RFID track dementia patients in Luxembourg
- 9 October 2007
Patients suffering from dementia in a Luxembourg hospital are now being tagged with RFID solutions from AeroScout to ensure they remain safe within hospital grounds and are in close range of nurses and caregivers.
The hospital is using AeroScout’s T2 tags, which the company says has more than four years of battery life. These are worn by patients or attached to hospital equipment, and emit a signal which is detected and accurately located by the hospital’s Cisco Unified Wireless Network.
Location and status data from these tags is then sent to AeroScout’s MobileView software and integrated with interactive maps and detailed information. This allows the hospital to search for and identify at-risk patients in real-time, over any web browser.
Georges Wolfers, director of ICT at Hospital St. Louis, said: “We have a high ratio of caregivers to patients, but have always been aware of the need for additional measures when it comes to tracking patient movements around the hospital to maintain their safety and well-being.
“AeroScout offered the most comprehensive solution to our requirements with a user-friendly and scalable Wi-Fi-based solution, and we are excited by its potential to improve our high level of patient care.”
The hospital tags each vulnerable patient as they are admitted to the hospital. Any equipment used with them is also tagged ensuring that any movements are visible to hospital staff.
Movements are tracked using special hardware products for asset and people tracking. The products utilise the Cisco Unified Wireless Network in place at the hospital for a single network that provides voice, data and location information.
The AeroScout system can also trigger automated alerts based on movement and location, immediately sending an email, page or voice message to staff when a patient leaves a designated area. AeroScout Exciters provide precision detection at doorways, exits and other choke points.
Andris Berzins, managing director, EMEA at AeroScout, said: “Hospital St. Louis is pioneering a new level of patient care, and we’re excited to work with the institution as it explores the benefits of Wi-Fi-based Active RFID.
“We see strong demand for innovative tracking solutions in the European healthcare market, and this installation is further proof of our intent to maximize these opportunities.”
Based on the success of the initial implementation, Hospital St. Louis is deploying tags for patient-critical medical equipment such as infusion pumps, wheel chairs, and more to improve utilisation of these high-value assets.
Richard Roberts, director of wireless business development at Cisco, said: “Hospitals have hundreds of assets that are critical to their successful operation and it can take a significant amount of time to locate these assets when needed.
“Location-based services, such as the system deployed by Hospital St. Louis, can help improve patient care and help reduce costs with a real-time view of where their patients and assets are located."
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