Trend: RFID tracking adopted more frequently

Despite some initial tensions over privacy fears--and the cost of the equipment itself--the use of RFID technology has continued to progress in many hospitals over the last year, to include tracking of equipment, staff and even patients.

Some people fear that this may result in increased privacy concerns for all involved. However, data available so far shows that some hospitals have been able to reduce wait times, and even significantly reduce the number of errors involving specimen bottles.

In some hospitals, the only remaining concern is that the RFID chips and their wireless signals may interfere with medical equipment; in other hospitals that are just installing or considering installing such a system, staff are not sure that they want management tracking them every minute of every day.

To learn more about RFID adoption:
- read this Wall Street Journal piece [1]

Related Articles:
SPOTLIGHT: Patient ID number concept falls into disfavor [2]
Addressing ID verification could spur PHR adoption [3]
ALSO NOTED: IBM rolls out RFID tracking system [4]
IT: RFID tracking system goes live for painkiller [5]