SAG, a provider of RFID tagging solutions, has created RFID solutions to make healthcare smart. RFID solutions can be used in laboratories or hospitals to provide data transparency, reduce staff workload, and enhance patient safety. With knowledge of materials and specific know-how on antenna design and production process, SAG has been involved with projects when users see a problem in these venues.
RFID Solutions for Laboratories
Data collection in labs is susceptible to human error, as a large number of tests and conducted everyday, this test data needs to be managed, cataloged and mapped to the specific test. When managed manually, Mix-ups can occur. To mitigate human-error, the implementation of smart labels, featuring unique IDs, has become a prevalent practice within laboratory settings to ensure accurate item identification and prevent errors.
SAG offers smart label solutions for various scenarios:
- Material Science: There might be extreme conditions such as drastic temperature changes in a test or tube with a large radius surface to attach a smart label. SAG has the expertise in adhesive technology to realize these applications.
- 100% Premium (Perfect) Roll: In some cases, a roll of “continuous good labels” might be in demand to help increase job efficiency without the interruption of bad labels. SAG is capable of bringing premium (perfect) roll by using a self-developed converting machine to ensure the label quality in terms of electrical performance and mechanical strength.
- RAIN+ NFC for 2-Way Applications: One label with both RAIN RFID and NFC technologies can provide an application crossover. Thanks to the chip design, people can access the ID via either RF interface. Lab personnel can bulk read via the UHF side while checking the details of each item on the NFC-enabled phone. To create such a label requires the knowledge of antenna design. Meanwhile, when liquid is in the presence of the tagged item, SAG can fine-tune to customize the label.
RFID Solutions for Hospitals
RFID solutions streamline hospital operations by automating processes and reducing errors. These technologies offer real-time asset tracking, enhanced patient safety through accurate identification, and optimized inventory management, ultimately leading to improved efficiency and cost savings.
The introduction of a Unique Device Identification (UDI) system from both the EU and FDA has propelled the adoption of RFID tags/labels to enhance the traceability of medical devices. The UDI system tells how many times a surgical tool has been used, when it was sterilized, and where it is kept for the next preparation. These advantages help reduce medical errors and improve patient safety. The UDI system can also verify a device’s authenticity when each item carries its own ID number.
SAG offers RFID solutions for various requirements including:
- Sterilization Process: Some surgical instruments are designed to be used several times. However, the diversity of medical products used poses logistics and inventory challenges. Meanwhile, there are multiple methods to sterilize these items such as EtO, autoclave, or radiation. SAG has a range of hard tags to fit these tools in different sizes and withstand the sterilization process afterward.
- Miniaturization to Fit Small Items: For a small item with limited space to apply a tag, SAG has a variety of PCB tags (the smallest is 6 mm in diameter) for the molding process. It also has NFC Ferrite Tags (the smallest in 4x2 mm) for both on-metal and non-metal use cases that can survive extreme high/low temperatures.
- Authentication to Ensure Safety: Incorrect use of medication and wrong installation of a medical device pose a threat to patient safety. Medical disputes sometimes occur due to this mishandling and cause huge losses. Among the variety of items to be managed in a hospital, SAG enables an application with a customized transponder by utilizing its experience in antenna and mechanical design.
These are just a couple of areas that SAG RFID products and their expertise can be used in the medical sector. SAG is an NXP Advanced Partner, SONY Green Partner, Arsenal-certified and CQM card manufacturer, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 13485 and IECQ QC080000. It has also joined global alliances such as RAIN RFID, and NFC Forum to join conferences and exhibitions to team up with others in the RFID community to make all things connected.
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