Modern hospitals rely on numerous IT systems that benefit from location data – ranging from the hospital information system (HIS), which tracks patient movements, to an OR management system that monitors appointments, instruments, and sterile materials, all the way to ERP solutions that provide transparency on medical equipment usage.

The challenge: Many of these systems operate in isolation. Integration interfaces are either lacking or costly to develop, leading to fragmented data and inefficient workflows. As a result, staff members are forced to transfer information manually – wasting valuable time that could be better spent on patient care. Ultimately, the potential of these systems remains underutilised, and inefficiencies drive up operational costs.

Interoperable Solutions for Healthcare

An interoperable IT ecosystem in healthcare ensures that various systems, devices, and applications seamlessly exchange and integrate data. There are multiple approaches to achieving this, one of which is using a standardised data format that enables all devices and systems to communicate. In the realm of location data processing, omlox stands out as the open standard of choice for ensuring interoperability.

With omlox, location data and logs from different Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) feed into a central middleware or integration platform, which unifies diverse positioning technologies into a seamless system.

Practical Benefits of RTLS with a Central Integration Platform

• Simplified Documentation

A 2019 study published in the National Library of Medicine reported that U.S. physicians spend an average of 1.77 hours per day outside of regular working hours completing documentation. RTLS can automate the collection and transfer of protocol data, significantly reducing this burden. Take the disinfection of hospital beds as an example – these processes must adhere to strict regulatory requirements and require complete documentation. Status updates such as “cleaned,” “available,” “disinfected,” or “maintenance required” are automatically recorded in the HIS, complete with timestamps and logs. This data enables hospitals to gain insights into bed utilisation and make fact-based procurement decisions.

• Full Transparency on Asset Utilisation and Positioning

Nurses and medical staff lose valuable time every day searching for mobile medical devices such as infusion pumps or ultrasound machines. To prevent shortages, hospitals often over-purchase equipment. However, without real-time tracking, the actual utilisation rate remains unclear. RTLS enables real-time localisation of all essential medical equipment. Staff can instantly see the exact location of any available device within a hospital wing, floor, or room via a digital map. A powerful middleware solution ensures this information is seamlessly integrated into the HIS and other key systems. Detailed analytics help assess how frequently equipment is used and whether it is positioned efficiently. RTLS also helps quickly detect loss or theft.

• Optimising Patient Flow

Discharge delays often occur when critical steps – such as doctor consultations, medication dispensing, or transport coordination – are not well-aligned. RTLS combined with wearable technology provides real-time visibility into a patient’s journey, showing what steps have been completed and what still needs to be done. The HIS automatically receives status and location updates, enabling nurses and doctors to see immediately whether a patient is ready for discharge or still requires further treatment. This reduces bed vacancy times and improves resource planning.

• Automating Workflows and Notifications

Departments become inefficient when they operate in isolation. Zone events help resolve this by automatically notifying relevant staff when an object or person moves beyond a predefined area:

• If a patient bed leaves a room and heads toward the OR, the surgical team is instantly alerted to prepare.
• In dementia wards, carers receive an immediate alert if a patient exits a secure area.

Additionally, time-based notifications can be configured. For example, a medical device can trigger an automatic maintenance alert once it exceeds a predefined usage threshold. These automated workflows enhance efficiency, improve response times, and increase patient safety.

• Faster Response Times in Critical Situations

In emergencies, every second counts. By integrating RTLS with a central platform, emergency call systems can be linked to real-time location tracking. The nearest available emergency team is notified instantly, along with exact location data. Life-saving equipment such as defibrillators and crash carts can be immediately pinpointed, ensuring rapid response. Improved coordination between departments minimises delays, reducing critical response times and ensuring patients receive timely care. The effectiveness of such a system was demonstrated in a mass casualty incident (MCI) training at Heidelberg University Hospital in 2023, using Favendo’s RTLS.

Technologies in Harmony: Favendo RTLS Suite & Flowcate’s DeepHub®

The combination of Favendo RTLS Suite and Flowcate’s DeepHub® enables precise, uninterrupted location tracking on two levels:

1. Application Layer

Favendo positions its solution within the application layer of the omlox ecosystem. The Favendo RTLS Suite provides high-precision asset tracking down to sub-metre accuracy and transmits location data in real time. These insights drive workflow optimisations and support fact-based decision-making. Thanks to its modular and technology-agnostic architecture, the Favendo RTLS Suite can be tailored to meet the specific needs of healthcare facilities and scaled as required.

2. Middleware Integration Layer

Flowcate specialises in middleware integration within the omlox ecosystem. DeepHub® enhances this approach by offering standardised connectivity to omlox. Acting as middleware, DeepHub® links raw RTLS data to the application layer, seamlessly integrating real-time location insights into the HIS and other software solutions. This harmonisation of diverse positioning technologies ensures a unified, cross-system utilisation of data.

 

Conclusion: The Future of Healthcare is Seamlessly Connected

The synergy of real-time location data and powerful middleware is a game-changer in eliminating data silos. By linking systems together, different protocols, formats, and data sources can be harmonised, ensuring HIS, OR management, ERP, and RTLS solutions work together efficiently. This provides hospitals with valuable real-time insights – not just across systems, but across entire locations.

With an open system architecture, healthcare providers can future-proof their digital infrastructure, ensuring seamless integration of new technologies and a more connected, efficient, and patient-focused hospital environment.