Sanford Health system facilities use real-time location system (RTLS) technology to improve the patient experience by tracking and minimizing wait times, according to an article on the RFID Journal website.

The goal, according to Jeff Hoss, vice president of Sanford Clinic Fargo, was to identify when each service had been provided to a particular patient, based on staff and patient location data, and find ways to better predict workflow, improve patient-service efficiency based on RTLS data and catch any delays in real time. 

Ultrasound emitters were installed within each of the clinic's 52 examination rooms, as well as in common areas and hallways in the onstage area. Upon arriving at the clinic, a patient is given a tag, the article said. 

The patient is told which room to report to, skipping the waiting-room process. The badge ID number is linked to that individual's name in the tracking software. As the patient moves throughout the facility, his or her tag receives ultrasound signals emitted by location beacons.

Read the article.