Integrating a real-time location system (RTLS) will offer real-time monitoring of the asset’s location. This is achieved through the integration of IoT devices that communicate to analyze, process, and collect real-time data. This helps to reduce asset search time, improve staff efficiency, and prevent equipment loss, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes.
How does hospital asset management work?
For instance, a surgical procedure is to be performed by a team of doctors, which requires a few pieces of equipment. The procedure might be at risk if any of the equipment has a defect or is not in the required shape. Therefore, having asset management software can help determine the condition of every equipment type and surgical tool.
Asset management is a vital function that is often overlooked, considering the complexities of hospital administration. Hospital asset management can be defined as the improvement, repair, and maintenance of hospital assets such as land, equipment, and structures. Hospitals can save costs by implementing an efficient asset management plan, which would improve the lifespan of assets and avoid unexpected repairs. Having proper asset management in place can also enable the hospital to become more organized, effective, and provide improved patient care.
Real-time location and tracking systems have helped optimize asset management issues across industries through IoT, which could have a huge impact on healthcare. A wireless tracking system built using IoT can help medical facilities efficiently monitor every vital mobile asset throughout the facility, from wheelchairs and patient beds to infusion pumps, endoscopy equipment, ventilators, and defibrillators. Having readily available information on health instruments can help staff rapidly assemble important equipment and tools. Simultaneously, it is easy to identify assets that have not been used for a long time.
Apart from location tracking systems, IoT environmental sensors can also be integrated to optimize the storage of medical supplies. For instance, they can regularly track the humidity and temperature of medical supplies or monitor the air quality in storage rooms to ensure a clean environment. This will enable prompt detection of HVAC equipment issues for quick repairs.
IoT provides medical service providers with the opportunity to improve the efficiency of resources and operations in various ways by providing insights into the current condition of assets.
Advantages of implementing a healthcare asset management system
Healthcare Asset Management involves the management and monitoring of medical tools, supplies, and other assets used in a medical facility. Deploying an asset management system will provide numerous benefits to healthcare facilities, such as improved operational efficiency, enhanced patient safety, and reduced expenses.
Hospital equipment monitoring
An asset management system can help hospitals easily and rapidly pinpoint equipment. This is a very crucial function that ensures the proper sterilization and storage of every piece of equipment. Medical facilities can also guarantee that the most efficient technology and up-to-date equipment are used through asset tracking. For instance, when a piece of equipment is recalled, an asset management plan can easily identify the assets that are affected and the necessary steps to retire them. It prevents the exposure of patients to potential dangers from supplies and equipment.
Operational efficiency
The proper management of assets can significantly improve operational efficiency. For instance, having an asset management plan will help carry out maintenance and repairs on equipment when due, according to a generated report. This information will provide the framework for subsequent acquisitions and repairs, thereby limiting unexpected disruptions. Additionally, a hospital asset management system can streamline different processes in the medical facility. The implementation and automation of various systems in the facility will make it easy to monitor and manage equipment, patients, resources, and staff. This system will offer an insightful view of the entire facility’s operations, making it easy to recognize and address potential issues.
Having a hospital asset management plan can also enhance the interaction between various departments. For instance, the system can notify the staff whenever a patient is expected to be discharged while ensuring the required documentation is in order. This would prevent delays and promote prompt patient release.
Discover insights from reports
A medical asset management system will provide insights into the available asset types by delivering extensive and instant reports about every asset, such as medical equipment, structures, facilities, furniture, and information technology. These reports provide information by monitoring the use of these assets, along with their locations. Furthermore, these reports can be used to evaluate patterns that assist in decision-making when planning to acquire new assets or retire old ones. The system can also be used to track and manage repair and maintenance tasks for assets, develop work orders for staff, and create reports that will enhance the maintenance process of the organization.
Compliance of Regulations
Considering the continuous evolution of healthcare regulations and the challenges they entail, it is important to stay ahead of regulations like HIPAA, HITECH, GDPR, and others. Regulations are enacted to guarantee the integrity and accessibility of healthcare data. A medical asset management plan makes it easier for healthcare organizations to comply with the expected standard of care. The system provides reports and internal audits to ensure compliance with recent regulations.
Conclusion
Having an efficient medical management system can reduce risks associated with operations that require assets and occur with manual processes and archaic systems. There is a tendency for human errors in monitoring inventory using spreadsheets and human-intensive hours that consume time. As a result, it is important to implement an efficient asset management system to ensure patients enjoy seamless and instant access to capital investment and medical supplies and put them to adequate use. Implementing an adequate system will enhance workflow execution and resource usage to improve the quality of healthcare and promote rapid and effective responses in cases of emergencies.
eInfochips, as an experienced engineering services company, brings you the edge of industry-leading technologies to develop a comprehensive hospital asset management system. We have the flexibility and scalability to meet your unique needs. Team up with us to build an end-to-end solution that can track assets remotely, improve asset lifecycle management, and automate workflows for increased staff efficiency. Talk to us now!
