A Trailblazer in RTLS Innovation

10/4/2024

In the 2024 KLAS RTLS report, How Organizations are Broadening Their Use Cases, a Midmark RTLS customer was featured as a real-time locating system (RTLS) user of 17 years. With its extensive use of the Midmark CareFlow™ RTLS , spanning use cases for nurse call, staff duress, patient flow and asset management, this particular Midmark customer has been a trailblazer of innovation, helping advance the use of RTLS for workflow efficiency, resource effectiveness and patient care.

CareFlow automatically delivers real-time patient and staff location, while simultaneously giving staff a real-time view of operations. It not only supports better staff communication and efficiencies; it can also automate data entry tasks, empowering caregivers to spend more quality time at the bedside.

Read on for a summary of the KLAS case study, detailing the transformative impact of CareFlow RTLS.

Dedicated RTLS Partner

The health system indicated that collaboration with Midmark RTLS has been highly instrumental in addressing challenges. This relationship and support aligned the healthcare system’s needs with solutions, while also being able to tailor technology, such as mining the RTLS data with Tableau for enhanced decision making. The team also emphasized the importance of comprehensive training and education to help with adoption.

Improved Patient Throughput

In the health system, CareFlow has contributed to improved patient flow, particularly in the Emergency Department. By tracking and managing real-time patient activity, patient wait times were reduced and the EDs experienced quicker room turnover, increasing patient satisfaction and operational efficiency. As an added benefit, the process of collecting RTLS badges from patients also increased cash collections for co-pays.

Effective Asset Management

Enhanced equipment tracking and management means critical resources are readily available when staff need them most—for both patient care and preventive maintenance. Across several hospitals, the health system uses a combination of Midmark’s room-certain RTLS technology and Wi-Fi locating, which provides general location information for equipment. They noted that granular asset location data is more beneficial to clinical staff.

Enhanced Staff Safety

CareFlow has also provided a critical layer of added security. A wearable mobile duress button provides quick-response functionality when a staff member is in duress, significantly improving staff safety.  

Seamless System Integration with Epic, Nurse Call + More

The health system places particular value on its interface between CareFlow RTLS and a variety of existing applications, including their Epic Electronic Health Record (EHR), Pyxis medication-dispensing solution, dietary systems, and nurse call systems. The Epic integration was highlighted as providing streamlined patient location updates and improved workflow efficiency.

Conclusion

This customer’s journey with Midmark RTLS is a compelling and decade-plus example of how innovative technology, fueled by the right partner, can transform healthcare operations. By interfacing RTLS with existing systems, prioritizing workflow efficiency and care experiences, the organization has achieved remarkable outcomes. From improved patient throughput to enhanced staff safety to effective asset management, the success of this Midmark customer’s RTLS program highlights the profound impact this technology can have in modern healthcare settings.

More information about the performance of Midmark RTLS, as rated by healthcare leaders, can be found by reading our press release or the full KLAS report. To continue exploring the impact of CareFlow RTLS solutions, visit CareFlowRTLS.com.