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Using a Real-Time Locating System to Measure Walking Activity Associated with Wandering Behaviors Among Institutionalized Older Adults
Published on: February 8, 2019
Hospital wireless local area network-based tracking system
Hyunsik Woo1, Hak Jong Lee, Hyun-Chul Kim
1Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea.
Objectives:
The purpose of this study was to develop a prototype wireless local area network (LAN)-based tracking system and evaluate its efficacy.
Methods:
A wireless LAN-based tracking system was developed with a personal digital assistant (PDA) having a simple text messaging function and a prototype stand-alone tracking device. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the tracking system was performed in two ways. Twenty-five messages were sent to nurses by direct communication and 46 messages were sent by the wireless system. Thirty cases by nurses and 30 cases by the wireless system to locate hospital equipment were performed. The time required to transfer messages and to locate equipment was measured and analyzed with a Mann-Whitney test and a paired t-test, respectively.
Results:
The mean time required to transfer messages by direct communication and by the wireless system were 37.92 ± 19.19 seconds and 30.65 ± 9.80 seconds, respectively which were not statistically different (p = 0.108). The mean time required to locate equipment by the nurses and by the wireless system was 234.00 ± 59.99 and 23.97 ± 6.17 seconds, respectively which was statistically different (p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
The wireless LAN-based tracking system can save time for nurses to communicate and to check for the location of equipment in wards which allows nurses to spend more time and attention to patient care and safety.
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Health Information Technology, commonly called HIT, integrates advanced information systems and technology in healthcare settings. Its primary functions include:
