How it works

The system takes an Active RFID platform as its base -this being a relatively new communications technology-, and is made up of the following component parts:

• Infrastructure of fixed Beacons that enable zones to be mapped out in order to locate patients and assets.
• Patient wristbands that enable identification and localisation of patient, as well as providing access to their personal information.
• PDAs for doctors, which enable patient identification as well as access to patient information anywhere, anytime.
• All information is stored on one central server, which has in-built tools for the centralised or distributed management of all available information.

Taking this platform as its base, it features a series of basic functions:

• Basic Clinical Security (Identification): this system's basic security measures are based on identification, in order that the patient details provided in different situations is always reliable.  The solution offers two options:

• Identification upon request of health care personnel, using scanners (similar to passive RFID readers or barcode scanners) to identify patient details.
• Automatic identification upon entry, whereby an automatic identification check is carried out on each person (primarily patients) entering the area.

This function may be incorporated whenever and wherever patient details are required in electronic form, and is essential if the information concerned is critical.

• Localisation enables the localisation of patients and assets with variable degrees of precision, i.e. from a specific room to a general area, and in such a way that:

• A medical professional can locate a patient or employee in real-time.
• Carers can know a patient’s exact location in real-time.
• Physical Security of assets via theft alerts.
• Physical Security of patients with escape alarms.
• Traceability: enables the movements of patients and assets to be recorded, producing statistics such as length of time spent in one place, length of time on the move etc., as well as the percentage usage of areas and rooms, load and flow or patients, etc.
• Monitoring: option of bracelets or more advanced devices that enable continuous monitoring of vital signs while on the move and their transmission via the same infrastructure used to locate patients.

This solution is integrated into specific verticalisations for different areas of the hospital (for example, accident and emergency (A&E), the surgical wing, etc.)

The solution comprises of a base structure which, upon hassle-free integration with the hospital's HIS (or by installing the generic TSB Tecnologías para la Salud y el Bienestar platform), offers the aforementioned functions. The same technology is used throughout, and can be deployed in both open and enclosed spaces. Furthermore, a more advanced integration with the HIS, achieved through greater understanding of the various hospital processes, would allow extra clinical security functions, as well as other more complex features relating to hospital data.