New scanning technology to give health services real time data about reusable waste containers

New scanning technology using radio frequency identification will soon provide health services with real-time data about reusable assets, including sharps containers and clinical waste bins.

Key points:

• Cleanaway Daniels is introducing technology to enable bulk scanning of containers and bins in trucks as they are collected at sites.
• Bulk scanning means weights of reusable sharps containers can be accurately tracked back to the healthcare facility.

The technology will enable health services to manage their container assets more accurately. Waste management services provider Cleanaway Daniels is introducing the technology to enable bulk scanning of containers and bins in trucks as they are collected at sites.

Bulk scanning will mean the weight of reusable sharps containers recorded on the wash line can be accurately tracked back to the healthcare facility, allowing health services to report and forecast usage for each site. For health services, this will save reporting time and allow for placement and collection of bins and containers to suit actual usage – potentially leading to cost savings.

Cleanaway Daniels National Customer Service Manager Natino Malvaso says health services were top of mind when they chose to invest in hybrid RFID (radio-frequency identification) technology.

"Our testing indicated barcode scanning increased the time it took drivers to complete tasks at healthcare sites, which is not ideal because loading docks at hospitals are already very busy," Natino says.

"The main advantages of hybrid RFID technology are bulk scanning of multiple containers with one click and a dramatic improvement in data accuracy. Scanning that used to take around five minutes using individual container barcodes can now be done in less than 10 seconds with RFID," he says.

HSV Director of Procurement Joe Neill says the benefits for health services will eventually extend beyond the dock to areas such as wards.

"This technology will create efficiencies in relation to the availability, use and collection of reusable containers across health service facilities, improving environmental outcomes," Joe says.

"It means health services can manage their container assets more accurately and the services for each facility can be highly customised," he says.

Cleanaway Daniels is in the process of prototyping the solution at a cost of $400,000 and expects to introduce the new technology by early 2022, representing an overall investment of approximately $2.4 million.

Hybrid RFID scanning benefits for health services:

• report and forecast asset usage in real time
• systemise ordering and decision making
• optimise hospital container asset mix and eventually ward container asset mix
• optimise truck routes and collections
• eventually extend asset tracking to wards, allowing health services to customise and more efficiently manage reusable collections in different areas of the facility.