3 ways RFID linen tracking systems can enhance hygiene practices in hospitals
A crucial requirement to running a hospital is to ensure that both staff conduct and the facility meet the general health guidelines based on their regional health department. As such, placing emphasis on hygienic practices is imperative to avoid spreading infections and to provide a convenient experience, not just for patients but for hospital staff as well.
Among the staff entrusted with maintaining the required hygiene standards are linen managers, who carry a huge responsibility of ensuring that the linen they provide to fellow staff members and patients is not just of high quality but also meets the required hygiene standards to ensure infection control.
No longer can linen managers depend on manual linen sorting, as this has a propensity to cut down on their productivity and increases their chances of making costly mistakes, such as mixing soiled linen with freshly laundered ones.
To overcome common challenges in managing a large volume of linen inventory in hospitals, linen managers should turn to a solution that is less labour-intensive and dynamic and helps them streamline linen operations.
Enter RFID linen tracking systems — a multifaceted software with comprehensive functionalities that foolproof many tasks related to linen management. RFID, which is short for radio frequency identification, is a technology that uses small chips attached to RFID tags or barcode scanners, which helps to store and transmit information wirelessly from an attached item to a reader or software for tracking and identification purposes.
RFID tracking systems have successfully revolutionised the approaches to linen management in various industries, including healthcare. This can ultimately enhance the way linen managers administer hygienic linen management practices.
Let’s explore 3 ways RFID tracking systems can be used to enhance hygiene practices in hospitals to prevent the spread of infection and to foster a safe environment for patients and hospital staff:
- Ensuring proper linen hygiene and cleanliness
The sorting and transferring of linen items from one spot to their respective spaces is imperative to prevent the spread of infection, usually stemming from mixing soiled linens with freshly laundered ones. For that reason, it is necessary for linen managers to depend on a system that is able to track their movements to ensure proper cleaning and disinfection.
RFID technology has been developed so that it will be able to trace each linen item using an RFID tag which has unique information about the history of a linen item, when it was last cleaned, how it has been handled, where it has been, and whether it has come into contact with pathogens or contaminants.
The item will then be flagged as it moves from one stage of the linen management system to the other to warn users that a linen item has been contaminated or improperly cleaned. This is the benefit gained from the system’s real-time location tracking capability.
This real-time visibility and tracking feature enables hospital linen managers to figure out which linens have been soiled and which ones have been thoroughly cleaned, thus rendering the latter fit for use by patients and hospital staff alike. By eliminating the risk of inadvertently using soiled or contaminated linen, this RFID-powered technology can improve the hygiene standards in linen handling, thereby improving patient safety.
2. Optimising linen inventory management
To ensure high hygiene standards are maintained within the healthcare industry, it is important to maximise the efficiency of linen inventory management within these establishments. RFID linen tracking systems can simplify and optimise this process by providing real-time visibility into the status and location of linen items.
RFID technology allows hospitals to trace the movement of linen items from laundry to patient rooms accurately so that the hospital’s linen supply is always fresh and sufficient. This level of transparency ensures that linen managers can successfully track the amount of linens being used and replaced at any one time, thus preventing stock-outs or overstocking. It also helps to avoid the use of low-quality, contaminated, or damaged linen which would otherwise compromise patient safety and hygiene.
In addition, linen tracking systems based on RFID not only automate the inventory management process but also decrease human errors which can be costly. This process enables hospital staff to save precious time and valuable resources that can be used for more productive matters, such as improving patient care and cleanliness matters.
3. Improving compliance and regulatory adherence
Hospital staff are required to adhere to and comply with a strict set of guidelines and standards governing the management of linen and other healthcare-related processes. Failure to comply with the relevant regulatory guidelines and health regulations may result in hefty penalties or fines from the authorities for non-compliance.
Linen managers can rest assured that RFID tracking systems will always be up to date with any new guidelines concerning safe and healthy linen management when and where needed. The system is embedded with a feature that details precise records of linen movement, cleaning, and usage of linen items.
Linen managers can now depend on this system to stay abreast of any changes in regulations when it comes to hygiene guidelines in hospitals, which not only guarantees patient safety but also shields the hospital from financial repercussions of not complying with the health and safety guidelines of its local health department.
Invest in RFID linen tracking systems to ensure full compliance with hygiene standards in linen management
RFID tracking systems are a revolutionary solution and are gaining more popularity among health facilities in Australia as well. With proper hygiene and cleanliness, optimisation of linen inventory management, and compliance, this system plays a vital role in patient health and safety.
On the contrary, the possibility of staying abreast with changes in hygiene policies will assist hospitals in coming up with a remedy for infection control, putting up a wall against the effects of non-compliance.
As healthcare facilities work hard to establish a safe and hygienic environment, investing in RFID linen tracking systems becomes a smart decision that can improve patient safety and boost operational efficiency.
