RFId Technologies for the Hospital. How to Choose the Right One and Plan the Right Solution?

The chapter shows how the RFId technology in hospital can significantly help the caregivers in the management of non cooperative in-patients, improving their overall safety degree. The proposed solution is based on a specific dual-frequency active RFId technology, combined with passive RFId wristbands. Some different layouts are also discussed and analyzed, taking into account the necessity to reveal any wristbands detachments. The whole system is managed by a custom software that gives the position of every patient at fixed time intervals. The software provides the ward’s staff with warnings and alarms when a patient enters some dangerous areas, tries to leave the ward or exits the building. The solution is very scalable and can be easily extended from a single ward to a whole building or to many hospital pavilions. The chapter addresses the issue of electromagnetic interferences (EMI), citing international studies conducted to date on active and passive RFId used in hospitals, as well as ongoing studies from the author’s research group. Some interesting studies based on cellular telephony and wireless LAN are cited as well. It also describes the approach and some tests carried out in accordance with the ANSI 63.18 standard, to ensure that the proposed system does not lead to electromagnetic interference on the electrical medical equipment.