Improving efficiency through analysis of data obtained from an RFID tag system for surgical instruments

The number of surgical instruments that must be managed can be up to 100 for a single operation. Careful counting before and after an operation and proper identification of each instrument being stored in a container after sterilization are indispensable to patient safety. In the past this has required a great amount of hand labor. To improve efficiency, Shimane University Hospital introduced a system called SIMSAFE that uses RFID tags. The data obtained promotes effective and efficient instrument management. This paper introduces the management of surgical instruments when using SIMSAFE and shows the results of a preliminary data analysis.