As the buzz around the potential for radio frequency identification (RFID) in healthcare increases, so do the questions related to its practicality and payback. Answers vary because RFID represents an array of technologies, each with its own requirements and value for healthcare.

Two automatic identification technologies, neither “new” in the sense of being recent developments, are vying for acceptance in the healthcare field.

The National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCCMERP) defines a medication error as “…any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use…

This resource directory provides a listing of companies that offer barcoding and/or RFID technologies to healthcare clients.

This resource directory provides a listing of companies that offer barcoding and/or RFID technologies to healthcare clients.

Nurses and interns need high specificity alerts: if the alarms goes off, it’s likely to be significant. Residents and supervisors need high sensitivity alerts: the alarm catches events that, if ignored, could develop into a failure to rescue.