KLAS: With RTLS, It’s In The Way That You Use It

Though only 10 to 15 percent of the healthcare market is currently utilizing a real-time location system (RTLS) solution, 95 percent of them (ranging from facilities with 25 beds to large IDNs with thousands of beds), cite operational efficiency gains, according to a new KLAS report — Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) 2011: Maximizing the ROI.

“Providers using RTLS solutions reported finding success when automating the monitoring of refrigerator temperatures; tracking assets, patients, or staff members; assessing hand-hygiene compliance; and engaging in a variety of other uses. However, not all RTLS deployments are created equal,” said report author Steve VanWagenen. “Much of a facility’s success with RTLS depends on the breadth of the deployment, the variety of ways RTLS is being used, and the level of integration between RTLS and other solutions.”

Providers also shared the lessons they have learned while deploying RTLS and what they would do differently if given the chance to start fresh. The biggest lessons learned? Adjust staff workflow to incorporate RTLS use, build organizational awareness of the many RTLS-use cases, and strengthen RTLS infrastructure before the go live to improve adoption and maximize the ROI.

Customer satisfaction scores related to contracting, implementation, product quality, support, and overall vendor relationship highlight some of the key vendor strengths and weaknesses. Some of the key differentiators are total cost of ownership, reporting/analytics tools, and depth of use.

Over 150 organizations shared their RTLS experiences with KLAS, outlining differences in depth/breadth of deployment and vendor performance. Respondents in the study shared their experiences working with AeroScout, Awarepoint, Ekahau, GE, Intelligent InSites, Radianse, and Versus. An update on the RTLS solutions offered by CenTrak, Cerner, Hill-Rom, Sonitor, and TeleTracking is also provided.