of Maryland Medical Center uses RFID tags to locate medical records
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The University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore has installed a Wi-Fi-based active RFID real-time location system (RTLS). This system can eventually help the hospital track the medical records of 600 patients in its radiation oncology department. These people receive radiotherapy here because of cancer, and their medical records will circulate throughout the hospital and even the entire university.
This real-time positioning system includes InnerWireless’s 2.4GHz active wireless fidelity tag, Cisco’s wireless positioning equipment and InnerWireless’s PanGo positioning software. The PanGo positioning software is a web-based asset tracking application that can provide detailed maps and charts that mark the location of assets, as well as functions such as drill-down data and search.
John Kornak, the project director of the Information Technology Group of the Medical Center, said, “These labels are about 2 inches long and 2 inches wide. They are affixed with Velcro Velcro to the three-ring hardcover book holder that stores the medical records of patients in the radiation oncology department. Each label in the book holder is directional, and the antenna direction is upward to ensure the best and clearest signal.” So far, the department has installed labels on 300 patient medical records.
When a patient comes to perform treatment, the patient’s medical record may be transferred several times a day in the department or other places in the medical center. In order to make it easier for the drug record staff, nurses and doctors to find the medical record of a particular patient, the hospital decided to install it Asset tracking system. Electronic medical records are the digital version of patient medical records, but radiation oncology departments have not yet used them, because the medical record system used in hospitals does not yet have an electronic medical record model for radiation oncology departments.
InnerWireless’s RFID real-time positioning system
The treatment code and other factors of the Radiation Oncology Department provide conditions for its use of specialized electronic medical records. According to Kornak, major medical record software providers have provided some specialized departments with specially designed versions of medical records, but have not yet provided an electronic medical record software model for radiation oncology departments, so radiation oncology departments still use paper Medical records.
A year ago, the hospital tested the real-time positioning system for two months, and then began installation in March. This system can be operated at any location within the coverage of the hospital’s Wi-Fi network access point, including the radiotherapy room, the control room outside the treatment room, the waiting room and the nurse’s studio. At the University of Maryland, which covers the same Wi-Fi network, tag tracking can also be performed. Because the network access point does not completely cover the campus, there are of course some untrackable locations.
“The radiation oncology department has approximately 27,870 square feet,” Kornak said. “When real-time tracking has not yet taken shape, the hospital installed a hospital wireless system. We did a rigorous investigation on the sound and data coverage of this system. But when we When we started the trial of the new system, we were told that some areas may not be covered because we did not have enough network access points. They suggested that we move and add some access points, but this requires additional funds, and our funds will have to wait until next year The hospital’s 2009 budget in June will take effect before it can be in place.
Pango active RFID tags
The asset tag affixed to the book holder can be recycled, but if the patient does not end the treatment, the tag cannot be removed and reused. When the patient finishes treatment, his medical records are taken out of the hardcover bookcase, placed in a paper bookcase, and then stored in the medical records office.
Kornak said that the use of real-time positioning systems in the radiation oncology department has caused other departments to request the technology to track the equipment they use, such as patient monitors, infusion pumps, wheelchairs and stretchers. “Now the whole hospital is very interested in the system and is evaluating the feasibility of adding new pilots and installing the system as required by other departments.
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