Papers

Reference #: ITRI-WP104-1126 Date: November 6, 2007

RFID in Healthcare: A Framework of uses and Opportunities

Abstract:

Although radio frequency identification (RFID) is not a new technology, it has only recently received interest beyond a few niche areas and is now on its way to becoming a mainstream technology in many industries. With its potential and unique uses, healthcare is one of the major sectors that RFID is being considered and adopted. Improving the healthcare supply chain, patient safety, and monitoring of critical processes are some of the key drivers that motivate healthcare industry participants to invest in this technology. Already, RFID is being used in the broad areas of asset management, inventory management, authenticity management, identity management, and process management. However, more research has to be done on the technology development and more applied investigations have to be conducted on integrating the technology within the industry in order to fully utilize RFID. This study provides a framework of current RFID uses in the healthcare industry and opportunities for continued deployment.