Asset Tracking in 147 UAE Healthcare Facilities
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Health is integrating a UHF RFID-based asset tracking and management solution across 147 public healthcare facilities. These include hospitals, day clinics, health centers, warehouses and administrative offices.
Medical equipment, IT equipment, furnishings and technical building components that require maintenance are fitted with UHF tags.
In the seven states of the UAE, there are over 12,500 beds available in healthcare facilities for approximately 10.5 million residents. Each state has a few privately owned or operated facilities. The majority of healthcare facilities are centrally operated and controlled by the UAE Ministry of Health.
Process Requirements
The Ministry of Health registered increasing inefficiencies in asset management. This resulted in lost time, increased workloads, rising costs and limited transparency. To remedy these problems, the ministry commissioned the development and integration of a UHF RFID-based solution.
Objectives for Healthcare Facilities
- Mobile medical devices must be located at short notice
- Automatic capture of assets for inventories
- Automate maintenance of devices and technical building equipment
Solution of the UAE Ministry of Health
By spring 2020, all relevant objects were tagged and then updated with master data, maintenance history and linked tag ID in the asset management software. Permanently installed long-range UHF readers and antennas were installed in the form of gates. The capture of tagged objects at entrances, exits and exits guarantees the exact location of mobile assets. UHF RFID handhelds ensure mobile flexibility - from locating individual assets to routine full inventories.
A variety of tagged assets are located outdoors, including surveillance cameras, generators, or air conditioning parts. For outdoor applications, maximum daytime temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius in the shade must be taken into account when selecting tags.
Special on-metal tags are used for objects made of metal. All assets that are integrated into the solution in the outdoor area of healthcare facilities also require special transponders that can permanently withstand the high temperatures and solar radiation.
With the use of RFID label printers, additional assets can also be promptly integrated into the management solution in the future. Employees encode the labels directly on-site, label new assets and enter the ID into the management software via handheld.
Technology Partner
Hardware & Software
- Feig Electronic – Long-range UHF readers and antennas
- Smartrac – an Avery Dennison company – UHF RFID label
- Zebra Technologies – RFID Label Printer
Advantages
- Exact localization and documentation of mobile objects almost in real time
- Reduced time spent on inventory
- Employees code labels directly on-site and enter them into the management software
Outlook
- As one of the next stages of expansion, the Ministry of Health plans to integrate RFID technology for medication and drugs.
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Technologies
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