The RFID-based wrist band, the first-of-its-kind to be implemented successfully, assists nurses by automating the process of administering patient medication. The device was used in a clinical trial involving cancer patients at the Halifax Health Medical Centre in the US. About 95 per cent of the patients involved in the study found the device easy to use and they were better able to control the pain by using it rather than relying on nurses to provide the pills. Almost 84 per cent of the nurses involved in the study said it saved them time, Bartronics said.
During the programming process, the data on a patient's oral medication prescription dosage and frequency is entered. Every nurse carries a personal identification card, which is again based on RFID technology. In response to reading the card, the body of the medication-on-demand (MoD) device allows the nurse to remove an empty pill tray or insert a full one.
When the patient holds the wristband up to the device, he selects the number on a sliding dial to indicate the pain level, on a scale of 1 to 10. This prompts the MoD to dispense pain medication.
"Besides healthcare, the leisure and entertainment space, transportation sector and the education sector offer a $2 billion ( Rs 8,000 crore) opportunity for Bartronics in the coming years," Sudhir Rao, managing director of Bartronics India, said. For the financial year 2008-09, Bartronics America expects to generate revenues in excess of $40 million (Rs 160 crore).
