RFID Technology Now Also Protects Medical Lasers By biolitec And Provides Better Patient Safety
Together with the internationally leading medical devices company biolitec AG from Jena, RF-iT Solutions, the Austrian specialist for RFID software and services, developed a middleware solution in order to make the use of laser devices and the related consumables in the medical field even safer and more efficient in the future.
Enhanced safety through higher quality
biolitec AG develops and sells laser systems, which enable minimally invasive procedures in various different areas of medicine. To ensure absolute safety for the patient, the laser probes used are changed after each application.
In order to optimize consumables regarding safety and quality criteria and to eliminate error sources, RF-iT Solutions developed the You-R SECURE solution, which is based on the middleware You-R OPEN, tested-and-tried in the area of authenticity protection. The ISO 15693 HF-technology with data-on-tag option and electronic signatures was applied.
An electronic signature of the probes provides absolute safety to both the user and the patient as only original probes can be used this way. The attending doctors are supported by the technology insofar as a probe can only be used once in any case due to the signature, thus excluding incorrect use and increased wear and thus bad clinical results.
Batches easily traceable
The You-R SECURE solution comprises RFID stations for the arrival of the raw consumables, their personalization and for the visualization of the current status during production. In addition, tracing batches, which his necessary in medical technology, has been simplified significantly.
At the secured biolitec headquarters, a You-R SECURE signing station runs for the preparation of authenticity certificates. The respective RFID stations at the production sites in Germany, Latvia and the USA request authenticity certificates from the headquarters and personalize the probes on site. At these stations, the consumables delivered are also inspected for set quality standards and, in case these standards are not met, are automatically made unusable. Dominik Berger, Managing Director of RF-iT Solutions: "Abuse of unsuitable material can therefore be excluded". The local business processes, the signing station and the exchange of date between the stations are managed via the proven RFID middleware You-R OPEN. The You-R OPEN Admin Suite monitors the smooth operation of the system as a system control center. "The technical devices and probes are state-of-the-art after being upgraded to RFID. We have successfully placed these product innovations in the market in the past months and thus increased the safety standard for our treatment", explains Dr. Wolfgang Neuberger, Chairman of the Board of biolitec AG.
Enhanced efficiency
In addition to the safety and quality aspects, the RFID solution also enhances the efficiency of the products and reduces investment costs significantly. "We have undertaken great efforts to convert our devices to RFID encoding technology in order to ensure our turnover in the consumables segment while at the same time offering safer and healthier treatments", Neuberger emphasizes and adds: "The new technology will make it possible to offer hospitals and doctors a business model in the future which adapts investment expenses to the budgets by drawing on consumables expenses for financing more than previously. We constantly strive to gain added value for our customers while at the same time minimizing their costs. This is an important sales argument, especially in consumption-oriented markets such as the USA".
About RF-iT Solutions GmbH
RF-iT Solutions GmbH, Graz, Austria, a company operating in the area of RFID software and services, was established in 2005 through a management buy-out of the "RFID Software and Solutions" business unit of Infineon AG. RF-iT Solutions is the market leader in the strategic segments of the fashion and the automotive industries. The company provides RFID middleware and technology consultancy, devising comprehensive communications solutions to link together business processes, RFID technology and IT. With a staff of 36, the company focuses on the marketing and continued development of You-R OPEN, a scalable Auto-ID software product and the world's leading RFID OPerating ENvironment, which serves as a platform for system integrators, software manufacturers and operators. RF-iT Solutions provides system integrators with comprehensive technology consulting, serving them as a technical backbone, so that business processes that have been optimized in theory will also work when implemented in practice. In combination with the knowledge of industry experts, You-R OPEN enables partners to provide global RFID solutions quickly, with the necessary expertise, thus allowing them to focus on added value for their customers. At its location in Graz, the company operates the „RFID/EPCglobal Test Center" for customer-specific RFID test in cooperation with GS1. The company was awarded the valued European Auto-ID Award in the category of RFID in 2006 for the convincing features of You-R OPEN, including its functionalities and capacity for integration; it also received the German Innovation Award in 2007.
About biolitec AG
biolitec in Jena, Germany, is the only supplier of photodynamic therapy worldwide that has all relevant core competences – photosensitizers, laser and optical fibers. Apart from minimally invasive laser treatments and the oncology segment, biolitec AG has also acquired unique competences in the aesthetics segment. biolitec is listed in the Prime Standard of the German Stock Exchange under ISIN DE0005213409. For more information, visit: www.biolitec.de.
SOURCE: biolitec AG