Expansion of BLE Technology in CenTrak Devices
CenTrak has expanded its healthcare Enterprise Location Services by integrating Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon technology as a standard feature, deploying over 550,000 IoT devices last year, offering a device exchange program for nearly 1,000 healthcare facilities, and introducing a $20 standalone BLE beacon to enhance scalable wayfinding and asset tracking with interoperable, reliable, and clinically precise locating capabilities combining BLE with other technologies.
CenTrak Announces Expansion of IoT Efforts, BLE Device Exchange Program, and Low Cost BLE Beacon
CenTrak, a leader in healthcare Enterprise Location Services™ and Real Time Location systems, has announced the integration of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon technology as a standard feature in its next generation Enterprise Location Services infrastructure.
The demand for CenTrak’s BLE-enabled infrastructure has increased significantly, with over 550,000 IoT devices deployed in the previous year to both existing and new customers. For a limited time, CenTrak is offering its installed base of nearly 1,000 healthcare facilities an exchange program to upgrade to the new technology. Additionally, the company is introducing a standalone BLE beacon at a suggested retail price of $20 USD.
BLE technology is widely present in smartphones and mobile devices, enabling the embedding of IoT technology into various platforms. BLE allows immediate communication between CenTrak’s Enterprise Location Services infrastructure and a growing ecosystem of BLE tags. According to Accenture’s 2017 Internet of Health Things (IoHT) Survey, the value of IoHT is projected to exceed US$163 billion by 2020, with healthcare expected to be the leading industry for Internet of Things app development within five years.
CenTrak’s embedded BLE beacons provide several advantages for healthcare organizations aiming to scale wayfinding or asset tracking initiatives to achieve Enterprise Visibility. BLE functionality can be licensed independently from other technologies. For advanced use cases requiring Clinical-Grade Locating, Second Generation Infrared (Gen2IR™) and Low Frequency (LF) technology can be combined with BLE, Wi-Fi, UHF, and passive RFID to deliver robust locating capabilities.
Advantages of Embedded BLE Beacons Over Off-the-Shelf Beacons:
- Interoperability: CenTrak’s Location Services are integrated with over 140 healthcare solutions.
- Reliability: Device supervision enables real-time monitoring and power management using a graphic dashboard with drill-down capabilities and alerting.
- Extreme battery life: Five-year battery warranty (requires Systems Maintenance Agreement, Orion platform only).
- Scalability: BLE can be licensed independently with the option to activate Gen2IR and LF technology capabilities in the future.
Wil Lukens, Chief Commercial Officer of CenTrak, stated: “From the day we launched CenTrak in 2008, we made a commitment to future-proof our installed base. The ability to embrace and innovate using new technologies is what has allowed us to meet this commitment. Our proven BLE offering and ability to blend BLE with other indoor locating technologies will continue to enable healthcare facilities to transform the patient experience and delivery of care.”
About CenTrak
CenTrak improves healthcare operational efficiency and the quality of patient care through robust and scalable Enterprise Location Services™. Ranked #1 as the 2017 KLAS Category Leader for Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS), CenTrak’s technology supports high-velocity updates and sub-room level accuracy across healthcare enterprises. CenTrak helps healthcare facilities increase productivity, streamline workflows, drive higher patient and staff satisfaction, and reduce costs.
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