Children's Hospital of Wisconsin implements real-time asset tracking

Children's Hospital of Wisconsin implements real-time asset tracking

MADISON: Caraflow announced today at HIMMS 2009, an gathering of industry health technologist and policy makers being held this week in Chicago, that the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin (CHW) has experienced the positive effects of technology firsthand with the infrared (IR) real-time asset tracking and automated charge capture systems. The system, NurseSave, is based on a technology developed by CaraFlow utilizing additional real-time locating system (RTLS) technology from Versus Technology.
CHW recently expanded the system to their new West Tower that opened March 30th, 2009. The West Tower is a 425,000-square-foot addition and includes 12-stories of patient clinics and specialized rooms. The addition takes the 236-bed hospital to 294 beds, with capacity for an additional 72 beds in the future.
By tracking the equipment in real-time using a system of sensors and ID tags CHW has significantly improved asset utilization, allowing them to eliminate 75% of their infusion pump rental expenses. CHW has also increased equipment-billing accuracy from 80% to just under 100%, representing millions of dollars in recovered charges.
The combined technologies operate according to straightforward, well-defined processes that require minimal time and effort but offer significant results This process requires only one human-to-technology interaction in order to automate charge capture.
From that day on, equipment charges are automatically submitted to the hospital’s billing system. The rest of the caregiver’s time can be spent focusing on their patients, rather than finding equipment and attempting to accurately record which patient is using which pieces of equipment and when.
Previously caregivers had difficulty even finding equipment in order to use it. With the technologies, CHW has eliminated the inefficiencies related to equipment searches while increasing asset utilization and decreasing the need for equipment rentals. Moreover, prior to these systems being in place, CHW could not accurately capture equipment charges, and the attempt resulted in missed billings.
The combined technologies from CaraFlow and Versus are claimed by the vendors to increase safety and efficiency, while reducing overhead costs.