VHA Real Time Location Systems (RTLS) Conference 2011

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

Deployment of RTLS (Real Time Location System) in healthcare allows for medical centers to better locate, track and utilize equipment, supplies, personal property, staff and patients.  When properly deployed it is a tool that can enable more effective healthcare delivery in the VHA System. VHA's RTLS Program Management Office was established in January 2010 to assist in the organization with the support, coordination and collaboration of an enterprise deployment of RTLS to ensure the most cost effective implementations that allow for standardization, integration and supportable configurations and usages.

The goals for RTLS in VHA are to:

• Improve operational efficiency
• Decrease operational costs
• Maximize equipment utilization
• Increase clinical efficiencies and staff productivity
• Reduce delays in patient care
• Minimize lost and misplaced items
• Improve the quality of service from patient, physician and institution perspectives
• Provide medical centers with the real-time capability to actively track all assets, medical supplies, staff, patients and environmental conditions through a common interface and reporting tool
• Provide national level reporting and information sharing through an enterprise database

ATTENDANCE

Expected attendance is 350.  The attendance includes the following from the VHA:

• Biomedical Engineers
• System Redesign Coordinators
• Logistics Managers
• IT Staff
• Clinical and Administrative VACO Staff
• Representation from all of VHA's Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISN's) to include facility and VISN level leadership