A plain-English primer on identifiers (barcodes/2D), passive RFID, BLE/Wi-Fi RTLS, ultrasound (ULE), and phone-as-tag—how each reads, where it shines, and how mixed approaches reduce blind spots. Learn how “last observed location,” chokepoint reads, and handheld recovery come together in a hospital equipment tracking system, and where PAR/ inventory methods fit for critical supplies.

Right-sizing accuracy and cost by area (not one-size-fits-all) keeps projects viable and scalable.

End-to-end visibility from assembly and sterilization through case pick and delivery to room. Confirm set completeness without breaking wrap, show tray readiness alongside cases, and tighten reprocessing timing. Doorway reads and storage scans create a reliable trail; handhelds resolve exceptions fast.

Fewer first-case delays, less re-sterilization waste, faster turns, and clearer accountability between SPD and OR.

Locate high-value mobile devices (pumps, vents, monitors) in seconds using last-seen zones plus handheld proximity search. Balance utilization across units, curb hoarding, and reduce rentals. Biomed uses the same signal to find assets for PM/recall and keep the CMMS current.

Lower time-to-find, higher utilization, rental spend down, PM on-time rates up.

A searchable chain of custody from collection to receipt: bedside label and tag association, unit checkout, courier handoff, receiving reconciliation, and cold-chain flags where needed. Fixed checkpoints create the timeline; handhelds enable rapid recovery without line of sight.

Fewer mislabels and lost/mixed specimens, faster “find time,” audit-ready logs aligned to LIS milestones, and reduced legal exposure.

Turn location and inventory events into action by exchanging the right identifiers with the right systems—orders and accessions (LIS), locations and encounters (EHR), and asset IDs, PM states, recalls (CMMS). Governance, security, and audit trails are first-class concerns.

Cleaner worklists, fewer manual steps, faster reconciliations, and reports that hold up in compliance reviews.