New Oakville hospital deploys real-time location system

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Halton Healthcare announced the new Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH) is now using a real-time location system (RTLS) to help improve security, safety and operational efficiency.

The Wi-Fi-based system, called AeroScout RTLS, was supplied by Stanley Healthcare, a provider of solutions and analytics for the healthcare industry.

“Our vision for the new Oakville hospital is as a centre of healthcare excellence that provides the highest quality of patient-centered care,” Sandy Saggar, chief information officer of Halton Healthcare, said in a media release.

“Working together with general contractor EllisDon and other development partners, we identified cutting-edge technology – including the AeroScout solution – that would enable us to make this a reality at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital.”

According to hospital, the RTLS is being used for asset management, environmental monitoring, infant protection, patient protection and staff safety:

• Asset Management: includes real-time tracking of a wide range of equipment, such as intravenous (IV) pumps, mobile diagnostic equipment and patient handling equipment;
• Environmental Monitoring: includes 24/7 monitoring of refrigerators and freezers in the laboratory, pharmacy, blood bank and food services to ensure that materials are stored within the prescribed temperature range;
• Hugs Infant Protection, which refers to hospital-wide security for new-born infants to protect them against the risk of abduction;
• Patient Protection: refers to individual protection for adult and pediatric patients at risk of flight;
• Staff Assist: includes personal protection for staff members to enable them to call for help for themselves or others in an emergency.

Stanley Healthcare’s RTLS technology has been recognized as a KLAS Category Leader for RTLS for five consecutive years.

“We are very pleased to have delivered this comprehensive RTLS solution to Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital,” Gabi Daniely, vice-president of solutions, products and marketing at Stanley Healthcare, said in the release.

“The AeroScout suite of solutions has a proven track record at hundreds of hospital worldwide in increasing patient and staff safety, driving efficiency and empowering staff to deliver excellent care.”

In addition to Stanley Healthcare’s RTLS, OTMH has also incorporated a range of technology innovations, such as a newly designed emergency department to improve efficiency and enhance infection control, and automated systems for laboratory testing and medication management.