Why Location Accuracy Matters in Healthcare
Healthcare settings require technology that can keep up with the pace of patient care. IoT solutions like real-time location systems (RTLS) are generating increased efficiency for care teams by introducing context and connections that help them stay focused on producing top patient outcomes. The dynamic nature of care delivery processes has presented a myriad of use cases that could benefit from the introduction of locating information, from asset tracking to nurse call integration and creating a safe environment for patients and staff.
Challenges of Implementing RTLS in Healthcare Workflows
When it comes to applying RTLS to these workflows, the margin for error is small because patient interactions and safety procedures require trust – not guessing. To achieve a reliable level of accuracy and precision for each locating application, it is important to be aware that each RTLS vendor employs different location technology to generate the positioning data that powers end-user applications. Some technologies require line-of-sight to function. Others have signal leakage between walls, glass or even floors. However, the variation in accuracy and precision across different locating solutions leaves room for poor user experience that results in a lack of trust in the system, and ultimately unrealized potential value.
Unreliable RTLS is characterized by a continuation of existing inefficiencies. A staff member may try to find a medical device to bring to the patient’s bedside, but they do not find the equipment where the system said it would be. They then spend more time searching and the patient experiences a delay in receiving the care they need. This challenge underscores the importance of effective asset utilization, which depends on accurate location data to ensure critical equipment is readily available when and where it is needed.
In another example, low-precision location systems can provide a duress calling system for staff, but there is low specificity in the location information delivered to response teams. As a result, responders waste time going room-by-room, and sometimes floor-by-floor to find the location of the person needing help, leaving them in jeopardy for longer than necessary. For healthcare organizations implementing staff safety and duress solutions, precise location information is essential to ensure the fastest possible response during emergencies. Over time, when daily workflow and safety protocols are hindered by RTLS, instead of supported, staff lose confidence in the solution and return to manual processes which negates the purpose of the initial investment.
High-Precision RTLS Improves Healthcare Operations.
It is clear that high-precision and reliable accuracy are instrumental for locating solutions that serve healthcare environments. When RTLS performance meets expectations, staff can deliver timely care to their patients because they have access to trustworthy technology and information. One of the immediate benefits is automation that results in fewer steps to perform tasks, smoother patient flow, and more time spent with patients. By reducing time spent searching for equipment, coordinating resources, and manually updating workflow statuses, healthcare organizations can improve patient flow and help patients move through care processes more efficiently.
Additionally, dependable real-time locating solutions promote confidence among patients and staff because everyone has easy access to technology that will bring help quickly, to their specific sub-room location, when they experience vulnerable moments. Furthermore, trustworthy RTLS data can be applied to increase resource utilization, extend infection prevention efforts, and innovate within the patient experience.
Locating systems promise to track people and things when and where they are needed, but not all systems deliver the specificity and timeliness that healthcare providers require. With the complexity of care delivery, persistent staff shortages, and the growing demand for healthcare, health institutions who make investments in accurate and precise RTLS have the opportunity to streamline operations and build a culture of safety that will ease staff burden, allowing them to do more and impacting the quality of the total care experience.
