This study investigates whether an upcoming class of health information technology (HIT) can be used to address currently outstanding issues in the quality and cost of healthcare delivery. Expert interviews and a literature review were used to describe the 2009 universe of in- and outpatient healthcare RFID applications and to identify those applications expected to have the largest positive impact on the quality and cost-effectiveness of healthcare delivery over the next five to ten years. Next, case studies of actual RFID implementations across seven hospital sites in the U.S. and Europe were conducted to gain an understanding of how each leading RFID application type creates value, what aspects of care it impacts, and what the critical factors driving the promising RFID’s organizational benefits and costs are. As part of this work, an original set of healthcare RFID cost-benefit evaluation tools was developed and tested. The study’s findings indicate that in contrast to other types of HIT, the majority of benefits associated with successful RFID implementation are directly related to money saved (occurring as direct capital and operational cost savings), and that select RFID applications can substantially impact both the cost (e.g., efficiency) and the quality (e.g., timeliness, capacity for continuous improvement) of care delivery. Critical challenges for RFID adoption are described.
