Keeping your medical assets safe with the Asset Safety solution

Asset Safety

The truth of the matter when it comes to human nature is this; if there are items that can be stolen, items are going to be stolen. Theft occurs in every industry, however, some industries are more vulnerable than others and have to take preemptive measures. It’s very common that stores and hotels to have RFID security tags on their products to prevent them from going missing or being stolen, a measure that has proven to be very effective. What would happen if other industries that are vulnerable to theft, such as healthcare, were to do the same?

A normal shopping experience

Imagine walking into a large retail store and looking at a piece of clothing you’re considering buying. You might feel the fabric, hold the item in front of you to see if you like the color and perhaps take it into a dressing room to try it on. Imagine liking the item so much that you wish to purchase it, you walk to the register and provide payment to the cashier. Right before the cashier puts your item in a bag and sends you on your way, what is the last thing she does? She takes off the security tag, of course.

These are completely normal activities for shopping, and no one would ever think twice about stores wanting to protect their products and assets from theft. Now imagine visiting a hospital, perhaps a friend of yours has broken their leg or maybe you’re having menial surgery. Either way, you’re in a hospital room and you notice a security tag at the bottom of the blanket on the bed. Would you be surprised? Probably.

Protecting medical assets should be just as normal

Isn’t it just as normal for a medical organization to want to protect their products and assets from theft? We at BordaTex would argue that it’s just as important (if not more) that they do. As opposed to retail assets, medical assets aren’t just a source of revenue. By medical assets, we refer to all non-disposable items and tools used to provide medical care. Medical assets are the source of comfort, health and even survival for patients, in addition to being a huge part of a hospital’s budget.

We want to help the healthcare industry save money, time and energy by making sure their medical assets are protected, safe and tracked. RFID technology has contributed to a decrease in shoplifting in retail stores, and we believe the same can be done for hospitals and medical facilities. In fact, the amount of reported in-store theft in Sweden has decreased by 32% in the last ten years which is believed to be because of increased security measures inside stores.

Common ways stores prevent theft

The most common ways of preventing theft in retail stores are the use of RFID security labels and tags which triggers an alarm if moved outside of a predetermined area. Another system often used is surveillance cameras which are either active at all times, or integrated with the security system and activated if the alarm is triggered.

Hotels preventing theft with RFID-technology

Retail stores aren’t the only ones that use RFID to prevent theft. Hotels report losing up to 20 per cent of their linens every month. It can be due to employee theft, guests taking linens with them or lost when shipped to offsite cleaners. Taking one towel as you leave a hotel isn’t uncommon amongst guests and might not seem like it would matter to a large hotel chain. However, in the long run, it can amount to a lot of expenditures. Many hotels are therefore using RFID-tracking systems to protect their textiles. By tagging each sheet, robe or towel with a tiny RFID-chip, missing items can be reduced to just 3 per cent each month. So, wouldn’t a similar solution be just as effective for healthcare?

Protecting medical assets with BordaTex’s Asset Safety solution

With BordaTex’s solution Asset Safety (an add-on to the Asset Inventory Management solution), medical assets can be kept safe in easy and efficient ways:

• Each asset is tagged with RFID technology which allows you to keep exact track of them.
• Antennas mark predetermined “safe zones” which trigger an alarm if assets are moved outside the zones.
• Antennas mark the hospital’s exit zones which send the alarm to security personnel if assets are moved outside the hospital.
• The alarm from the exit zones can be integrated with a CCTV-system so theft can be caught on camera.

Healthcare wouldn’t function without crucial medical assets. There’s great importance in keeping assets safe, well tracked and in place. Keeping an accurate inventory of medical assets saves hospitals money and hospital staff their time and energy. We think unnecessary disturbances by missing assets can be eliminated and leave healthcare to what they do best – take care of patients.

Do you want to learn more about how to protect your medical assets? Contact us here and we’ll answer your questions.

Foto av PhotoMIX Company från Pexels