Wavetrend RFID Partner Successfully Completes Major Healthcare Pilot
Holbert System Solutions, a Cape Town based company, has recently completed the pilot phase on a ground-breaking solution for the Medi-Clinic Hospital Group in South Africa.
An established leader in the private hospital industry in South Africa and Namibia, with a market share of some 23%, Medi-Clinic was seeking a way of accurately monitoring the time spent by patients in its operating theatres, key requirements being that the system should have limited human intervention, be able to interface directly with the hospital's own computer network, and so be able to produce bills automatically. It was hoped that implementing such a system would improve the utilisation of resources, raise hospital efficiency, and so increase revenue from the operating theatres.
The solution piloted in 6 hospitals by Holbert System was to attach a Wavetrend RF Tag to the patient's bed before entering the theatre - attaching the tag to the bed rather than the patient, eliminated the danger of it being obscured by the patient's body and physical interference during procedures. By installing a Wavetrend RFID reader in each theatre and a data buffer per theatre complex, a record of the patient's identity, along with the precise time spent in surgery, could be transmitted to a software interface capable of communicating with the hospital's own information system.
Working within the very stringent installation criteria that Medi-Clinic maintains for its operating theatres, Holbert System delivered a highly functional system including a recycling facility for the RFID tags. By confirming the accuracy of time-keeping, the system has dramatically improved payment terms with insurance companies. Initial figures show that this benefit, along with the greater operational efficiency within the pilot hospitals, means that the system will have a pay-back of less than 12 months.
Holbert Systems is currently in a planning phase to undertake a full and more advanced roll-out to the majority of the Medi-Clinic hospital theatre complexes within the group. There are currently in excess of 46 Medi-Clinic hospitals country-wide. Holbert Systems, assisted by Wavetrend, has also been commissioned to explore the possibilities of using RFID tags to track both key items of equipment and members of staff to improve hospital efficiency.
Deon van Blommestein, Manager of Patient Administration at Medi-Clinic wrote: "This system provides benefits to both the patients and the funders, since the theatre times produced are accurate and thus indisputable. Medi-Clinic looks forward to the continued participation of Wavetrend Technologies and the interaction of Holbert System Solutions in order to achieve our technological expectations."
About Wavetrend
Wavetrend is a world-leading manufacturer of active Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. It provides a comprehensive range of tags, readers, peripherals and supporting software through its global accredited Channel Partners. These partners are trained by Wavetrend to help them to design, develop and deliver innovative solutions based on the group's open architecture platform.
Wavetrend Technologies Ltd is a world-leading provider of Ultra Long Range (ULR) active Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. In collaboration with its global network of strategic and accredited channel partners, which include IBM, Motorola, Red Prairie and Symbol, Wavetrend provides hardware and software solutions for the RFID market.
ULR active RFID tags contain their own power source, enabling real-time asset monitoring and tracking over distances of less than 1 metre to greater than 250 metres. Wavetrend's tags are robust and have an internal battery life of up to 8 years. The addition of sensors to detect, for example, vibration or changes in temperature, enables assets to communicate their whereabouts and condition using secure transmission protocols for maximum security.
Market forecasts anticipate that the RFID market will grow dramatically over the next 10 years. Through its extensive domain knowledge and proven ability to meet the requirements of customers and channel partners alike, Wavetrend is well placed to lead the growth of this market.
Founded in 1999, Wavetrend is head-quartered in Richmond, London, and has offices in Washington DC and Johannesburg.
About Holbert System Solutions
Holbert System Solutions, founded in 1994, is a South African-based Channel Partner of Wavetrend.