RFID in South African Community Health Centers

Lindsay JanesStella Cho

Byron ChengJason Kim

Overview Many sources of inefficiencies in management

of clinics• Increase in spreading of disease• Create bottlenecks

Registering Finding folders Receiving treatment Getting medications

Objective

Incorporate RFID technology into patient management in South African Community Health Centers (CHCs) in order to increase

overall efficiency of the clinic and decrease the spread of infectious diseases.

The Status QuoTypical progression throughout CHC: Blueprint of typical CHC:

Step 1: The Entrance and Registration

Alternatives Current situation Requirements

• Reduce bottleneck• Decrease spread of disease

Specifications • 1.6 patients/minute plus companions• All patients with TB and RFID tags sent to TB area

Alternatives Possible alternatives

• Patient with an RFID tag TB patient Not TB patient

• Patient without an RFID tag TB patient Not a TB patient

Waiting-Registration Area Current Situation

No separate waiting area Wandering Tuberculosis

Waiting-Registration Area Requirements

Increase transparency Specifications

Notify status - up to 300 patients at a time Alternatives Using RFID

Electronic wait list Name, wait time Text messaging

Waiting-Registration Area Requirements

Contain infectious diseases Specifications

5 ft buffer space between wait area Alternatives Using RFID

Locked doors (barrier) Decrease in buffer

Warning system

Finding the Folders Currently: Shelves and files sorted by number Find patient number Go to bookshelf where file should be Sift through folders to find file

• May or may not be in order Time is wasted finding the right bookshelf,

section, and the file

Specifications Requirement

• Find folders more quickly• Match up with rate of patients seeing practitioners

Specifications• Be able to accommodate 4 registration booths• Capable of handling 20 patients per hr per

practitioner

Alternative 1: LED on Shelves Individual folders have RFID tag LEDs are mounted on every shelf Each shelf has RFID reader that is wired to

LEDs and barcode scanners at window

Alternative 1: LED on Shelves Window worker scans patient barcode and

name goes in queue System takes names from queue Readers find detect the file and activate

corresponding LED Worker goes to shelf and finds the folder

manually

Alternative 1: LED on Shelves

Alternative 2: Handheld Reader Each worker assigned an RFID reader Will be programmed to look for particular

tag/folder Will beep or blink when brought near the

proper tag.

Alternative 2: Handheld Reader

Treatment Area to Pharmacy

Treatment Area to Pharmacy Requirement: To decrease patient waiting

time in the pharmacy Specification: A patient should wait no more

than 15min to receive medication• Alternative 1: RFID automatically registers patient at

pharmacy• Alternative 2: RFID automatically adds to patients to a

wait list when entering the pharmacy waiting area.

Summary Specifications- System must:

• Be able to accommodate 4 registration booths• Be capable of handling 20 patients per hr per

practitioner• Process entering patients at 1.6 patients/minute• Notify patient of their status up to 300 patients at a

time• Allow a 5 ft buffer space between TB and non-TB

patients• Ensure that wait time to receive medication does not

exceed 15 min