The healthcare industry is one of the most significant industries that can benefit from implementing a Real-Time Location System (RTLS) technology. RTLS has revolutionized the way hospitals, healthcare providers, and healthcare supply chains operate by providing cost-efficient solutions. RTLS technology saves time, money, and, most importantly, lives. Another new trend within the healthcare industry is using RTLS to benefit home healthcare. Continue reading to learn more about the impact of RTLS technology on home healthcare!
What is RTLS?
Let's start by defining what RTLS is and how it works. RTLS technology can tell end users where their assets are currently located. RTLS technology was first implemented in the healthcare industry; however, it can now be found in the logistics and manufacturing industries. With RTLS, your company can track people, inventory, equipment, and even machinery in healthcare. Not only does RTLS allow companies to track real-time indoor locations, but also it provides companies with outdoor tracking for healthcare logistics.
The operation is fairly straightforward. All a company has to do is place a tag on an item, such as a hospital bed or the packaging materials used to ship pharmaceuticals or equipment. The tag then sends signals to receivers dispersed around the location indoors or through satellite outdoors, allowing the user to locate where the asset currently is directly through the system.
How RTLS Improves Home Healthcare
Required Consistent Care
There comes a certain point where an elderly person needs constant care to survive. Humans reach a point where they can no longer do these day-to-day functions on their own strength. With the number of patients steadily increasing each year, the demand for full-time caretakers increases.
With this high demand for full-time caretakers, processes can become overwhelming for healthcare workers. Having to constantly remain on-site monitoring an at-home patient can not only increase nurse burnout but also it can be extremely time-consuming. Implementing an RTLS system provides healthcare workers with the ability to monitor patients from another room while being able to accomplish other tasks. RTLS technology provides at-home patients with the ability to call for help through the push of a button. Implementing an RTLS strategy not only helps healthcare workers with production and efficiency but also RTLS technology helps patients by giving them peace of mind.
Increased Cost Savings
Patients and families are beginning to realize the potential savings they can retain by staying at home instead of residing in hospitals. At-home patients can now choose specific times when they need assistance instead of constantly paying a room fee in the hospital. As a result, home health patients have started to save a tremendous amount of money while receiving care at home.
For healthcare providers, RTLS has primarily benefited the healthcare industry from a cost-saving standpoint. As nurses travel from house to house, it’s easy for medical equipment to be misplaced at another location or even lost altogether. Let’s say that you are a traveling nurse that is transporting critical assets such as medicines, tools, and medkits to all of your at-home patients. With the help of an RTLS system, you can prevent these critical assets from becoming left behind or lost altogether. By using the RTLS software that will be provided through the system, you will be able to locate the whereabouts of each individual asset with great accuracy. This collateral assures nurses they can avoid losing track of any essential tools they need, and provide their patients with the best experience possible.
Increased Health Safety
Although being able to help someone is a rewarding experience, it can also be dangerous if not approached the correct way. The caretaker's health is just as important to keep track of, especially with the recent global pandemic.
Using an RTLS system, your company can track where your nurses are traveling with real-time accuracy. Ultimately, having this information can prevent mix-ups of nurses traveling to the wrong location. This knowledge can also prevent the cross-contamination of equipment or diseases among nurses and staff. The safety of caretakers must be a top priority because, without them, the patients would have no assistance. Another area that is enhanced through RTLS is cold chain monitoring. RTLS tags have sensors embedded so nurses can track the temperatures of sensitive assets like medicines for the benefit of the patients. The importance of cold chain monitoring is extremely high due to the fact that sensitive assets can spoil easily causing patients to become ill.
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What is the Best RTLS System?
It is no secret that the best RTLS system for manufacturing and logistics companies is Link Labs’ AirFinder. But what is the best RTLS system for hospitals, healthcare providers, and healthcare logistics? What system is transforming the healthcare industry through asset tracking?
The answer is Link Labs’ AirFinder! AirFinder is an affordable RTLS for healthcare companies that require less installed infrastructure than competitive healthcare RTLS systems. AirFinder allows hospitals, healthcare providers, and healthcare logistics companies to effectively locate equipment, ensure compliance, eliminate cannot find lists, prevent hoarding, prevent loss and theft, and promote efficiency. Link Labs’ AirFinder Everywhere is the perfect solution for home healthcare. AirFinder Everywhere is an easy-to-use and affordable industrial IoT asset tracking system with cloud-based software designed for dynamic, movable assets in hybrid environments indoors, outdoors, and everywhere in-between. With our Everywhere system, you will be able to easily provide an efficient, safe, and secure environment for your patients at home.
Interested in Learning More?
RTLS has completely revolutionized at-home healthcare. The ability to monitor patients from a distant location and locate equipment on the go gives nurses the potential to save even more lives. If you are interested and want to learn more about how RTLS benefits the healthcare industry, visit our website and contact us today!
