In brief

• Real-time location systems (RTLS) help ensure surgical instruments are available when needed to reduce case delays and cancellations. 
• RTLS automates tracking with Bluetooth^® beacons, improving communication between SPD and OR teams. 
• Analyzing RTLS data identifies workflow bottlenecks and optimizes staffing to reduce costly inefficiencies.
   

Quality coordination between the sterile processing department (SPD) and operating room (OR) can help keep the schedule of daily surgeries on track. Despite the staff’s best efforts, invisible workflow inefficiencies can disrupt this flow. Surgical case delays and cancellations may result from missing instrument sets, labor-intensive manual tracking processes and insufficient transparency regarding equipment locations. 

In these moments, inefficient communication between the SPD or OR can cause last- minute scrambles to locate or prepare a new surgical set, further straining resources and staff. To address these challenges, the emergence of real-time location systems (RTLS) is set to modernize surgical workflows.

Implementing Real-Time Location Systems in Surgical Workflows 

Real-time location systems are built to ensure the right surgical instrument sets will be available where and when they are needed. This is achieved with advanced tracking technologies and Bluetooth^® Low Energy (BLE) that work together to monitor the location and processing status of surgical instrument sets in real-time. 

To start, a Bluetooth beacon is attached to each surgical instrument set. These beacons are designed to withstand sterilization and will remain with the set throughout its reprocessing journey. Next, a network of gateways, each named by room, will be implemented throughout your facility. As a surgical set progresses through the reprocessing lifecycle, the beacon will automatically communicate its location and status in real time to these gateways. This allows staff to know the whereabouts and readiness of each surgical instrument set in real time, without needing to manually scan anything. 

The system’s software platform can be accessed anywhere in the facility to view this tracking data and to help better manage resources and anticipate needs. The software not only tracks but will audibly alert staff of any surgical set that needs to be prioritized for an upcoming surgery. This helps critical sets to be expedited efficiently to keep surgeries on schedule.

Identifying Root Causes of Surgical Delays with Real-Time Data 

Real-time location systems provide facilities with the data needed to understand and address the root causes of case delays. With this technology, SPD managers and directors gain valuable insights to anticipate changes and workflow bottlenecks that can lead to delays. The bird's-eye view offered by dashboards helps them stay ahead of issues before they occur. They can monitor what's happening in the OR and see how long it takes for sets to return, preventing an influx of sets from overwhelming the decontamination area despite staffing adjustments.

The data could reveal: 

Workflow bottlenecks. 

• Data on the flow of instrument sets can pinpoint specific reprocessing bottlenecks. For example, long dwell times of sets in decontamination could indicate there is a capacity or staffing issue at this critical stage. Consistent delays in the sterilization phase could suggest a need for more sterilizers or a revised staffing model to better handle peak loads.
  
  

Historic impact of human error. 

• The reliance on manual scanning to log the movement, sterilization and storage of instrument sets has historically led to misplaced or unavailable equipment. After implementing a real-time location system, the lack of human involvement may reveal a significant reduction in these issues. 
   

Staffing conflicts. 

• RTLS data could reveal a mismatch between resource availability and demand. For example, you may spot recurrent delays in preparing surgical sets during early morning surgeries. This information can help you address the conflict with targeted adjustments to staff schedules or reallocating resources during peak times to improve the department’s performance.
   

By transforming raw data into an action plan, hospitals can mitigate the specific root causes of their workflow inefficiencies and move one step closer to their goal of a delay- free surgical environment. 

Contact us today to discover the benefits of real-time location systems for your facility.