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NEWS

Hospital uses UWB to track "patient flow"

From "New York-Presbyterian Selects Patient Care Technology Systems' Automatic Tracking Software for Perioperative Services" - PCTS press release, 7 November:

"...The automatic tracking software provides real-time tracking of patients and mobile medical equipment using wireless ultra-wideband badges worn by patients and staff.

"In addition to locating and tracking Operating Room resources, the software translates interactions between patients, medical staff and equipment into time-stamped stages of a patient's course of treatment.

"This information is continuously updated on an electronic tracking map to inform care givers of anticipated demand as patients are prepared for surgery and later for recovery.

"The software organizes communications between care givers reducing the confusion over the status of patients, rooms, and the availability of clinical staff. As a result, phone calls and other manual interventions to manage care progression are reduced resulting in more timely care and a quieter patient environment. Extensive data on patient flow and resource utilization is generated through the software's reporting engine to assist perioperative departments to further analyze department utilization...

"The software applications work with all forms of locating hardware including ultra-wideband, RFID, Wi-Fi and infrared. PCTS works with healthcare providers to determine the most suitable configuration based on factors such as tracking precision requirements, the physical plant, and the hospital network infrastructure..."

[Medical Wireless 10 November 2006]