“At Zebra, we refer to AI as ‘Assisted Intelligence’, we want to augment not replace” – Lorna Hopkins, Zebra

CNME Editor Mark Forker sat down with Lorna Hopkins, International Marketing Manager at Zebra Technologies to talk about how technology is completely redefining and revolutionizing patient care in the healthcare industry, in an exclusive interview with tahawultech.com.

The report compiled by Zebra Technologies, rather unsurprisingly reached the conclusion that hospitals need to have access to the real-time availability of medical assets in order to deliver optimal patient care. However, can you explain to our readers why hospital leaders in both the UK and US appear to prioritize the digitization of inventory management solutions? 

In today’s healthcare environment, hospital leaders in both the UK and US are increasingly prioritizing the digitization of inventory management solutions for several key reasons. Firstly, these digital systems significantly enhance efficiency and reduce operational costs by streamlining the management of medical supplies and equipment.

This not only minimizes waste and reduces human error but also ensures that hospitals maintain optimal stock levels, avoiding the issues of overstocking or understocking.

Moreover, effective inventory management directly impacts patient care. By ensuring that necessary supplies and medications are always available, hospitals can prevent treatment delays and focus more on delivering high-quality care.

The majority of our respondents agreed that integrating an automated and digitized systems for tracking anything administered or used with patients at the point of care is a priority for their organization. Barcode scanning helps reduce or eliminate never events. When a product selected is incompatible with the procedure to be undertaken (for example a right knee for a left knee operation), warning messages can be issued in real-time to ensure accuracy and help avoid patient harm.  Recovering 100% of recalled or expired items or supplies can also be a challenging task. Introducing barcode or RFID technology help enhance risk management and add a layer of governance. Warning flags can be set and notifications triggered, empowering staff to quickly quarantine recalled stock.

Compliance with regulatory standards is another critical factor. Digital systems offer robust tracking and documentation, helping hospitals meet stringent regulations related to medical supplies and pharmaceuticals.

Furthermore, the data analytics provided by these systems enable hospital leaders to make informed, data-driven decisions. They can analyze usage patterns and supplier performance to optimize procurement strategies and enhance supply chain resilience—a need that became particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, digital solutions often integrate seamlessly with other hospital systems, such as electronic health records, improving overall operational efficiency.

Lastly, by optimizing inventory management, hospitals can align with sustainability goals, reducing waste and contributing to environmental efforts.

Overall, digitizing inventory management is a strategic priority that supports efficiency, cost-effectiveness, patient care, compliance, and sustainability in healthcare operations.

We know that Zebra is a global leader when it comes to empowering businesses and industries to operate more intelligently by connecting data, assets and people – but can you tell our readers more about how you are leveraging your broad portfolio of solutions to really equip the healthcare industry to transform the way they dispense care? 

 Zebra Technologies is at the forefront of transforming healthcare delivery by leveraging its broad portfolio of innovative solutions. One of the key ways Zebra is impacting the healthcare industry is through real-time tracking and visibility solutions, such as RFID and barcode scanning. These technologies ensure that the right patient receives the right care at the right time, enhancing both patient safety and operational efficiency.

Additionally, Zebra’s mobile computing devices are pivotal in enabling healthcare professionals to access and update patient information directly at the point of care. This mobility reduces errors related to manual data entry and enhances workflow efficiency, ultimately improving patient care.

Accurate patient identification is another area where Zebra excels, with their wristband printing solutions playing a crucial role in reducing medical errors and ensuring patients receive the correct treatments and medications.

In the realm of specimen collection, Zebra’s mobile printing and scanning solutions ensure precise labelling and tracking, minimizing the risk of mislabelling and improving the reliability of laboratory results.

Furthermore, Zebra’s inventory management solutions employ barcoding and RFID technology to effectively track medical supplies and medications. This helps hospitals maintain optimal inventory levels, reducing waste and preventing stockouts while ensuring regulatory compliance.

For temperature-sensitive items like vaccines, Zebra provides temperature monitoring solutions that safeguard product efficacy by recording and maintaining the appropriate conditions.

Zebra also enhances staff collaboration through devices that support secure messaging and information sharing, improving team coordination and patient outcomes.

Barcoding and RFID Technology also support materials management workflows throughout the hospital. The use of barcodes helps to streamline the receiving, sorting and storage of assets and supplies, and lessens “stock hoarding” with reliable inventory counts. In providing real-time locations for key equipment that constantly moves around the hospital, RFID technology helps minimise disruptions or delays in procedures.

Finally, Zebra’s data analytics solutions enable healthcare organizations to derive actionable insights from collected data, driving improvements in efficiency, patient care, and resource allocation.

Overall, Zebra is empowering healthcare organizations to become more connected, efficient, and data-driven, significantly enhancing the quality and safety of patient care.

The report showed that there is overwhelming support from clinicians and hospital leaders to adopt cutting-edge technologies to transform the sector, especially in relation to inventory management. So, what is preventing the digitization, is there a cost aspect, is there a lack of understanding as to how they can achieve the digitization required to overhaul the system? 

Digitization in hospitals faces several key challenges that can hinder its progress. Firstly, the high cost of implementation is a significant barrier. Many hospitals operate under tight budgets, and the initial investment required for digital infrastructure, software, and training can be substantial.

Secondly, there’s the issue of interoperability. Hospitals often use a variety of legacy systems, and integrating new digital solutions with existing technologies can be complex and time-consuming. This lack of seamless integration can deter hospitals from adopting new digital tools.

Another challenge is the resistance to change. Healthcare professionals may be accustomed to traditional methods, and there can be apprehension about transitioning to digital systems. This is often compounded by concerns over the learning curve associated with new technologies and the potential disruption to established workflows.

Data security and privacy are also critical concerns. With digitization comes the increased risk of cyber threats and data breaches, which can have serious implications for patient confidentiality and trust.

Additionally, regulatory and compliance requirements can pose challenges. Healthcare is a heavily regulated industry, and ensuring that digital solutions comply with all relevant standards can be a complex process.

There’s the challenge of ensuring that digital solutions genuinely improve patient care and outcomes. Hospitals need to see a clear return on investment, not just in terms of financial savings but also in improved patient experiences and outcomes.

Overall, while digitization has the potential to significantly enhance hospital operations and patient care, these challenges must be carefully managed to ensure successful implementation.

AI is undoubtedly the future, and that can be seen in the AI Arms race that is currently playing out between the US and China. Hospital leaders believe in AI to improve accuracy. However, despite the undoubted benefits of AI, there are many ethical and data privacy concerns, especially with Gen AI. What impact in the short-term do you see AI having on the healthcare system, and are there concerns over the misuse of patient data, and the heightened cybersecurity threats posed by the introduction of AI into existing processes and systems? 

In the short term, AI is poised to have a transformative impact on the healthcare system in several ways. Firstly, AI can significantly enhance diagnostic accuracy and speed. For example, AI algorithms are increasingly used to analyze medical images, such as X-rays and MRIs, to detect anomalies that might be missed by the human eye. This can lead to earlier and more accurate diagnoses, improving patient outcomes.

AI also holds great promise in personalizing treatment plans. By analyzing vast amounts of data from patient records and clinical trials, AI can help healthcare providers tailor treatments to individual patients, increasing the effectiveness of interventions.

Furthermore, AI can improve operational efficiencies within healthcare facilities. From optimizing scheduling and resource allocation to automating routine administrative tasks, AI can help reduce the workload on healthcare professionals and lower operational costs.

For budget holders and from a planning and operational point of view, predictive analytics help to get a consolidated view of asset usage rates and expiry dates, tied off with historical and future patient throughput. Data-driven dashboards empower staff to make informed decision making to reduce stock value and make substantial cost savings. Instead of “Artificial Intelligence” we like to refer to AI as “Assisted Intelligence”, augmenting people’s roles, but not replacing the human function.

However, the integration of AI into healthcare also raises important concerns, particularly around data privacy and cybersecurity. The use of AI requires access to large datasets, which often include sensitive patient information. This raises the risk of data misuse, either through inadequate data handling practices or unauthorized access.

Moreover, introducing AI into existing systems can increase cybersecurity threats. AI systems can be targeted by cybercriminals, potentially leading to data breaches that compromise patient confidentiality. Therefore, it’s crucial that healthcare organizations implement robust cybersecurity measures and ensure compliance with data protection regulations.

Overall, while AI offers significant benefits, it is essential for healthcare providers to address these concerns proactively. This involves investing in secure data management practices, educating staff about cybersecurity risks, and ensuring that AI systems are transparent and accountable in their operations.