NHS Asset Management & Maintenance With PDC™ Easy to apply systems with a speedy payback Portable Data Collector is an ideal solution for NHS asset management applications Electronic tagging using radio frequency identification (RFID) has been shown to provide an easy way of keeping track of planned preventative maintenance (PPM), inspection routines and asset audit. Using RFID can increase accountability, reduce the time needed for inspection and save asset and maintenance costs. And RFID systems can be implemented simply and cheaply using well established technology and adaptable software packages. Simple, affordable technology is a key to success with RFID. CoreRFID created the PDC (Portable Data Collector) software system in order to make it possible to introduce RFID based data collection applications quickly and cheaply, revolutionising asset management and asset related infection prevention.
The PDC System At the heart of the PDC system is an easy to use, easy to adapt, application running on a PDA, mobile phone or portable computer. RFID tags are attached to each asset. The PDC application generates a pre-programmed schedule for the user to follow, reading information from tags and adding data related to the asset as necessary. Once the pre-programmed schedule has been completed by the service technican, inspecting engineer or auditor, the data collected is uploaded via a GPRS or WiFi connection to a company server or database, so providing managers and support staff with immediate access to critical information about Trust assets. Data can be used to plan subsequent inspections or to demonstrate that compliance routines have been followed. Providing inspectors with their own tags lets the system establish a trail of accountability for every inspection. Almost any asset can be tagged; from a computer to a EEG machine, from a air conditioning plant to a CT scanner. Each tag acts as an electronic passport, giving access to all the information needed to identify an asset, its location, service history Symbol MC35 in a protective and status. RFID tags can be used in normal office environments or in situations that Otterbox case: an ideal data require high resistance to mechanical, electrical or environmental stresses. As a result collector for use with PDC. the PDC system can be used for most assets. Harsh conditions of extreme temperature, humidity, chemical exposure, electrical or magnetic fields or vibration can all be coped with.
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The benefits are increased accuracy, improved productivity and better accountability from better information on assets and maintenance activities. Easy To Implement : Easy To Use Users of the system have a PDA equipped with an RFID reader and the PDC application. Assets such as medical equipment, beds or items of plant are identified with the necessary RFID tags.
The Benefits
The PDC application is used by an inspecting engineer or auditor with a unique identity tag and personal identity number. After logging on, the user can scan the tag of any asset. The system displays the activities relating to the asset and the user follows the on-screen menu, completing input boxes as needed. Equipment is accurately identified because data is collected automatically at the point of action. The need for supporting paperwork is removed. Direct entry of data and automatic collection of information from the tags avoids the risk of mistakes in transcribing details of equipment or its location.
• Shows inspection compliance, improving inspection and reducing the risks of infection • Reduces paperwork • Improves productivity with automatically down-loaded schedules and faster data collection
• Increases accountability Because both the user and the • Dramatically reduces errors by equipment are identified, a clear removing manual data collection chain of accountability is established. This improves the • Provides immediate feed-back ability of Trusts or their FM through easily accessible reports. providers to show that inspection follows best-practice or legally enforceable standards. Data is stored as each inspection or maintenance action is undertaken. At the end of the day, data is sent across a WiFi or GPRS link so that the system can be used on multiple locations or across a large site such as a major hospital complex. The data entered for each asset can be used to update inspection records, maintenance schedules, or asset registers as necessary. Data from the PDC can be easily imported into common financial applications such as SAP or into database solutions such as Oracle or Microsoft SQL Server. From data collected it is possible to identify which actions have been carried out on which asset by which user. Detailed reports enable managers to keep plant and equipment operating reliably and safely. The list of actions shows conformance to regulatory regimes, legislation and Health Service guidelines
A typical PDC screen: easy to use and clear.
PDC is a robust, flexible, system that is easy to customise, simple to introduce and straightforward to integrate with existing business applications. Its low cost of means it can often pay for itself in only a few months. PDC is fully supported by CoreRFID and CoreRFID is happy to provide Personal Digital Assistants, RFID tags and the readers best suited to the customer’s applications as well as advice on appropriate tag technology and tag coding.
About CoreRFID CoreRFID specialise in the technologies that help track, trace, audit and control; to learn more, contact us today: CoreRFID Ltd. Dallam Court, Dallam Lane, Warrington U.K. WA2 7LT T:
+44 (0) 845 071 0985 F:
+44 (0) 845 071 0989 W: www.corerfid.com
E:
[email protected]
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