Olympus Medical Systems launched Unifia, a solution that employs radio frequency identification to track location, history and status of endoscopes used during surgical procedures.
Here are five key points:
1. Unifia is designed to help healthcare providers manage data relating to the use of endoscopes on patients, as well as the devices' processing and storage.
2. Unifia combines a software platform created to manage data about each Olympus endoscope and handheld readers that scan radio frequency identification tags or barcodes. The software creates a history of where each endoscope has been, when it was used and on which patient.
3. The system also notes which processing steps were completed or missed, providing hospitals more information to protect patients from infection.
4. Additionally, Unifia provides real-time alerts in the event an endoscope is not following the proper protocol and provides proof that safety procedures are being followed.
5. For the past 10 years, Olympus Medical has been experimenting with radio frequency identification. The company is the largest provider of respiratory endoscopes in the U.S.