Medical technology The challenge is that ICSs often have up to
50 sites of different sizes and levels of digital maturity. Some Trusts will still be relying on manual checks. Others will have embraced tagging and have proactive EBME teams actively using real-time information about equipment location and status to improve value and accessibility. However, there are multiple tagging technology options available, and the chances of all the organisations within one ICS having chosen the same solution are close to zero. Plus, each ICS will have a different geographic
area to consider; while someTtrusts are nearby, others will be spread over wider areas. Older buildings are harder to network, while some Trusts have also gained tracking by default as a result of recent Wi-Fi updates. The good news is that there is an array of tagging options to ensure every organisation can transform equipment visibility. Key factors to consider include: l When assessing the most appropriate tagging technology, network availability and asset mobility are two key considerations. How far is equipment likely to move during routine activity? For example, if an asset such as a syringe pump, ventilator or patient monitor is likely to move outside physical buildings – and hence away from fixed infrastructure – GPS tracking provides a solution.
l Cost is obviously a factor, making it important to assess both the financial and clinical value of equipment. For example, some equipment is only required in emergencies but must, by default, be immediately available. Other devices are used more often and, as a result, require a more rigorous cleaning, maintenance and servicing regime to ensure their operational effectiveness. Tracking technologies such as RFID provide accuracy and range but require a greater up-front investment in infrastructure. If a Trust has invested in expensive and highly mobile medical equipment, a strong business case could be made for RFID.
l Equipment security is also a major consideration, especially for equipment used in the community. For example, syringe pumps are highly portable, leading to the inevitable risk of loss or theft. One EBME team confirms its Trust is losing 100 syringe pumps every six months – 10% of the stock – at £1500 per device. Within a Trust, these devices are typically kept within lockboxes both for protection and to avoid tampering. Adding GPS tagging to the lockboxes ensures they can be safely allocated to community clinicians while also being tracked to reduce loss.
Hybrid ‘tagnostic’ approach The ultimate goal is to create a single standard for asset tracking and build a single asset library across the entire ICS. Given the different pace of innovation throughout ICS organisations. However, this is most definitely a work in progress. As a priority, Trusts want to find a way to extend existing asset tracking outside their four walls. As cross-ICS activity increases, EBME teams
urgently want to know when their assets move to another Trust – and when those of another Trust arrive on their site. With each Trust likely to be using a different tagging approach, it is vital to look for a hybrid, or ‘tagnostic’, approach that can provide visibility irrespective of whether a Trust uses RFID, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, barcodes, GPS or a mixture. With the addition of geofencing to identify when an item leaves the Trust’s environment, it doesn’t matter what tracking tags or technology are in use, whether the equipment is inside or outside the hospital, in the community or another Trust, an EBME team will be able to track its kit at all times.
Enabling EBME efficiency The extension of robust, proven tracking solutions across a wider ICS environment provides the
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