RFID in the Cath Lab: Real-Time Inventory Management Supports Patient Safety

In an effort to improve patient safety and utilization of resources, hospitals continue to research and implement various types of information technology. In particular, radio frequency identification (RFID) has been gaining traction in hospitals as a way to streamline processes for patient identification, tracking equipment, e-pedigrees for pharmaceuticals, as well as monitoring items in the supply chain. After discovering the benefits of RFID, many healthcare organizations are now utilizing the technology as a means to provide critical information in a timely manner, assisting hospital administrators in running a more efficient healthcare facility while also enhancing patient safety initiatives. Real-Time Inventory Management with RFID It is important to recognize that RFID is an enabling technology and is not a solution in-and-of itself. While there are many proven applications for the use of RFID technology to improve patient safety, catheterization laboratory directors around the country are praising its use for tracking high-value medical devices and critical medical supplies to ensure the right product is always available. Real-time inventory management solutions use RFID technology to automate the continuous collection of inventory and usage information, while a web interface provides key real-time replenishment information. This instantly actionable information allows hospital staff to accurately manage supply levels, easily monitor expired products and efficiently track product usage. Through their use of RFID, real-time inventory management solutions are providing busy multiprocedural labs with the necessary information that can help save lives. Real-time inventory management provides product level visibility, enabling administrators to track each individual product by its lot number, serial number, expiration date and more. The ability to immediately and automatically identify and locate a device that is expiring (such as a drug-eluting stent) or has been recalled (such as an implantable device) contributes greatly to patient safety. “Accuracy counts” is a mantra many live by, and never has it had more meaning than when it comes to medical procedures. Equipping laboratory managers with accurate information to ensure, among other things, an expired or recalled product never reaches a patient should be the goal of all administrators. Fortunately, real-time inventory management solutions are making that goal a reality. The automated tracking of product use ensures the right mix of products is always available, and hands-free tracking allows clinicians to spend more time caring for patients and less time on administrative tasks. RFID Improves Regulatory Compliance While nurses and technologists are often tasked with tracking inventory, it is virtually impossible for them to know at a moment’s notice how much of each product remains on the shelf for future procedures. This uncertainty causes anxiety for clinicians and typically results in maintaining too much inventory. Real-time inventory management enables cath lab staff to have product-specific visibility, providing an accurate count of what has been used and what remains, automatically calculating replenishment needs and moving towards just-in-time inventory. This accuracy helps labs to always be prepared for time-out procedures and JCAHO visits, key elements in any patient safety initiative. Although many cath labs have their shelves stocked with consigned products, they may still be responsible for those products if they are lost or unaccounted for. With the price of new medical products and procedures rising, that can translate to millions of dollars in inventory costs. So while an expired product poses imminent danger to a patient if it is not removed, it also contributes to the increase in cost of healthcare services, as the hospital is often responsible for absorbing the cost of the unused product. Clinical Workflow Improvements Real-time inventory management automates the collection of on-hand inventory and usage information, widely contributing to the improved workflow of clinicians by freeing them from the time and stress of making sure all products are accounted for and properly replenished. Although sometimes difficult to calculate, clinicians using a real-time inventory management solution report improvement in their workflow, a greater increase in job satisfaction because they can spend more time with patients, and the peace of mind that comes from knowing that the products they need are on the shelf. Real-time inventory management can also assist in reducing inventory levels, providing an opportunity to offer a greater mix of products. As physicians often have individual product preferences for the same procedure, having the flexibility to increase the range of product mix to accommodate each physician’s preference can also result in positive outcomes for patients. Bottom-Line Improvements The automated tracking of products by real-time inventory management solutions allows hospitals to eliminate waste, reduce inventory levels, take advantage of bulk-purchase savings opportunities, and improve charge capture. Calculating a return on investment is one of the key measures in determining if a new information technology solution is worth implementing. Most real-time inventory management solutions have proven to reduce inventory levels and improve charge capture. Inventory managers report reductions in inventory levels of up to 30%, significantly reducing the financial liability for labs. At the same time, product level visibility assists in the accurate capture of products used, increasing the likelihood that the product will be properly billed. The continuous monitoring of expiration dates has simultaneously reduced waste and improved patient safety. Having accurate information enables hospitals to improve their bottom line, resulting in a safer, more efficient healthcare delivery system. RFID Safety Standards Are in Place While it is apparent that real-time inventory management solutions are contributing to improvements in patient safety, some concerns still surface with respect to the safety of RFID use in hospitals. As is the case with any new technology, standards are an important aspect in determining which technology implementations are appropriate for critical care settings, and RFID is no exception. The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) monitors the safety and efficacy of all medical devices marketed in the United States. The CDRH has developed guidelines for the concurrent use of electromagnetic and medical devices in the same area within a healthcare environment. In addition, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)2 places severe limits on power output in field strength for the different RFID frequency bands (UHF, HF, LF). Several vendors offering RFID-based real-time inventory management solutions have settled on the very safe, and FCC-approved, passive high frequency HF) RFID that operates at the 13.56 MHz, ISO 15693 RFID protocol. This protocol is designed to restrain the active electromagnetic field to within a smart cabinet, requiring a very short read range under these conditions of 6–10 inches. The passive RFID tags placed on product packaging are electromagnetically inert and pose no known hazards to a patient’s well-being. Both the technology and the standards used by real-time inventory management solutions have been around for approximately 20 years and have been used safely and effectively in the area of inventory management improvements. In conjunction with choosing solutions that adhere to standards, healthcare organizations can avoid hazardous occurrences if their information technology, biomedical and product engineering experts develop their own specific safety measures and outline mitigation steps according to these guidelines. The combination of patient safety, clinical workflow improvements and economic benefits suggest that the healthcare industry will continue to move forward in the use of RFID for inventory management. About the Author Ann-Marie McDonough is a Master’s prepared nursing informatics specialist with experience in cardiovascular service line development, healthcare strategy and operations consulting and nursing informatics. Prior to joining WaveMark, Inc. as a hospital services director, she was Director of Cardiovascular Services at Jordan Hospital in Plymouth, Massachusetts, opening the community’s first cardiovascular laboratory. She has extensive experience in consulting, hospital information system implementations and many years of cardiovascular critical care and perioperative nursing. For more information about how WaveMark’s real-time inventory management solutions are improving patient safety, please visit www.wavemark.net

1. http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/osel/guidance/1618.pdf 2. Federal Communications Commission. FCC Regulations. Part 15, 47CFR15 , 47CFR15. United States of America.