RFID in Healthcare:A Physician’s View

Michael Meistrell, MD

IEEE RFID WorldMarch 27, 2007

Potential for RFID is Huge

• Secure, Confidential, Accurate• Consistent, reliable patient identification• ID for Medication, dosage• Match intended procedure to patient• Many ICU applications• Aid transition from hospital to outpatient• Medical record ID• Enhance patient workflow• …and many, many more

Improved Security and Confidentiality

• Compare with written documentation

• Passive devices probably best

• Encryption mandatory

• Don’t confuse database security with chip security issues

• Place tight constraints on the READER

Hospital ErrorsAn Enormous Problem

• 37 Million admissions per year in US

• 15 Million “Adverse Events” annually

• 40,000 per day!

• About 10 per hospital per day

• No patient is immune – We’re all at risk

• Cause: Flawed (Systemic) processes

Focus on Patient Workflow

• 50% of errors are due to communication failures– Written or verbal

• Interruptions in flow account for the most serious errors

• RFID potential drastic reduction of the effects of unexpected changes

HEALTHCARE NEEDS:

• Systems expertise (IEEE)• Elimination of many manual steps and

processes• Expanded use of technology

– Computerized alert algorithms– Very tight security—beyond passwords– Invasive real-time diagnostic testing

• RFID applicable in almost every step of every care process

Contacts & Information

www.IHI.org

meistrell@ahmsystems.net