Title: A study of RFID application impacts on medical safety

Authors: She-I Chang, Chin-Shyh Ou, Cheng-Yuan Ku, Morris Yang

Addresses: Department of Accounting and Information Technology, National Chung Cheng University, 168 University Road, Min-Hsing, Chia-Yi 621, Taiwan. ' Department of Accounting and Information Technology, National Chung Cheng University, 168 University Road, Min-Hsing, Chia-Yi 621, Taiwan. ' Department of Information Management, National Chung Cheng University, 168 University Road, Min-Hsing, Chia-Yi 621, Taiwan. ' Department of Accounting and Information Technology, National Chung Cheng University, 168 University Road, Min-Hsing, Chia-Yi 621, Taiwan

Abstract: With the international reform in medical management systems gaining ground worldwide, hospital management has gradually begun to shift its focus from providing expensive medical treatment to improving medical service quality and patient safety. In this study, we discuss the application of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and data integrating technology with the medical service, and examine whether or not this technology can enhance medical safety. We also discuss the possible benefits following the application of the RFID system. The findings show that the application of RFID to hospitals can actually generate benefits, which can be further divided into operational structure benefits, users| structure benefits, and organisational and environmental benefits. However, not all these benefits can achieve medical safety. Among them, only the operator and environmental benefits can play such roles. Nevertheless, the application of RFID can bring hospitals towards the integration of technology benefits and improved medical safety.

Keywords: radio frequency identification; RFID; medical safety; operational structure benefits; user structure benefits; organisational benefits; environmental benefits; data integration; e-healthcare; electronic healthcare.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEH.2008.018918

International Journal of Electronic Healthcare, 2008 Vol.4 No.1, pp.1 - 23

Published online: 23 Jun 2008 *

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