Asset Tracking for Hospitals and Healthcare

Market 

The medical device market was worth a staggering $512 Billion in 2022 and is expected to grow to $800 billion by 2030. However, managing such high-value medical equipment and making the most of the asset can provide challenges. Our Bluetooth Beacons combined with a gateway and AssetBook IoT software can  address these concerns and bring new benefits and value.

CHALLENGE

The time spent searching for medical equipment is wasteful and in some cases could cost lives, with one study claiming nurses wasting up to an hour per shift searching for equipment ranging from infusion pumps and medical trolleys to wheelchairs and hospital beds. Other studies suggest that hospital staff could waste up to 34% of their time searching for equipment. It is clear that time is of the essence in hospitals and technology can be a huge benefit.

Another significant worry though is the theft and loss of medical equipment. Typical targets for theft and loss include medical computers, wheelchairs, defibrillators, portable diagnostic equipment, ventilators, and infusion pumps. It is very concerning that in some regions 10% to 20% of mobile equipment in hospitals is stolen or otherwise lost, costing an average of $3,000 each.

Also, despite the significant cost of medical devices, approximately 30% of healthcare spending in the United States is wasted. A number of factors contribute to this wasteful spending, including inefficiencies such as over-purchasing equipment, ineffective use of medical devices and lack of workflow data. Today's modern hospitals need an effective and automated approach that can help solve these challenges, and we have an easy, low cost solution to offer.

SOLUTION

To solve these challenges, boost hospital efficiency, and prevent medical equipment theft, we use eye beacons (BLE sensors), gateways, and AssetBook IoT software. Beacons are easily attached to all portable medical equipment, and gateways placed throughout the hospital or even carried by staff. A simple, low cost but effective solution to asset tracking in healthcare facilities.

How it works – each Eye Beacon is assigned to a specific medical device to which it is attached – a computer, ventilator, diagnostic device, etc. When it is near a gateway, for example when the nurse visits the room, it scans the nearby beacons. The staff can then see the RSSI-based location of the medical device via a our software platform or mobile application.

Moreover, each room can have one stationary EYE Beacon installed, so that we can recognise indoor location. The Eye Beacon is equipped with an omni-directional antenna, so the signal travels around the beacon, unlike competing one-directional solutions. In this way, our beacons provide reliable coverage in hospital rooms.

Our solution helps to significantly reduce the time it takes to locate medical equipment. Hospital staff can easily see where the equipment is and when it leaves a room. For example, the nurse can quickly find out if the bed is in the patient’s room before a person arrives. It can be adapted throughout the hospital to track thousands of different medical devices.

Using our system, Hospital staff can also ensure that equipment is returned to where it’s supposed to be after use, ready for the next emergency. Hospitals cannot afford to be unprepared for emergencies, and this solution helps to ensure that they are, by locating equipment throughout the hospital without delay or hassle.

With EYE Beacons attached to devices of interest and connected to gateways throughout the hospital, stakeholders are always aware of the location of their medical equipment, acting as a perfect theft prevention measure and helping to locate items lost in different rooms throughout the hospital. Operational management can also swiftly and accurately find out how many beds are available in each unit and how many patients can be admitted. Moreover, digitised medical equipment usage data can help optimise workflows and equipment purchases, saving valuable time and resources.

Finally, by equipping hospital staff with our discrete personal tracker/communicator, an organisation ensures their safety by confirming their approximate location and providing them with an alarm button to call for a doctor or report an emergency. It also supports two-way voice calls for easier communication among medical colleagues. Just imagine how much more productive and safe the facility can become?

Time management opportunities enable checking the timing of when the personnel visits specific patients and how long they stay there. Another great part of this solution is that this GPS tracking device regularly scans the surrounding EYE Beacons, eliminating the need for other gateways and making a project more affordable.