RFID and Emerging Technologies Market Guide to Healthcare

What if a person could enter a hospital with the confidence that his/her treatment would be successful, efficient, safe, and environmentally clean, with accurate and seamless billing? It may be hard to fathom, but we have the technology to achieve this utopia. Our medical system doesn't have the infrastructure, funding, knowledge or will to fully address these issues. I trust this study will provide you with the tools you need to achieve this goal.

The solution is at hand, through the combined technologies of the new healthcare supply chain: wireless networks, radio frequency identification (RFID), and medical device/instrument connectivity. These technologies are laying the infrastructure for the 21st century medical delivery system.


Potentially devastating major trends are gaining momentum. If not addressed immediately, their impact could result in unforeseen consequences. These trends include the following:
• Aging population.
• Increasing medical error deaths (drug and site infection).
• Shortage of qualified healthcare personnel.
• Unwillingness to fund the healthcare technology infrastructure.
• Resistance to new, emerging technologies by an older generation of healthcare providers - creating a generational professional schism due to lack of knowledge and status quo that permeates throughout healthcare institutions.

The healthcare industry can heed these signs by taking prudent investment steps in the technology that will minimize their impact.

Fast Track Technologies (FTT) conducted numerous studies and the resultant conclusions were substantiated by several healthcare-oriented business leaders. FTT identified the trends, provided information on the technologies, analyzed the regulatory environment, explained the creative ways to obtain funding and suggested entrepreneurial market solutions. Additionally, FTT offers the healthcare vendor an understanding of the medical industry's multidisciplinary buying and decision motivators. Moreover, FTT provides tactical and product application insight for over 150 emerging technology healthcare vendors for each level involved in the decision-making process at a hospital.

Within this constructive framework, FTT has projected the acceptable minimum future revenue investment in healthcare technology. This in turn will address the high quality and accuracy of patient care, based on future patient expectations within our healthcare delivery system.

This study is a compendium of today's human and industry drivers. The current status of the healthcare infrastructure, the regulatory environment and the enterprising way government and business are addressing these issues, will determine tomorrow's needs for the healthcare industry and the patients they serve.

The aim of this study is to provide a strategic healthcare provider projection map to all those associated with the healthcare industry. This guide should help address the future patient expectations of a seamless, efficient, healthcare delivery system, defined by the quality and the accuracy of these services.

Reasons for Doing This Study:
In an emerging technology industry, people often get enamored with the technology itself. Companies get caught up in the heat of the moment, emotionally investing their time and money into an area that “hopefully” would increase their market share, position, and status.

The PC - Apple/Macintosh industry of the early 1980's is a perfect example of emotional energy, without an eye to solid business strategy. Apple thought they could dominate the market. But, the lack of interoperability of both their software and platform made them lose their market dominance by the late 80s. However, everyone else loved and was emotionally invested in the concept of the PC. Soon, IBM and others, second to market, and better focused, dominated Apple's early lead. Those second to market often have a better strategic view of the value and application benefits of the new technology. Hopefully, after shedding light on the strategic value and potential of healthcare emerging technologies, end users will invest, confident that the technology has true economic value to both their organization and society as a whole.

Unique Points About This Guide:
· Valuable marketing data concerning clients' attitudes towards these emerging technologies will help companies navigate the multilevel, decision-making process towards successful client-vendor relationships.
· A competitive analysis comparing over 150 healthcare vendors, their associated technologies, and market strategies projections
· In-depth analysis of government funds availability to aid in the adoption of technology in healthcare.
· Specific combined market projections that have never been publicly distributed, through 2010.
• Asset Tracking
• Instrument Tracking
• Patient Tracking
• Hazardous Materials Tracking
• Wireless Network Growth
• Medical Device Connectivity
• Enterprise Healthcare Software Suite Projection Provides the facts of what it means to be RFID Pharma compliant

Scope and Format
This report is an analytical business tool that describes and analyzes the impact that the emerging technologies of RFID, wireless and connectivity will have on the healthcare hospital market. The study focuses on the U.S. market, while analyzing, at a more general level, the impact international markets will have.

Other sections of this report cover the following:
• Major product types and applications, both commercial and developmental
• U.S. market size and segmentation, including historical data on sales by application, product type, and end-user group
• Market drivers and constraints
• Detailed U.S. market projections through 2010
• Industry structure, competition and market shares
• All these factors may influence the long-term market of the emerging technologies of RFID, wireless, and connectivity in the healthcare industry.
• How to be RFID Pharmaceutical FDA Compliant.

Intended Audience:
The guide was written for the entire medical and healthcare interest community, but is tailored for readers with an interest in the sales, marketing and management dimensions of emerging technologies, such as
• Manufacturers, distributors, and integrators of RFID, wireless, medical devices, components and associated enterprise and healthcare software.
• Regulators and health insurers.
• Investors; and the financial and analyst community.
• Corporate strategic, marketing executives.
• Mid-level executive's charged with implementation

Marry the business strategy - not the technology

PRAISE FOR RFID AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES MARKET GUIDE TO HEALTHCARE
"As the market hype these days for supply chain and asset visibility seems to focus solely on EPC-RFID technologies, Brad Sokol reminded me to marry myself to the strategy and not the technology. In that short sentence he summarizes his own book, but it's not simple to develop a sound strategy without a thorough understanding of the market, government regulations, cost justification methods, technology alternatives and more. In this book Brad presents the relevant research and resources in a holistic view for developing your own technology selling strategies for the healthcare market." —Joe Dunlap, Sr. Business Development Manager, Siemens One, Inc.

"This study points out what exactly are the needs and drivers for health care providers to turn to RFID and wireless solutions. Brad Sokol's book is the ideal mental and geographical map/compass for the health care provider business. This should help RFID and wireless technology vendors to sail between the very specific demands of quality patient care and strict cost reduction." —Leslie Versweyveld, Editor, Virtual Medical Worlds Magazine

"Brad Sokol has developed a book/study which compiles industry information into a format ready for instant use and action. Comprehensive data and information are boiled down into an easy to understand presentation which teaches the novice while providing reference for the novice and seasoned veteran alike. Business Managers, product marketing, device manufacturers, service providers, and product developers will benefit from this in-depth study of the current "state of the art" and future direction of connectivity in medical technology. This work is a valuable resource." —Ken Thompson, CEO, OKEN Consulting

"Great stuff! This looks like a lot of work on your end!" —Dan Neuwirth, Chief Operating Officer, Agility Healthcare Solutions

"Brad Sokol's study is a must-have tool for anyone associated with auto-id technologies in the healthcare market. This is the only work that I have seen that separates the realities from the hype. The section that describes real-world implementations accurately portrays the scale of implementation (most projects are mere pilots!). That goes a long way toward assessing technical risk in any new healthcare data capture project. I find myself referring to Brad's work over and over. With his permission, I plan on using several of his charts in my upcoming presentations."—Robert P. Ufford VP, Business Development, RF Code Inc.