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Avoiding the Pitfalls of Hospital RFID Implementation

Avoiding the Pitfalls of Hospital RFID Implementation

With its care- and cost-management potential, RFID is a powerful tool for hospitals. But without the advice of experts, hospital managers can end up using RFID tags to scrape egg off their faces. Insufficient wifi capacity, overly-complex user interface, disruption of patient care routines…the pitfalls are many. Interviewed in MedCityNews.com, Yedidia Blonder outlines the seven most important planning steps hospital managers should take for successful RFID implementation. The do’s and don’ts include:

  • DO assess the types and numbers of tags you’ll be using in any given area, to avoid interference by competing tags.
  • DON’T get an RFID system that has a complicated user interface; healthcare personnel shouldn’t have to be IT experts.
  • DO check to make sure the system you’re considering can handle the localization you require; do you need it to distinguish between different rooms, or just different floors?
  • DON’T expect nurses to program RFID tags; tags should be pre-programmed with default settings.

And the most critical “DO” of all: Consult with an expert vendor to get the most out of your RFID investment.

 

Photo © pichetw– Fotolia

What Is The U.S. Army’s “Treasure Room?”

What Is The U.S. Army’s “Treasure Room?”

The Army has a large stockpile of outdated, outmoded weapons stored at Virginia’s Ft. Belvoir – but not because it expects to ever use these old weapons. The firearms, and thousands of other military artifacts, are in a storage facility awaiting the completion of The Center of Military History. (See our October 2014 post about this museum.)

The storage facility, fondly referred to as the Treasure Room, contains some very unusual items in addition to old weapons, and Business Insider lists some of the most exceptional, including:

  • Uniform items belonging to the Buffalo Soldiers, the legendary African American soldiers who served on the American frontier immediately after the Civil War.
  • Enemy flags and propaganda captured in wartime.
  • Paintings created by active-duty soldiers, depicting their interpretations of war and military life.

Business Insider’s story includes a video showing some of the historic artifacts in their current storage racks, with commentary from some of the dedicated historians and artists who work in the facility – an inspiring preview of the collections which will eventually be available for public viewing.

 

Photo © Daniel Thornburg – Fotolia

RFID – The Key To Great Customer Service

RFID – The Key To Great Customer Service

Who hasn’t lost their keys at one time or another? For rental-car agency Sixt, headquartered in Germany, lost car keys were driving customers away. Having to wait while keys were located for a specific vehicle was a major source of frustration for customers and employees alike. And the frustration didn’t stop there. Customers who disputed rental return times had no proof to back up their arguments. Employees who were told a car was ready for rental would often find that it was still being washed. No one was happy.

Sixt decided to try an innovative application of RFID, using UHF RFID tags on the vehicles’ key fobs. The RFID tags showed exactly where the keys were stored; they recorded check-out and check-in times; they could even track a car through the cleaning process. And the results? Customer complaints have dropped by 30%. Just as important, according to Alexander Boone, Sixt’s head of project and innovation management, employees are much happier. “The happiness of the employees at the branch has a positive impact on customer satisfaction.” Read the full story here at RFIDjournal.com: http://bit.ly/1u76FHt

 

Photo © karelnopp – Fotolia

Your Cell Phone Is Zapping Your Self-Worth

Your Cell Phone Is Zapping Your Self-Worth

“Ergonomics” is a term often used to describe the posture-supporting comfort of a desk chair or a driver’s seat. Your posture certainly plays an important role in your health and productivity, but it seems that posture also has a significant effect on your attitude. The right chair will keep you productive all day, but other productivity devices – iPhones and laptops – may be slowly destroying your confidence and self-worth. Harvard Business School professor Amy Cuddy, writing in the New York Times, says, “Your physical posture sculpts your psychological posture.” When we hunch over our cell phones or laptops, we are mimicking the look of a depressed, insecure, unassertive person.

Cuddy points to one study in which people sat in either a slouched position or an upright position while they answered questions in a mock job interview. The slouchers reported a high degree of fear and a feeling of low self-esteem, compared to the subjects who sat upright. Another study showed poor memory retention in subjects who were hunched over.

Apparently good posture leads to good self-esteem. Imagine that: feeling assertive just because your desk keeps you from slumping over your laptop – Swiftspace’s Shape, for example. And now imagine your entire team feeling assertive and productive. Could good posture be one of the keys to a successful business?

 

Photo © imtmphoto – Fotolia.com

4 Reasons Why Startups Should Care About Office Space

4 Reasons Why Startups Should Care About Office Space

Is this you? You’re bootstrapping your startup. You and your team are working out of your studio apartment. You hold client meetings at a nearby Starbucks. The business is starting to take off, and you have no time to sleep, eat, or shower. Finding the right office space is not even on your radar. But it should be, and here’s why.

Writing for Inc. Magazine, entrepreneur Michael Alter explains that he’s learned the hard way how office space functions to support business growth. He lists three vital points:

1.  Your office space demonstrates that you appreciate and support your team; they in turn feel pride and loyalty to you and the business.

2.  The competition for top talent is fierce, and you need to attract and hire the very best; your office space is part of the corporate culture you offer prospective employees.

3.  Office space and layout determines how your teams work together and share information; it’s at the heart of business productivity.

And there’s a fourth reason: In your outward-facing interactions, your office space reinforces your brand. It tells your clients and your business partners who you are, and it underlines your commitment to success.

Your office space defines your office culture, your productivity, and your corporate brand. If your current workspace isn’t doing all of the above, maybe it’s time for your business to make a move.

 

Photo © Rostislav Sedlacek– Fotolia.com