This hospital uses RFID linen tags to track linens, reducing the purchase of new clothes by half and paying back the cost in less than 2 years.

2024-10-16

In northern Portugal, Centro Hospitalar successfully implemented a comprehensive optimization of hospital linen and uniform management by introducing RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology, which not only significantly reduced laundry costs, but also reduced the purchase of new clothes by more than half, providing the hospital significant economic benefits and sustainable development advantages.

Why introduce RFID technology?

Centro Hospitalar operates multiple primary care facilities within the Portuguese National Health System with 450 beds as well as emergency rooms, surgical suites and medical offices. Hospitals have long faced many challenges in linen and uniform management, including poor inventory control, severe asset loss, and over-ordering. In order to improve this situation, the hospital decided to introduce RFID technology to achieve refined management of the entire life cycle of textiles.The hospital chose RFID management system, which provides a unique identity for each piece of textile through high-frequency RFID cabinets, antennas and handheld readers. From sheets and pillowcases to employee uniforms, every item is tagged with RFID laundry tags and managed uniformly through Total Care Manager software. As part of the rollout, the hospital first deployed clothing vending machines for staff in the surgical department. Employees are authenticated via fingerprint readers at the start of their shift, after which the machine quickly dispenses clean uniforms via robotic arms. After completing their shift, employees return their uniforms at a designated location, where the RFID tag laundry is read and system records are updated.

In addition, the hospital has installed RFID readers and antennas in the laundry room, between departments, and at the hospital exit to monitor the entire flow of linens and uniforms. Cart readers are used to read tags of dirty laundry entering the laundry room and redistribute clean laundry to specific departments. The reader antenna fixed at the door monitors the hospital exit to prevent the loss of assets.

Remarkable results

Through the application of RFID system, Centro Hospitalar has achieved remarkable results. First, laundry expenses have been reduced by 15%, with the amount of laundry processed per week reduced from 18 to 16 tons. This is mainly due to the precise control of the number of sheets used by each department and the timely correction of employees' improper use behavior. Secondly, the purchase of new clothes has been reduced by more than half. The RFID system helped the hospital identify and correct employee hoarding behavior, such as an employee who was found to be hoarding 50 sets of uniforms. By preventing this from happening, the hospital has significantly reduced unnecessary uniform purchases, saving significant amounts of money each year.

These results not only bring significant economic benefits to the hospital, but also promote the sustainable development of the hospital. By reducing laundry expenses and purchases, the hospital reduces operating costs and improves resource utilization efficiency. At the same time, reducing the water and detergent required for excessive laundry is also in line with the hospital's environmental protection philosophy. Miguel Pava, chairman of the hospital's board of directors, said the introduction of the RFID system meant a return on investment of less than two years and a transition to more sustainable operations.He emphasized that employees' positive response to the system and compliance with the new requirements are key to success. With the successful application of RFID systems in hospitals, Centro Hospitalar plans to continue to expand its coverage in the coming years. The hospital plans to complete the rollout of unified dispensers and portal readers in the intensive care and emergency room units in the first half of 2025 to achieve full coverage of textile management throughout the hospital. The Portuguese hospital achieved comprehensive optimization of linen and uniform management by introducing RFID technology, which not only reduced laundry costs and procurement volume, but also improved resource utilization efficiency and management levels. This successful case provides useful reference and inspiration for other medical institutions.