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Asset Tracking and Green Analytics

The Problem:

Equipment loss in surgery causes significant financial, environmental and reputational impact

Financial Impact: The National Audit Office (NAO) estimates that financial losses due to inefficient asset management in the public sector may reach billions in cost to public finances.
Operational Disruption: Case studies document multiple incidents where equipment loss has led to delays in treatment, affecting service delivery [1–3]. Similarly, NHS Digital reports operational pressures related to equipment shortages [4]

The Result:

  • Patient Safety: There is a correlation between resource availability and patient outcomes. Insufficient access to essential equipment due to loss can compromise safety, as seen in reports from organizations such as the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
  • Increased Costs and Trust Reputation: Surveys from organizations like the British Medical Association (BMA) have shown that public perception of the NHS can be influenced by stories of mismanagement or asset loss, impacting patient engagement and trust.
  • Regulatory Compliance: The NHS is subject to oversight from regulatory bodies that assess how Trusts manage their assets. Reports from these regulatory bodies emphasize the importance of effective asset management in meeting compliance standards.

The Potential:

Using technological solutions assets can be tracked throughout the hospital and wider working environment [5]. Assets may include:

  1. High value equipment
  2. Patient samples
  3. Single use items to monitor utilisation
  4. Stock shelf items to aid both localisation and supply chain demands, reducing ‘out of date’ waste.

 

[1] Buddhdev P, Tebby J, Black P, Harding D, Kendall J, Shah H. Improving Theatre Productivity by Digitising Surgical Equipment Repairs. Cureus 2024;16:e61802. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.61802.
[2] Halton K, Graves N, Hall L. Opportunity cost of unavailable surgical instruments in Australian hospitals. ANZ J Surg 2014;84:905–6. https://doi.org/10.1111/ans.12822.
[3] Wong DJN, Harris SK, Moonesinghe SR, Moonesinghe SR, Wong DJN, Harris SK, et al. Cancelled operations: a 7-day cohort study of planned adult inpatient surgery in 245 UK National Health Service hospitals. Br J Anaesth 2018;121:730–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bja.2018.07.002.
[4] NHS England. NHS England » Reporting potential supply disruptions of medical equipment and consumables 2024. https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/reporting-potential-supply-disruptions-of-medical-equipment-and-consumables/ (accessed February 11, 2025).
[5] Carrasco VN, Jackson SS. Real Time Location Systems and Asset Tracking: New Horizons for Hospitals. Biomed Instrum Technol 2010;44:318–23. https://doi.org/10.2345/0899-8205-44.4.318.