What's The Recommendations For The Barriers to RFID Technology in Healthcare？

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The biggest challenges reported regarding RFID technology is the cost of the system and the system’s return on investment (ROI) in Healthcare.

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To overcome these barriers, the following recommendations and strategies are offered to aid healthcare organizations in the adoption of RFID technology. According to Modrák and Moskvich (2012), the economic impact of RFID implementation must be analyzed to overcome cost concerns related to adoption. Overall, the cost to implement and maintain RFID technology can deter organizations from using the technology; therefore a thorough cost-benefit analysis should be conducted by an organization prior to implementation of RFID. It would also be beneficial for healthcare organizations to assess the success that RFID has already had in the field of supply chain management.

Due to the technical limitations of some RFID technology, testing of the technology prior to widespread implementation in an organization is recommended. The expert suggest early performance testing in the implementation process can allow for unforeseen technical issues to be addressed prior to full adoption of the technology. This can also allow an organization to recognize unexpected cost or hazardous interference early in the implementation process. Testing RFID on a small scale in a real-life healthcare setting assures an organization that the technology can fulfill its intended purpose. Since RFID technology capabilities vary from product to product, organizations must assess that the desired product is able to meet the anticipated goal of the implementation. Furthermore, we have to know that limitations of RFID technology be addressed during the preparation stage. Acknowledgment of the limitations of the product will avoid over-expectations and define its capabilities to the users.

The perceptions of healthcare providers have been noted as a barrier to implementation. Education on technology prior to implementation is recommended to ensure staff is aware of its value in practice and can utilize the technology as it is intended. In a study assessing the use of RFID technology in asset tracking. The expert polled nursing staff on their suggestions related to the utility of the system. It was found that a lack of education on the system and how it works was an area in need of improvement. In order for staff to utilize RFID for its intended purpose, proper training must exist.  The expert found that staff concerns related to the additional workload required by the system were resolved through persistent communication and computer education and training that was provided prior to implementation. The RFID technology expert (2014) suggested that despite the presence of concerns that may limit adoption of RFID, it is imperative that its value be clear. The value of the technology comes from the data captured. Educating healthcare providers on RFID’s ability to increase efficiency in the workplace through the data captured can help to decrease negative perceptions.

In cases where patient data is stored in an RFID device, privacy and security concerns are a common issue. Awareness by an organization of potential privacy and security risks is imperative prior to adoption. Weighing the benefits and risks to adoption should be considered before investment . Implementation of appropriate security measures to decrease this risk is recommended. The RFID technology expert suggested that ongoing monitoring and assessment of the performance of RFID technology can help to confirm a well-functioning system. Educating staff and patients on the presence of security measures to decrease risk of patient data compromise may aid in the positive perception of privacy and security practices.