RTLS: Healthcare Information Management Systems
At HIMSS 2015, real-time location systems (RTLS) emerged as a mainstream healthcare solution, with many providers actively prioritizing the technology to improve operational visibility and automation, building on the progress made since Meaningful Use implementation, and companies like CenTrak showcased mature, clinical-grade RTLS deployments at major institutions that address significant inefficiencies causing substantial waste and suffering in healthcare.
In past years, real-time location systems (RTLS) booths at Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) conferences were lightly visited by other vendors and curious provider representatives who happened to walk by. This year RTLS was a mainstream solution for the majority; it was a destination for many providers armed with a solid understanding and great questions about the use of location data to improve operations. Many of the people with whom we spoke were part of an organized internal effort to make this a priority for their organizations. HIMSS 2015 marked the year when booth crowds spilled out into the aisles and, at times, was pleasantly overwhelming.
In 2011, hospitals were primarily focused on transitioning their facilities to incorporate Meaningful Use, which is using certified electronic health record technology to improve quality, privacy and security, and reduce health disparities. With such a large undertaking, facilities were unable to commit to anything else other than their daily operations. Today, Meaningful Use has been achieved in many provider organizations and resources are beginning to free up for new priorities and projects. Provider organizations have never been more challenged to do more with less which has resulted in a growing interest in technologies that provide better visibility to operations and the means to process automation.
The early adopters of enterprise RTLS are validating the possibilities. CenTrak offers mature, Clinical-Grade location technologies that are proven in widely deployed enterprise installations. This allowed our booth to share powerful stories about the achievements and vision of many organizations like Texas Health, The VA, and Wake Forest Baptist University Medical Center which were eye-openers for many of our visitors. Every day, CenTrak focuses on providing solutions to the inefficiencies that cause an estimated $750 billion in annual waste and needless suffering, as identified by the Institute of Medicine. HIMSS 2015 was a humbling validation of those efforts.
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The Value of Enterprise-Grade Operational Intelligence
The webinar titled "The Value of Enterprise-Grade Operational Intelligence," led by Conrad Emmerich of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, discusses how real-time location system (RTLS) technology can be evaluated, developed, and implemented to optimize resources, improve clinical productivity, enhance patient experience through quality and safety, and reduce costs.
7 Tips to Improve Patient Flow in Hospitals
The article discusses how hospitals can enhance patient flow—the efficient movement of patients from arrival to discharge—by leveraging IoT technologies and strategies such as real-time location systems integrated with electronic health records, which reduce wait times, improve care quality, decrease costs, and increase staff satisfaction, exemplified by Oregon Medical Group's successful implementation of CenTrak's patient flow software to optimize workflow despite challenging facility layouts.
CenTrak Early Adopter to Share ROI at HIMSS16
At HIMSS16, Conrad Emmerich of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center will present how the hospital’s extensive deployment of CenTrak’s Clinical-Grade Enterprise Location Services since 2012 has transformed operations, generated over $10 million in ROI, enhanced workflow, resource management, patient throughput, and safety, and improved clinician efficiency and patient experience through real-time visibility into equipment, patients, and staff movement.
RTLS Healthcare Information Management Systems
At HIMSS 2015, real-time location systems (RTLS) emerged as a mainstream healthcare solution, with many providers actively prioritizing the technology to improve operational visibility and automation, building on the progress made since achieving Meaningful Use, and companies like CenTrak showcased mature, clinical-grade RTLS implementations at major institutions such as Texas Health, The VA, and Wake Forest Baptist University Medical Center to address inefficiencies causing significant waste and suffering in healthcare.
The Secret To Gaining Staff Buy In For RTLS
The article explains that gaining staff buy-in for Real-Time Locating Systems (RTLS) in healthcare hinges on clear communication to dispel myths and demonstrate benefits such as enhanced staff protection through discreet emergency alerts, improved efficiency via accurate location tracking, and better documentation of response times, all of which contribute to safer, more efficient patient care environments.
Why Hospital Executives Need RTLS Strategy Initiatives
Caryn Hewitt, a seasoned healthcare executive with nearly 40 years of experience, emphasizes that hospital leaders should integrate Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) into their strategy to gain real-time operational visibility, primarily through asset tracking and management, which leads to significant cost savings by optimizing equipment utilization and reducing unnecessary purchases or rentals.