GE Healthcare has announced that Emory Healthcare, Georgia's largest and most comprehensive healthcare system, has selected IntelliMotion, GE's active Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) solution. According to David Pugh, Associate Administrator, Emory Healthcare, GE's IntelliMotion was selected because of the system's use of RFID technology and adherence to U.S. and international standards. "Emory and GE have long worked together to provide the finest care with the most advanced healthcare solutions," added Pugh. Emory University Hospital now has the capability to conduct real-time equipment tracking to maximize utilization and reduce capital equipment expenditures.

Emory will initially install tracking tags in all infusion pumps throughout the hospital to increase utilization and reduce staff time spent locating the equipment. Emory currently rents additional pumps to meet any fluctuating demand. "Our goal is to have a system that more efficiently tracks infusion pumps and identify the quantity and location of each unit to determine utilization," said Arnold Barros, Director, Anesthesia Services. "We also seek to reduce pump rentals to zero while decreasing pump delivery times from a current high of 30 minutes or longer down to ten."

IntelliMotion uses a proprietary (RFID) network to locate tagged equipment within a facility. The technology IntelliMotion operates works through a separate network that does not interfere with existing healthcare networks -- wired or wireless -- and does not consume valuable network bandwidth. GE's RFID technology allows unlimited equipment tags within a facility and is built on standards that are compatible with virtually all OEM equipment or installations. Additional clients of IntelliMotion, among many others, include the Lahey Clinic (Burlington and Peabody, MA) and Williamson Medical Center (Franklin, TN) each of which have realized greater asset equipment utilization leading to reduced capital expenditures.

The Lahey Clinic is using IntelliMotion to track more than 3,500 pieces of moveable equipment between its two main campuses. "One advantage of this particular technology is that it increases our asset utilization," said Jeff Doran, Sr. Vice President of Operations. Since implementation, Doran has been able to minimize capital equipment expenditures by reducing the number of leased or purchased devices such as IV smart pumps, stretchers, wheelchairs, portable oxygen tanks, ventilators, and defibrillators. Prior to this, The Lahey Clinic discovered that for nearly one-third of the equipment requests in central processing the device was unavailable, resulting in the delayed delivery by an average of one hour. This further resulted in an increase in leased pumps.

"With asset tracking, we now have an appropriately-sized inventory in which we can realize year-to-year savings," Doran added.

Williamson Medical Center began using IntelliMotion in 2003. "The staff had difficulty fulfilling equipment requests. IntelliMotion is part of our equipment management program that will inform us of where equipment is located and when that occurred" according to Jimmie Carol Hyman, Materials Management Director.

For the 185-bed hospital, Hyman can document how often equipment is used, further decreasing the total volume of leased or purchased equipment while simultaneously increasing utilization of existing devices. "We have already seen a decrease in the time it takes for nurses to locate equipment, with a corresponding increase in patient satisfaction," added Hyman. "Nurses are able to devote more time to patient care."

The Real Time Location System (RTLS) technology in IntelliMotion is certified in over 30 countries with over 100 major companies worldwide utilizing this solution. IntelliMotion technology is fully compliant with ANSI INCITS 371 and ISO 24730 Part 1 and 2 standards.