Exavera RFID: RFID Remedy for Medical Errors

From RFID Journal ... Exavera eShepherd combines RFID with Wi-Fi and voice over IP to deliver a single system to track patients staff and hospital assets. By Jonathan Collins May 28 2004 Start-up company has unveiled its eShepherd system which by combining RFID and Wi-Fi technology the company says can bring enormous savings to hospitals and healthcare centers across the U.S. ...

Exavera Technologies Incorporated combines wireless technologies to build advanced networks that enable the identification, location and tracking of people and assets and document interactions between them. Incorporated in June of 2003, Exavera is headquartered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The company's management represents extensive experience in both communication technologies and the underserved markets Exavera's solutions address.

eShepherd™ combines a secure broadband network with the Vera-T™ family of intelligent, RFID-enabled bracelets, badges and asset tags. By integrating with a Hospital Information System (HIS), eShepherd enables positive patient identification, provides real-time patient, staff, and asset location, and ensures secure information delivery to the point of care. At the heart of eShepherd is the VeraFi™—Exavera’s wireless premise router. It enables realtime, secure communication between RFID and WiFi technologies and integrates with the existing IT infrastructure. The VeraFi is in constant communication with all Vera-T devices, including the Vera-T bracelet, enabling automatic and positive patient identification as the caregiver approaches the bedside. The Vera-T bracelet can also contain pertinent patient information, including contact data, photograph, insurance information, and select medical history. Through the wireless network, medical professionals securely access and update information on the hospital’s database, as well as the bracelet, in real time using WiFi-equipped PDAs, laptops, and tablet PCs. Internal firewalls and patent-pending encryption techniques ensure the highest level of security and HIPAA compliance.

Because eShepherd facilitates the paperless hospital system and has robust security features, it minimizes unauthorized or incidental disclosure – perhaps the primary objective of HIPPA. One of JCAHO’s most important mandates is the requirement of two forms of patient identification at the time of medication administration. In conjunction with the Hospital Information System, eShepherd can automatically validate the patient ID providing both methods of identification.

All members of the Vera-T family communicate automatically and wirelessly with the Exavera network. Authorized personnel can access and write pertinent information on the bracelets, badges, and tags in real time. With capacities up to 2 Megabytes, the Vera-T devices can contain files ranging from simple text to images. In addition to the application-specific information, each comes with a unique, factory-imprinted ID, ensuring accurate tracking of equipment and inventory as well as positive identification and location of individuals. The VeraFi series transmits via RFID to Exavera’s Vera-T™ family – a suite of RFID-enabled bracelets, badges, and asset tags that relay pertinent information including identity and current location. A single VeraFi is capable of supporting up to 500 Vera-T devices. The unit also communicates with wireless devices, such as PDAs, tablet PCs, laptops, desktop computers, WiFi telephones, and printers, via 802.11 a, b or g at speeds up to 54+ Megabits per second. Each VeraFi offers support for a full Class C network or 253 IP devices per LAN segment.