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The same scenario takes place every day in every hospital: Nursing staff urgently need an infusion stand, a wheelchair or an ECG device. Instead of having it immediately at hand, a time-consuming search through corridors, stations and storage rooms begins. Sometimes it takes minutes, sometimes much longer. In emergency situations, such delays can become critical.
Studies show sobering figures: Nursing staff spend an average of 20 to 30 percent of their working time searching for equipment, medicines or documents. With an eight-hour service, that is up to two and a half hours that are not available for patient care. The costs of this wasted time run into the millions, not to mention delayed treatment and patient frustration.
The problem is aggravated by several factors: Mobile equipment is constantly moving, being used by various departments, parked in the wrong rooms or “hoarding” in private storage areas because employees fear that they won't find anything when they need it next time. Manual tracking systems with paper forms or Excel lists are hopelessly outdated and are rarely maintained consistently.
The solution lies in Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) — technologies for real-time location of indoor assets. The basic principle is simple: Equipment is equipped with small electronic tags that transmit their position to a central system. The location of each asset is visualized in real time on digital building maps.
Various technologies are available, depending on requirements and budget. Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons are the most common solution — cost-effective, energy-saving with several years of battery life, and with accuracy in the range of a few meters. For maximum precision, there is Ultra-Wideband (UWB) with accuracy in the centimeter range, relevant for example for expensive surgical robots.
RFID technology offers a passive alternative: Tags do not require their own energy supply and are captured by external readers. This reduces maintenance, but limits tracking to areas with reading devices. WiFi-based solutions use existing network infrastructure but are less precise than dedicated RTLS systems.
Modern platforms such as Accuras are technology-agnostic and support various positioning methods in parallel. High-quality assets receive precise UWB tags, standard equipment is tracked with BLE, and inexpensive consumables can use RFID. This flexibility optimizes the cost-benefit ratio.
The introduction of asset tracking starts with full inventory. All relevant equipment categories are covered: mobile medical devices, patient furniture, wheelchairs, beds, transport equipment, IT hardware. Each asset receives a unique ID and is equipped with a tracking tag.
The digital building map forms the foundation. It must be precise and cover all relevant areas — patient rooms, treatment rooms, warehouses, corridors, elevators. In systems such as Accuras, this card can be created internally without external service providers, which significantly reduces costs and project duration.
The positioning infrastructure is set up differently depending on the technology. BLE-based systems require gateways or beacons to be installed in the building — typically every 10 to 20 meters. UWB requires precisely calibrated anchors. WiFi systems use an existing network, but often require configuration and optimization.
Technical setup is followed by organizational integration. Employees must be trained, not only in using the system but also in new workflows. Processes for equipment reservation, check-out and maintenance reporting are digitized and integrated into the tracking platform.
The most obvious benefit is the search time reduction. Nurse needs an infusion pump, opens an app, sees on a digital map that an available pump is three rooms away, and picks it up in less than a minute. Instead of searching for ten minutes. This adds up to massive efficiency gains over hundreds of daily processes.
Equipment sharing between departments is being optimized. Stations used to hoard equipment out of fear of scarcity. With transparent availability, devices can be shared across the hospital, which reduces the total number required. After the introduction of RTLS, a hospital with 500 wheelchairs can often make do with 350 — the investment is amortized by saved purchases.
Maintenance management is automated. The system tracks hours and cycles of use and automatically triggers maintenance alarms. Medical devices with calibration requirements are marked in good time for inspection. Technicians get navigation to devices that require maintenance, with access to maintenance history and documentation directly on the asset.
Theft protection is an often underestimated advantage. Equipment leaving hospital premises triggers alarms. In urban hospitals with publicly accessible areas, theft is a real problem. RTLS measurably reduces losses.
In emergencies, the system can identify the closest available equipment and navigate personnel there. In time-critical situations, these seconds can be decisive. Some systems even integrate automatic alerting: In the event of a heart alarm, the next available defibrillator is identified and personnel directed there.
Asset tracking only provides full benefits through integration into existing workflows. The connection with room booking systems enables equipment-specific reservations. A treatment room is booked for an ultrasound examination, the system automatically reserves an available ultrasound device and shows staff where it can be picked up.
Checkout/check-in processes digitalize the chain of responsibility. Employees scan QR codes on equipment or use NFC to document takeover. When returned, it is automatically noted that the asset is available again. Equipment borrowed for a long time triggers reminders to avoid hoarding.
Integration with patient management systems creates additional added value. Equipment can be assigned directly to patients, such as wheelchairs for discharge or special beds for specific illnesses. Equipment is automatically released when moved or released.
Precise equipment tracking is particularly valuable for surgical management. Operating rooms require specific sets of devices, the availability of which must be verified before each procedure. RTLS shows in real time whether all required devices are available, functional and within range, which prevents last-minute delays.
RTLS systems generate valuable data about equipment usage that goes far beyond location tracking. Utilization analyses show which device types are oversized and which are scarce. A hospital may find that 20 of the 30 ECG devices are barely used, while infusion pumps are constantly bottlenecks.
These findings inform investment decisions. Instead of ordering equipment based on gut feeling, data becomes the basis. Budgets can be optimized by reducing superfluous equipment and eliminating critical bottlenecks in a targeted manner.
Movement pattern analyses reveal inefficient workflows. If equipment is constantly being transported back and forth between specific departments, decentralized storage could make more sense. Long transport routes indicate sub-optimal warehouse locations.
Maintenance data shows which device types or manufacturers require an above-average amount of maintenance. When purchasing a replacement, more reliable models may be preferred. Total cost of ownership becomes transparent — not only the purchase price, but also maintenance costs over the lifetime.
Compliance documentation is automated. For medical devices with calibration requirements, the system provides complete evidence: when was which device where, when was it serviced, who used it. During audits, all information is immediately available.
Investing in RTLS systems is not trivial, but the return on investment is clearly positive in most cases. The biggest saving lies in reduced search times. With a conservative estimate of 20 minutes of search time per nurse per shift and 100 nurses, this amounts to 2,000 minutes or over 33 hours a day. With average personnel costs, this quickly equates to six-figure annual amounts.
Equipment optimization is the second major factor. The total number required can be reduced through better utilization. Medical devices often cost thousands to tens of thousands of euros. If a hospital achieves a 10 percent reduction in equipment through RTLS, this equates to 200,000 euros saved on a total inventory of 2 million euros.
Reduced maintenance costs through predictive maintenance and extended lifespan of well-maintained devices add further savings. Prevented emergency repairs and reduced downtime increase availability.
The typical payback period for RTLS projects is between 12 and 24 months, depending on hospital size and equipment inventory. After that, all savings are direct profit.
Real-time equipment tracking is evolving from luxury to standard in modern healthcare. The technology is sophisticated, the implementation is simple, and the benefits are measurable and significant. Search times are drastically reduced, equipment is used optimally, maintenance is automated and compliance is simplified.
Hospitals that invest in asset tracking today not only create operational efficiency, but also the database for continuous optimization. In times of tight budgets and a shortage of skilled workers, every minute counts. Equipment tracking gives nurses back these minutes — for what really counts: patient care.