RFID tags can be active or passive. Active tags have a battery life of several years, with a range of tens of meters and a larger data capacity compared to passive tags. The passive tags use reader emissions to power a response that is usually an identification number. Passive tags have short range and are small enough to implant under the skin. The basic advantage of RFID tags over barcodes is that you can write on them, automatically read them even if you cannot see them and read many of them simultaneously. How quickly does RFID achieves its potential is all a matter of time, but for adopters, many good reasons encourage the use of RFID technology in healthcare systems.
RFID tags can be supplied as wristbands or special badges with a tamper mechanism to prevent from being removed or to emit a signal if attempted to remove. The RFID readers would then be placed in specific areas of the hospital for the patient to be located within a measurable distance. The measurable distance would be defined in the system integrator working with the client so that it is small enough for the patient to be located with some confidence and large enough in the area covered by cost effective terms and the number of readers required.
The read range of active RFID varies from ten feet to thousand feet giving flexibility in setting up the coverage area. The RFID tags can also be designed to track the patients outdoor if they are outside the facility room or roaming in the campus. Special alerts can be programmed based on the needs of the facility, area or the patient.
0 comments: on "RFID Applications in Patient Tracking"
Post a Comment