Installing a RTLS system to track assets in dynamic, technologically and operationally challenging environments can be difficult. The significant challenge common to asset management is timely, reliable locating of important equipment and assets: lowering equipment rental costs, reducing staff time spent searching for equipment, minimizing equipment theft and loss, reducing equipment inventory requirements, improving equipment maintenance process and improving responsiveness to JCAHO and FDA requirements.

Addressing the issue:
UCSD Medical Center Thornton found a minimally invasive solution that didn't compromise existing IT networks, didn't interrupt daily business operations, and was installed in 3 weeks.

Considering that immediate benefits are achieved the minute a RTLS goes live, installation time is critical; each day a RTLS installation is delayed equates to lost savings. What are the lost opportunity costs in weeks, months, or even years, when the go-live date is delayed due to extensive infrastructure, initial planning, regulatory issues and calibration requirements?

A RTLS is not only comprised of hardware and software, but of service and maintenance. Look for a service model that is monitored 24/7, provides ongoing system maintenance and data back-up. It's important to understand the time and money involved in maintaining your RTLS at peak performance. Be sure to understand and consider maintenance costs that may affect your budget or impact your internal staff.

Challenges faced:
In order to tag the equipment with the active RFID tracking tag, it took a long time to find hundreds of untagged pieces of equipment (which proves out the system's value). Otherwise, the actual installation of the wireless mesh network was seamless.

Methods:
In order for real-time tracking to occur, a RTLS network needs to be established. This network is comprised of access points (sensors) placed strategically throughout a building to accurately locate active tags on the assets. How these sensors are installed and the potential for business disruption during the process are important to consider.

Attention should also be paid to potential IS network interference; a RTLS that utilizes its own dedicated network maintains separation from other business applications, and therefore, cannot possibility interfere with your critical applications.

Outcomes/Conclusion:
Most RFID systems available for hospitals are functionally similar in that they all provide sufficiently accurate means of locating tagged equipment. However, factors such as patient care disruption during installation, scalability, infrastructure cost, system reliability, ease of use, maintenance and initial operating costs vary tremendously and ultimately drive selection decisions. Thornton selected Awarepoint because of its 100% wireless, non-disruptive installation, low cost to trial because there were no construction costs.

Analysis of equipment utilization data identified process inefficiencies that have required excess equipment inventory because staff could not readily find otherwise available equipment. Elimination of these inefficiencies has results in a project savings in capital expenditures for IV pumps for 2008 of $450,000. Also, Infusion Pump Rental Fees show an immediate downward trend, from nearly $8,000 in March to $2,000 in June 2007. Without any further improvement, savings will exceed $72,000 per year. Perioperative Services estimates a more appropriate target for rental should be $500 per month and expects to hit this goal in 2007, bringing expected total savings to $90,000 annually.

An additional benefit of the System revealed itself during an FDA "Urgent Medical Device Recall". The FDA issued an immediate recall notice that required the hospital to immediately locate and apply warning labels to nearly 200 IV pumps. Such recalls can often require enormous staff time and several weeks to completely satisfy. With the pumps tagged, the hospital located and labeled all pumps within 48 hours of the recall, using 1/2 the staff typically required for such an effort.