Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
words, a different RFID wristband means each patient's progression situa-
tion and treatment is different. The ER-RFID information system monitors
patient treatment schedule and displays the patient's message on the screen
based on the different RFID wristband colors. The objective of each RFID
wristband color is defined as follows
•
Red color: The red color of patient ID warns medical staffs that the
patient should receive immediate treatment, test result reports, and
patient progression evaluation.
Yellow color: The yellow color is a warning message that the treat-
•
ment should start, the report should be received, and the patient
should be transferred to an inpatient bed for continuous treatment.
Green color: The green color means medical staffs should observe
•
the patient's progression and deliver treatment on the normal pro-
cess track.
Figure 15.4 shows that medical staff need to take the PDA to scan the patient
and the medical tray or ward RFID tag in order to record medical staff visita-
tion time information into the PDA. Physicians can see the treatment plan
and test results on the PDA. The information will transmit through the blue
tooth into the medical information system database.
15.4.2.2 The Alerting Mechanism of Monitored Waiting Time
When a patient completes his or her triage level classification, the RFID
first records the patient's waiting time. When a patient receives treatment,
the RFID then records the start of treatment in the database. The ER-RFID
information system analyzes the starting time minus the patient's completed
triage level time to calculate the patient's waiting time in each triage level.
To address the long waiting time before receiving treatment, the RFID
records the waiting time by tag after the patient's level is triaged. Later, the
RFID compares the patient's waiting time before receiving treatment with
each triage level standard safe waiting time. If the waiting time exceeded
the standard waiting time, the abnormal record using a red color would be
displayed in the alert fields to give notification and display on the ER-RFID
information system to alert medical staff to provide treatment immediately.
The three categories in the mechanism of the monitored waiting time are
depicted as follows
•
Radiology and ancillary waiting time
When patients wait too long for radiology or ancillary test result
reports, it may delay patient treatments and further endanger
patients' lives. Therefore, applying RFID to monitor radiology and
ancillary report waiting time helps patient safety.
