1. RFID Applications in Healthcare
exponent Consulting Group
22nd February 2011

2. Introduction
• Introduction to exponent
– Who we are
– Our business model
• Overview of RFID Technology
– Principle of Operation
– Components – Tags, Readers, Antennas, Software
– Tag Classes, Properties & capabilities
• Healthcare Applications for RFID
– Patient Tracking & Record Management
– Medication & Inventory Management
• Partner Implementation & Management Model
– Implementation - Project & Change Management Processes
– Infrastructure Management
– Service Provisioning

3. Exponent Consulting Group
INTRODUCTION TO EXPONENT

4. Introduction to exponent
• Management Consultancy Group based in Chicago, USA, specializing in:
– RFID Storage
– Cloud Network Storage Solutions
• Implementation expertise provided by our technical partners:
– Entigral Systems (www.entigral.com)
– Cleversafe (www.cleversafe.com)
• Employ a unique business model:
– Partner with our clients
– Share the risks of implementation
– Provide an optional support and technology management role

5. Introduction to exponent
• Exponent recognizes the challenges of new technologies
– Risks associated with implementation
– Questionable ROIs
– Continued technological expertise post-implementation
• Exponent addresses all these by adopting a “partner-model” as opposed
to a typical “vendor-model”
– Allows you to concentrate on your core expertise – Healthcare management
– Allows us to focus on ours – RFID management
• Permits the greatest level of flexibility and comfort for our partners
– Clients can acquire Infrastructure, Training, Maintenance and Support services
– Clients can acquire Infrastructure while outsourcing Maintenance & Support
– Clients can acquire an Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) – with minimum CAPEX

6. Exponent Consulting Group
RFID TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW

7. RFID Technology Overview
• Radio Frequency Identification
• Utilizes the principles of electromagnetic radio waves to transmit, interrogate
and receive information from RFID tags:
– Near Field Inductive Coupling
– Far Field Backscatter Propagation
• The RFID tags are associated with assets and come in two flavours:
– Active – have their own power source, capable of communicating directly
– Passive – no internal power source, can only respond to a reader request
• This information can be processed to provide real time asset visibility:
– Location/Proximity of Tag
– ID of Tag, linked via system to asset details
– Physical Status of Tag – temperature, humidity level etc.

8. RFID Technology Overview
• Any RFID system is composed of a set of discrete components:
– Tags
– Readers/Antennas – also known as Interrogators
– Application Software & Middleware

9. RFID Technology Overview
• Tags are classified by EPC Global (an Industry Standards Body) and are
known as Generation-2 or Gen-2 tags:
Active – Rewritable with adhoc network
Class 5 capability with all tag classes
Active – Rewritable with adhoc networking
Class 4
capability with other class 4 tags
Class 3 Semi-passive with integrated sensors
Class 2 Passive – Authenticated Access Control only
Class 1 Passive – Read and Write Once only
Class 0 Passive – Read only

10. RFID Technology Overview
• Can replace or be used in conjunction with barcodes:
– Allows Item level tracking as opposed to class level
– Can be processed at greater distances than a barcode
– Supports bulk processing as opposed to single item scanning
– Can store more information about the item
– Allows information updates to be stored on the tags

11. RFID Technology Overview
• RFID Tag Structure & Applications
– Can be implanted
– Can be swallowed
– Can be embedded
– Can be pasted

12. RFID Technology Overview
• Readers are classified as being:
– Hand Held
– Fixed
– Vehicle Mounted
– Printer
– Utility
•Antennas (which are also effectively readers) come in a variety of form
factors but are configured as per tag functionality:

13. RFID Technology Overview
• Software is often needed at the middle tier to provide connectivity with
Hospital legacy systems (patient records, pharmacy, inventory etc.):
– Traxware
– Other Entigral products

14. Exponent Consulting Group
HEALTHCARE IMPLEMENTATION
SCENARIOS

15. RFID in Healthcare - Scenarios
• Healthcare implementations of RFID revolve around high value asset
tracking with minimal human involvement:
– Patient Tracking
• Where are our patients spending most of their time?
• How much time do they spend waiting to be served?
• Where are the patient records?
• Can reports, samples, tests all be reliably linked to the correct patient?
– Asset Tracking & Inventory Management
• Where are our beds, wheelchairs, mobile medical equipment located right now?
• Which items are missing and when did they go missing?
• Which items are below the threshold level and need to be ordered?
– Medication Tracking
• Which pharmaceuticals are located on each floor of my hospital?
• Which of these drugs will expire within the next 6 months?
• How much of each medicine is consumed on a daily basis?

16. RFID in Healthcare – Patient Tracking
Data
Center
Reception
Clinic
Laboratory Radiology Pharmacy

17. RFID in Healthcare – Medicine Tracking
Receptacle
Supplier Hospital Ward 6
Store
Data Center
Medicine
Cabinet –
Ward 6

18. Exponent Consulting Group
PARTNER IMPLEMENTATION &
MANAGEMENT MODEL

19. Partner Implementation & Management Model
• Such a model necessitates a careful selection of partners
• With any new technology adoption comes “change”. This is always
accompanied by “pain”
• Exponent needs to know if its partners can bear this “pain” for the greater
good of the enterprise
• We thus proceed cautiously in a rational, staged manner maintaining the
greatest level of transparency:
– Conduct a thorough RFID Readiness Assessment – RRA
– Conduct a detailed site survey to understand the scope of the project - RSS
– Study and document the Business Process Reengineering required - RBPR

20. Partner Implementation & Management Model
• On review an acceptance of the findings of the RRA, RSS and RBPR, only
then is a detailed Project & Change Management Plan – PCMP drawn up
• The PCMP always includes a staged introduction of the technology:
– Begins with a pilot implementation
– Proceeds to allow the pilot to be tested and stabilized
– Allows for a pilot rebuild if acceptance criteria are not met
– Proceeds to iterate on subsequent stage builds to finalize in complete solution