RTLS and Nurse Call Integration in Healthcare: Why Room Level Accuracy is Required
Nurse call is one of the most critical communication systems in healthcare. Integrating nurse call with real time location systems (RTLS) can reduce noise, improve response times, automate documentation, and enhance the patient experience.
But not all RTLS technologies are suitable for nurse call integration. In this use case, accuracy is not just important. It is required.
Why Nurse Call Integration Demands RTLS Precision
Nurse call integration relies on automation. Common workflows include:
- Automatic call cancellation when a caregiver enters the patient room
- Accurate documentation of response times and staff presence
- Real time updates to patient experience and command centers
For these workflows to function correctly, RTLS must know with absolute certainty which room a caregiver enters and when. Any ambiguity eliminates the ability to automate and thereby eliminates the value.
Some RTLS technologies are designed for broad awareness rather than precision. For example, RTLS systems powered by Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) can provide zonal accuracy and may even frequently provide room level accuracy, but room level accuracy is not 100%. This kind of zonal or near room level accuracy may be sufficient for use cases like asset tracking or general staff awareness, but it falls short for true nurse call integration.
Location data that is “close enough” can result in:
- Cancelling the wrong call
- Documenting the wrong response
- Updating the wrong patient record
Any of those latter failures ensures the undermining of trust in the system and the creation unacceptable clinical and operational exposure.
This is why nurse call integration requires room level accuracy with 100% certainty, every single time.
The system must be precise, deterministic, and reliable in all conditions.
Technologies Built for Guaranteed Room Level Accuracy
Infrared (IR), Ultrasound Low Energy (ULE), and Ultra Wideband (UWB) are RTLS technologies specifically designed to deliver guaranteed room level accuracy in healthcare environments.
These technologies ensure that when a caregiver crosses the threshold into a patient room, the system knows it immediately and with certainty. This enables nurse call automation to function exactly as intended, supporting reliable call cancellation, accurate documentation, and seamless integration with patient experience platforms.
To select between IR, ULE, or UWB, it is critical to consider the total cost of ownership (TCOS), which is impacted by:
- The number & cost of infrastructure devices required.
- The battery-life of infrastructure & staff badges.
- The required maintenance costs of all infrastructure & tags.
As more staff members use mobile phones (and other wearable mobile devices), it is also useful to look for an RTLS technology that can leverage phones as RTLS tags.
One Platform, One Strategy for Nurse Call Automation
Effective nurse call integration does not require choosing a single RTLS technology for every area. It requires applying the right technology in the right places.
BLE can support broader RTLS coverage for general awareness and lower accuracy use cases. ULE should be deployed in patient rooms where nurse call automation depends on guaranteed precision.
SonitorONE™ brings these technologies together in a single RTLS platform, allowing hospitals to support nurse call integration alongside other clinical and operational use cases without compromise.
Furthermore, with ultrasound based RTLS technology, mobile phones can act as staff badges, which means that staff members can benefit from nurse call automation by simply using their clinical mobility device.
By ensuring room level certainty where it matters most, RTLS can move nurse call from a manual process to a reliable, automated clinical workflow that improves efficiency, accuracy, and the patient experience.
