VA Hospitals Implement RFID Robots for Supply Management
The Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network is installing 21 of the Aethon, Incorporated TUG robots to help deliver and track supplies. The robots use radio-frequency identification (RFID) to complete materials management throughout healthcare facilities, as reported by Health Data Management.
Each of the TUGs is responsible for specific items, both tracking such using RFID and delivering the item throughout their designated area within the hospital. The TUGs periodically return to a charging station. At that location, the TUG downloads data about item location into a central database that is also provided by Aethon.
The database is designed for use by both materials managers and clinicians to determine where required supplies are located. Delivery of items can also be requested. The database is the means by which supply orders are placed with both materials managers and the hospital pharmacy. Those orders are filled, loaded into the robot using a touch screen on the device, and then sent to the location of the requestor.
TUGs are equipped with sensors to determine if there are obstacles in their path. As well, they are programmed to announce their arrival at a designated location. The robots can also traverse the hospital by the elevators when they are not being used for delivery or tracking.
The TUG robots have a small profile, about the size of a suitcase. They are programmed to roam within a designated area by a mobile cart. Programmed information includes the floor plan of the hospital, which guides the TUG’s movement.
December 5, 2007 Related topics: New Technology & Innovation, Contract Awards, Supply chain/SCM, IT & software