Authors (including presenting author) :
Chan LH(1), Chow HP(1), So MM (1), Chan PY(1), Cheung CT(1)
Affiliation :
(1) Physiotherapy Department, Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital
Keyword 1: :
RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)
Keyword 2: :
Assets Verification
Keyword 3: :
Asset Management System
Introduction :
Our physiotherapy department houses over 700 different pieces of medical equipment, ranging in size from handheld machines to gym training equipment. These items are distributed across various locations within the department, covering different treatment rooms, gym and ward. To streamline equipment management, Asset Management System (AMS) has been implemented to provides a centralized database for asset registration, location tracking, and disposal management. With the technological advancements, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system is newly introduced to handle the growing number of equipment due to service expansion.
Objectives :
In compliance with internal audit regulations, asset verification is conducted annually within our department. The traditional Asset Management System (AMS) heavily relies on manual data entry and physical counts for record maintenance. Under the current AMS, the annual asset verification process requires a significant amount of manpower—over 10 clinical staff working for more than 130 hours outside regular work hours. As our services expand, the exponential growth in the number of equipment further complicates the annual asset verification process. RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is a wireless technology that uses radio waves to identify and track items equipped with RFID tags. Integrating an RFID system offers several advantages that overcome the limitations of the AMS: 1. Automatic and Real-Time Tracking: Medical equipment can be tracked without the need for physical counts. 2. Reduced Human Error: Manual data entry and physical counts are prone to errors, which RFID mitigates
Methodology :
During the transition from the traditional AMS to the RFID system, we are currently undertaking several key activities: 1. Purchase of RFID Software and Hardware: Acquiring RFID readers and tags. 2. Using the RFID-Compatible Database: Using the database software design by technical support company. Detailing each equipment’s registration, relocation and stock take etc. It also can further record the preventive maintenance certificate, condemnation, borrow and return record. 3. Tag Attachment and Photo Documentation: Affixing RFID tags to the equipment and capturing photos. 4. Integration: Aligning the RFID system with our existing AMS, ensuring seamless data mapping and process alignment.
Result & Outcome :
Recording the time required to manually count 261 assets revealed that the process took 56 hours. In contrast, counting the same number of assets using RFID technology required less than one hour, demonstrating a significant reduction in time consumption. Based on these findings, it is estimated that manually counting all 800 assets in the physiotherapy department would take approximately 172 hours, whereas using RFID technology would reduce this to around 2 hours.
