In many of our consulting engagements with hospitals across the U.S., one of the more common complaints / concerns we run into regards the amount of time that clinical staff spend searching for vital equipment, such as IV pumps, wheelchairs, as so on.

Some nurses report spending as much as an hour per day in their quest to locate equipment.  What’s even more concerning is that even when they find it, it’s not always guaranteed that it will be in proper working order … and so, the search continues.

In an effort to avoid risk, improve clinical outcomes and increase staff productivity, we’re seeing an increasing number of  hospitals take action by instituting asset tracking systems in their facilities.  They are tracking everything from patient throughput in the ED, to smart pumps on the floors, to patient conditions through remotely-transmitted patient health data and emergency alerts.

What’s particularly notable here are the results that are being achieved.  For example, according to a recent Healthcare IT News article, some hospitals have reported a cost savings of as much as $750,000 annually, better equipment utilization, and reduced risk of negative patient outcomes from searching for needed equipment (thus delaying treatment).   At the same time, nurses are reporting more face-time with patients, improved quality of care, increased patient satisfaction, and bolstered staff morale.

Here’s a novel thought:  as technology continues to take the inpatient experience to new levels, wouldn’t  it be great if critical equipment took a note from the family dog, and would just come when called?   Out at HIMSS11 last week, we saw one hospital report that only 53% of their RNs’ time was being spent on direct patient care.   We’d be willing to bet that “chasing equipment” accounts for a significant part of that gap.  In terms of cost / benefit, there’s a very strong case to be made for RTLS here.