RFID Huge in Healthcare

Radio Frequency Identification RFID is the use of radio frequencies, or thereabouts, to read information on small devices, called tags, at a distance. In healthcare, the tags take many forms including badges, pendants, labels, cards and even implants. Compared with alternatives, RFID has few problems of obscuration, orientation or reading many at a time. Some RFID tags can have data electronically written onto them at a distance. This extra feature is currently preferred for supply chain tagging -- pallets, cases and item level because, today, central computer systems cannot always be accessed reliably and in a timely fashion. Sometimes an RFID tag includes sensors to record tampering or overheating etc and these are used on blood and medication. Some RFID tags contain a battery to manage these sensors or enhance range. Long range tags are increasingly designed to be located in real time, without having to pass near an electronic interrogator.

The market for RFID tags and systems in healthcare will rise rapidly from $90 million in 2006 to $2.1 billion in 2016. Primarily, this will be because of item level tagging of drugs and Real Time Locating Systems (RTLS) for staff, patients and assets to improve efficiency, safety and availability and to reduce losses. Here, Dr Peter Harrop of IDTechEx summarises the situation based on new research from theIDTechEx report "RFID in Healthcare 2006-2016"


RFID is an enabling technology that saves lives, prevents errors, saves costs and increases security. It removers tedious procedures and provides patients with more freedom and dignity. For example, it reduces the amount of personal intervention by staff because it automates procedures such as protecting the disoriented elderly from danger and matching patient to treatment. In addition, RFID is now used in smart packaging that records when patients take medication and how much they take and provides prompts to help them comply with instructions. All this has been pulled together in a major new report "RFID in Healthcare 2006-2016" by IDTechEx. It gives 72 case studies, extensive supplier profiles, technology analysis and detailed ten year forecasts.