Clinical engineering
tracking using RFiD improves care, safety, and efficiency, reduces manual tasks and supports staff, and provides actionable data to improve hospital operations. Additional highlights of the EBME Expo 2025
conference programme included: l A focus on Connectivity and IT Integration: A central theme, tackled head-on with the introduction of the new “Connectivity Stage.”
Discussions highlighted the critical need to bridge the gap between clinical engineering and IT teams, addressing challenges in integrating HealthTech into hospital networks for centralised, real-time patient data.
l Advanced Themes and Expert Insights: Sixty expert speakers delivered invaluable insights across critical topics, including the increasing use of AI in healthcare technologies, the shift
towards value-based procurement, and the ethical considerations of new technology, such as the concept of “patient enablement engineers.”
l Other notable presentations included those from Lt. Col. Dr. Roman Kuziv, sharing lessons from Ukraine’s battlefield medical operations, and leading figures discussing the new 10- Year Health Plan for England.
Solving the hidden challenge of equipment tracking
Idox highlighted the importance of equipment tracking at EBME Expo 2025. Chris Williams, Healthcare Senior Sales and Client Lead, Assets Division, Idox, looks at the opportunities to improve safety, efficiency and patient outcomes.
The NHS Long Term Plan sets out an ambitious vision for the next decade: more care delivered closer to home, a greater focus on prevention, and community- based services designed to keep people well outside hospital settings. This shift is essential if the health service is to meet rising demand, improve patient experience, and reduce pressure on acute care. But with this transformation comes a
practical challenge: ensuring the tools of care, particularly vital medical devices, are available, visible, and reliable in the community. Too often, equipment such as a syringe driver is still managed through spreadsheets or manual systems. When these devices go missing, the consequences are immediate: increased clinical risk, compliance difficulties, and delays that compromise patient care. This is not just about safeguarding comfort and dignity in end-of- life care. It is also about enabling long-term patients to live safely and independently at home. Whether it’s infusion pumps, mobility aids or monitoring devices, the absence of the right asset at the right time can mean the difference between independence and hospital admission.
Listening before innovating Innovation begins with listening. Our work in this area didn’t start with a ready-made product, but with conversations with NHS partners. It quickly became clear that existing lockboxes, the cases used to store and transport syringe drivers, were often not fit for purpose. Hinges broke, labels obscured instructions, and once the equipment left the hospital, it was difficult to trace. In one Trust, dozens of lockboxes went missing
in under 18 months. This wasn’t just a budgeting issue; it directly undermined safe care and the ability to meet patients’ needs at the most vulnerable stage of their lives. A missing lockbox isn’t just a logistical failure; it’s a failure to uphold dignity in end-of-life care.
Redesigning for reality We tackled the challenge
collaboratively. Six prototypes, multiple workshops and rigorous field testing led to a lockbox that worked for frontline staff and IT teams alike. l Durability – reinforced hinges, stronger materials and improved locking mechanisms for daily use.
l Smart labelling – compartments for labels don’t obstruct batteries or instructions.
l Integrated tracking – embedded tags providing reliable location data without affecting device function.
The result was a lockbox shaped by the realities of community care, not just by technical specifications.
Addressing concerns head-on Trusts naturally raised questions about data, safety and liability. We addressed these directly: l Data governance – We track equipment, not people. No personal data is held on tags, and Trusts remain the data controllers. Our assurance packs support GDPR and DSP Toolkit requirements.
l Safety – Independent testing confirmed no interference with syringe drivers, even under extreme conditions. Devices meet international safety standards; we recommend local risk assessments.
l Indemnity – Where manufacturers will not cover tagged devices, Idox provides indemnity, offering Trusts additional confidence.
A shift in behaviour One of the most striking outcomes reported
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www.clinicalservicesjournal.com I November 2025
by early adopters in Birmingham and Gloucestershire has been a change in staff behaviour. Nurses are now more mindful of returning lockboxes promptly, reducing the common habit of keeping spares “just in case.” The result is greater visibility, improved availability, and ultimately, better care delivery. IT teams also appreciate the simplicity. As a
cloud-based system, it requires minimal setup, no complex integrations, and provides role-based access aligned with privacy principles.
The future of intelligent tracking While lockboxes were the immediate challenge, the wider opportunity lies in intelligent tracking across community healthcare. Features such as geofencing alerts, real-time status updates on whether devices are in use or idle and automated service reminders are already improving efficiency and safeguarding care. Looking ahead, as the NHS pursues its 10-
year vision of decentralised care and improved productivity, these technologies will play an increasingly central role. Discussions are already underway about extending tracking to other assets, such as AEDs, where availability at the point of need could be lifesaving.
Built by listening, proven in practice What distinguishes this project is not only the technology but the process behind it. We didn’t repurpose an off-the-shelf product; we listened, iterated and validated solutions with NHS partners. The outcome is a lockbox that isn’t just functional, but transformative - helping to reduce loss, improve efficiency, and, above all, ensure patients receive care when and where they need it most. For Trusts seeking to modernise community
care, lockbox tracking offers more than operational improvement. It builds confidence, strengthens accountability, and safeguards the dignity of patients at their most vulnerable. CSJ interviewed Chris Williams live from EBME
Expo 2025. To view the video, visit: https://tinyurl. com/y6kyrju4
CSJ
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