Authors (including presenting author) :
Chau YF(1), Ng TS(1), Lau CC(1), Cheung SF(1), Fung CK(1), Ma LF(1), Lo WCD(1), Szeto LD(1)
Affiliation :
(1)Department of Anaesthesia and Operating Theatre, Tseung Kwan O Hospital
Introduction :
The surgical consumables store in Tseung Kwan O Hospital's Operating Theatre stores up over three thousand consumables, nurses and clerk need to perform manual counting and recording monthly, which require 4 manpower to count for around 3 days. Human errors, such as wrong documentations, counting mistakes and record missing may occurred, which alter further consumables tracing. As a result, RFID system stepping into the TKOH Operating Theatre.
Objectives :
To facilitate the consumables management and counting procedure during intra-operative phase by using RFID system, we hope to enhance the consumables counting accuracy by using the automated counting method and prevent human errors; to minimize manpower and shorten the stocktaking time; to enhance patient safety by preventing any misuse expired consumables, and assisting further consumables tracing.
Methodology :
In 2020 Q4, the department of A&OT established a workgroup to design a new system of RFID for the consumables management and intra-operative counting procedure. Surgical store was being selected to conduct the trial run. In-house training for 40 nurses and 5 clerks has been provided at Sep 2021. Suitable cabinets and target consumables were determined and set up in 2021 Q2. All the consumables’ information is firstly inputted into the unique RFID tag. Through the RFID reader, the consumables or implants’ information can be retrieved and transmitted to the Perioperative Nursing Information System (PNIS) directly during intra-operative phase. Meanwhile, the automated and real-time inventory report including consumables and implant usage and expiry date records can be retrieved at any time.
Result & Outcome :
1. Accuracy of RFID automated-count reached 100%; time for stocktaking was greatly reduced from 10 hours to 15 minutes and no manpower was required for counting procedure; 90% staff were highly satisfied with the new system and agree to extend to other specialties; no missing entry of patient implant records in PNIS and consumables and implant usage report; no incidents about misuse of expired consumables occurred and patient safety was enhanced.
