A new KLAS report "Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) 2011: Maximizing the ROI" finds that 95 percent of responding organizations that use RTLS cite operational efficiency gains.

The facilities range in size from 25 beds to large IDNs with thousands of beds.

An estimated 10 to 15 percent of the healthcare market is currently utilizing a real-time location system (RTLS). More than 150 organizations shared their RTLS experiences for the KLAS research, outlining differences in depth and breadth of deployment and vendor performance.

Respondents used systems from AeroScout, Awarepoint, Ekahau, GE, Intelligent InSites, Radianse, and Versus. The report also provides an update on the RTLS solutions offered by CenTrak, Cerner, Hill-Rom, Sonitor, and TeleTracking.

"Providers using RTLS solutions reported finding success when automating the monitoring of refrigerator temperatures; tracking assets, patients, or staff members; assessing hand-hygiene compliance; and engaging in a variety of other uses,” said report author Steve VanWagenen. “However, not all RTLS deployments are created equal. Much of a facility's success with RTLS depends on the breadth of the deployment, the variety of ways RTLS is being used, and the level of integration between RTLS and other solutions."

Customer satisfaction scores related to contracting, implementation, product quality, support, and overall vendor relationship highlight some of the key vendor strengths and weaknesses. Some of the key differentiators are total cost of ownership, reporting/analytics tools and depth of use.

Providers also shared the lessons they have learned while deploying RTLS and what they would do differently if given the chance to start fresh. 

The biggest lessons learned?

• Adjust staff workflow to incorporate RTLS use
• Build organizational awareness of the many RTLS-use cases
• Strengthen RTLS infrastructure before the go live to improve adoption and maximize the ROI.