Ultrasound also requires little to no maintenance after it is set up, almost being a “set it and forget it” system. The majority of employee time will be spent on routine tag and transmitter maintenance (assigning tags/badges and replacing batteries). IR, with the higher number of units needed to provide bay-level accuracy, requires a more intensive install, and needs continual monitoring and tuning to optimize performance, due to the challenge of managing the properties of light. A comparison between two multi-facility healthcare systems, each with 500+ beds, showed the system with the IR-based RTLS required the commitment of 10 full-time employees, while the ultrasound-based system required only two full-time employees.

With RTLS being an investment and a big benefit, the research you do upfront will be well worth it. When doing your research, ask questions of the manufacturers, ask other peers at other facilities about their experience, and consider your present needs as well as your needs for the future. Time is money, but that will be time well spent.

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