Mar 09, 2011RFID Journal announced today that it will publish a new report, titled "How to Choose the Right RFID System: A Guide for Health-Care Professionals," as well as a new real-time location system (RTLS) return-on-investment (ROI) calculator. The report and calculator will be released at RFID Journal LIVE! 2011, and will be provided free to those attending the event's RFID in Health Care preconference seminar, being held on Apr. 12. The report and calculator will also be available for purchase online in early April, through the RFID Journal Store, at an anticipated cost of $395 for the report and $295 for the calculator.
The report covers 24 types of radio frequency identification technologies, including active, passive, RTLS and hybrid systems, with details about the strengths and weaknesses of each, and the applications for which they are most often used.
The RTLS ROI calculator features an Excel spreadsheet that includes sample data for a fictional hospital, and enables health-care professionals to input information regarding the number of assets they have, how many they replace each year and the amount of money they spend to rent equipment. The calculator then projects the potential annual savings that can be achieved by deploying an RTLS solution, as well as the cost over a five-year period.
"This new report and the new ROI calculator will be of great benefit to any hospitals considering investing in an RFID system," says Mark Roberti, RFID Journal's founder and editor. "They can use the report to figure out which solution would work best for their application, and then utilize the calculator to estimate the costs and benefits, based on data from hospitals that have already deployed an RTLS."
The RFID in Health Care preconference will feature leading health-care providers and early adopters sharing real-world case studies revealing the business benefits of radio frequency identification. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn how hospitals and health-care organizations are employing the technology to improve patient monitoring and safety, increase asset utilization with real-time tracking, boost revenue with automated billing, reduce medical errors by tracking medical devices and enhance supply chain efficiencies.
Among the case studies that will be presented are:
Mission Hospital Improves Equipment Utility Rate and Saves $150,000
Speaker: Michael Kohler, director of material management, Mission Hospital—Mission Viejo and Laguna Beach
Nyack Hospital Improves Medication Compliance With RFID
Speaker: Joseph Pinto, director of pharmacy, Nyack Hospital
Ohio State University Medical Center Uses RTLS to Track Assets Across 40-Building Campus
Speaker: Chad Neal, director of technology, Ohio State University Medical Center (OSUMC)
RFID-Enabled Journal Helps Patients Track Pain at Meridian Health
Speaker: Sandra Elliot, director of consumer technology and service development, Meridian Health
In addition, the main conference agenda includes a Health Care/Pharmaceutical track that will feature the following speakers:
• Ray Lowe, director of ministry support/IS operations, Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center
• Gregg Stepp, CMRP, director of supply chain operations, Texoma Medical Center
• Federico van Gelderen, executive director, Axxa Pharma
• Al Arzola, facility manager, TLC Care Center
• Ed Bortone, CHPA, director of materials services and security, Lahey Clinic Medical Center
• Jean-Pierre Emond, dean and research professor, College of Technology and Innovation, University of South Florida Polytechnic
"RFID and RTLS technologies have progressed rapidly over the past few years, making it easier to deploy and more reliable," Roberti states. "This event offers an opportunity to hear the objective experiences of other medical facilities, and to get the background information and ROI tools necessary to make decisions about how and where to use these technologies to the greatest benefit of your hospital."
RFID Journal LIVE! 2011, the ninth annual event produced by RFID Journal, will be held on Apr. 12-14, at the Orange Country Convention Center, in Orlando, Fla. The event will feature eight industry-specific and level-of-expertise conference tracks, eight in-depth preconference seminars, three colocated events, fast-track CompTIA RFID+ training and certification, the RFID Journal Awards and the RFID in Apparel Workshop, as well as numerous technology exhibits and demonstrations conducted by the leading technology firms.
