3 RTLS Asset Tracking Trends Shaping the Future 

Midmark RTLS participated in two asset tracking roundtables this year from the industry’s top biomedical publications: TechNation and 24/7 Magazine. We pride ourselves on being at the forefront of real-time locating system (RTLS) innovation, and we’re honored to have a voice in these settings year after year.  

As we keep our pulse on the latest technology and how biomedical and nursing staff needs are changing, there have been three RTLS asset tracking topics “trending” in these roundtables. However, they are not trends. They are adoptions healthcare and biomedical leaders need to keep a keen eye on to better optimize not only how they locate equipment but manage it. 

Here is what’s shaping the future of RTLS asset tracking in healthcare: 

1. Advancements in asset tracking technology  

Though Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) technology has been a top contender in recent years, offering near-room accuracy at a fraction of the cost of proprietary locating solutions, we’re seeing hybrid technology deployments becoming more compatible with health system needs. Hybrid leverages both precise, room-level or better locating technology where it’s needed most (like patient care areas), and near-room locating with BLE elsewhere for a cost-effective, facility-wide RTLS deployment. We can use our own BLE infrastructure and algorithms or third-party systems such as a BLE-capable Wi-Fi network. 

Utilizing artificial intelligence tools with RTLS data is another major movement. Most vendors using BLE technology apply machine learning, a form of AI, to BLE location algorithms to “train” the algorithm to be more accurate.  

In a more forward-thinking example, health systems in the future will be able to combine RTLS inventory data with patient census data. Instead of relying on nursing managers to estimate their PAR (periodic automatic replenishment) levels, AI-enabled RTLS software, with access to census data, can dynamically set PAR levels for each unit based on census trends. If the current inventory cannot meet projected demand, the RTLS could even suggest rental or purchase strategies to supplement the existing fleet. 

2. Cost impacts of poorly managed assets 

Most leaders think they have enough equipment on hand—the purchase records prove it. But in reality, supply closets are bare, and equipment is nowhere to be found. As a result, nurses and biomedical teams spend 10% of their time walking the halls, looking for equipment.  

Whether equipment is stolen, transferred with patients to other hospitals or stashed away by nursing staff to make them more accessible, biomedical teams often resort to purchasing new equipment or re-buying it with departmental budgets. This game of cat and mouse makes asset fleets increasingly difficult to budget for, and mismanaged fleets come at a hefty price tag: $7 million annually for a 300-bed hospital. More about that cost breakdown here.  

As a solution, RTLS provides real-time location information to both biomed and nursing teams, reducing non-value-added time spent searching and allowing staff to focus on what matters most: maintenance and patient care activities.  

3. The vast advantage of a partner when solving asset tracking challenges 

We encourage a focus on the people, as much as the process. At the start of your asset management project, we bring both biomedical and nursing stakeholders into the discussion to ensure the solution fits the needs of both teams. We continually see biomedical leaders choose one RTLS to manage assets, but clinical staff find its level of accuracy doesn’t quite meet their needs to automate nurse call, manage patient flow or improve safety. Addressing these needs separately, out of separate budgets, is costly to the health system. The best strategy is to bridge the gap between all stakeholders. Choosing an RTLS that can be cost-effectively deployed for asset tracking sets the foundation for scaling the RTLS over time as goals evolve into location accuracy in patient care areas. Hint: this is a perfect use case for the hybrid technology deployment mentioned earlier.  

Getting into the nuts and bolts, one area we focus on upfront is tag and sensor management. Tags come in all sizes, with varying battery life cycles, so we help you weigh your options proactively to ensure you have the right mix of tags and sensors to fit your locating goals. You’ll need to consider plans for who is in charge of changing batteries, how often and how to avoid disrupting patient care. Your RTLS vendor should be well-prepared to walk you through your options and suggest the best course of action. 

Moving Forward  

With equipment often as the linchpin in the patient care experience, the biomedical teams and healthcare organizations that fail to address the modern wave of technology impacting how staff leverage their critical assets will fall behind. These RTLS asset tracking trends, or rather adoptions, will continue to shape how healthcare moves forward.