Authors : Ganes Raj Muthu Arumugam; Saravanan Muthaiyah; Kalaiarasi Sonai Muthu Anbananthen

Volume/Issue : Volume 9 - 2024, Issue 5 - May

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/499y34ub

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/4jukcvje

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24MAY2512

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : In 2022, Malaysia's Ministry of Health (MOH) acknowledged that government hospitals continue to face challenges in delivering high-quality patient care. A significant issue is the absence of a Real-Time Patient Location Monitoring and Tracking Solution, which prevents doctors from efficiently tracking patients within medical facilities. This lack of real-time tracking contributes to a decline in service quality, creating an urgent need for optimization in patient monitoring and tracking solutions. Implementing an effective tracking system can significantly enhance patient care quality, improve resource utilization management, and boost staff productivity, ultimately saving costs, time, and resources for hospitals. One critical area for improvement is the Patient Turnaround Time (PTAT), which refers to the duration a patient spends being processed at a hospital before being discharged. PTAT is currently prolonged in many hospitals due to the complex processes involved and patients becoming untraceable while waiting for their turn. To address these challenges, we have developed an Internet of Things (IoT) solution utilizing Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to optimize PTAT. This solution enables hospital staff to track patient movements and localize them in real-time. By using wearable devices, the system measures the distance from patients to various Access Points (AP) spread throughout the hospital based on the dBm value. This paper presents comprehensive experimentation for the Proof of Concept (POC) and pilot testing of this BLE-based solution. The results demonstrate the accuracy of using the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) to optimize patient turnaround times in hospitals. By implementing this BLE solution, hospitals can reduce the time patients spend waiting for treatment, thereby improving overall patient satisfaction and hospital efficiency. The ability to monitor patient locations in real-time will ensure that patients receive timely care, reducing the likelihood of them wandering off and becoming untraceable. This technology represents a significant step forward in modernizing patient care and streamlining hospital operations in Malaysia.

Keywords : BLE; Healthcare; IoT; Optimization; Patients Turnaround Time (PTAT); Signal Scan.

References :

1. Vize, R. (2017) How can health services keep pace with the rapid growth of cities? | Richard Vize. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/feb/24/how-can-health-services-keep-pace-with-the-rapid-growth-of-cities
2. Boo Su-Lyn (2022) Recap: Top 10 Malaysia Health Issues In 2022, https://codeblue.galencentre.org/ 2022/12/29/recap-top-10-malaysia-health-issues-in-2022/#:~:text=However%2C%20systemic%20issues%20continue%20to,of%20chronic%20disease%20in%20Malaysia.
3. Yi-Chao Huang, Jong-Ching Hwang,Yi-Chun Lin (2021) The Optimization between Physician Satisfaction and Hospital Profit in Cross-Hospital Scheduling, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ articles/PMC8392353/
4. Malaysia’s Ministry of Health (MOH) (2016) Annual Report Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia. https://www.moh.gov.my/moh/resources/Penerbitan/Penerbitan%20Utama/ANNUAL%20REPORT/Annual_Report_MoH_2016_compressed.pdf .
5. Hongxu Zhu & etl, (2019) Smart Healthcare in the Era of Internet-of-Things, https://www.researchgate.net/ publication/335583730_Smart_Healthcare_in_the_Era_of_Internet-of-Things
6. You-Wei Lin, Chi-Yi Lin (2018) An Interactive Real-Time Locating System Based on Bluetooth Low-Energy Beacon Network, https://www.mdpi.com/ 1424-8220/18/5/1637
7. Heurtefeux, K., & Valois, F. (2012). Is RSSI a good choice for localization in wireless sensor network? 2012 IEEE 26th International Conference on Advanced Information Networking and Applications. https://doi.org/10.1109/aina.2012.19
8. Du, J., Yuan, C., Yue, M., & Ma, T. (2022). A novel localization algorithm based on RSSI and Multilateration for indoor environments. Electronics, 11(2), 289. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics 11020289
9. Giovanelli, D., & Farella, E. (2018). RSSI or time-of-flight for Bluetooth low energy based localization? An experimental evaluation. 2018 11th IFIP Wireless and Mobile Networking Conference (WMNC). https://doi.org/10.23919/wmnc.2018.8480847
10. Alan Bensky, (2019) Short-range Wireless Communication, https://www.sciencedirect.com/ topics/computer-science/received-signal-strength
11. Shahin Farahani (2008) ZigBee Wireless Networks and Transceivers , https://www.sciencedirect.com/ book/9780750683937/zigbee-wireless-networks-and-transceivers
12. David Herres (2021) Understanding decibels and decibel measurements. https://www.testandmeasurementtips.com/understanding-decibels-and-decibel-measurements-faq/#respond
13. Maccari L, Cagno V. (2021) Do we need a contact tracing app? Computer Communications ;166:9–18.
14. Nordic Semiconductor. NRF52832, (2021) - Nordicsemi.com [Internet]. Multiprotocol Bluetooth 5, ANT/ANT+ and 2.4 GHz proprietary System-on-Chip. Nordic Semiconductor | Specialists in Low Power Wireless - nordicsemi.com; Available from: https://www.nordicsemi.com/-/media/Software-and-other-downloads/Product-Briefs/nRF52832-product-brief.pdf?hash=2F9D995F754BA2F2EA944A2C4351E682AB7CB0B9&la=en
15. Bisdikian, C. (2001). An overview of the Bluetooth wireless technology. IEEE Communications Magazine, 39(12), 86-94. https://doi.org/10.1109/ 35.968817
16. O'Neill, P. H. (2020, April 22). Bluetooth contact tracing needs bigger, better data. MIT Technology Review. https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/ 04/22/1000353/%20bluetooth-contact-tracing-needs-bigger-better-data/

17. Zhao, Q., Wen, H., Lin, Z., Xuan, D., & Shroff, N. (2020). On the accuracy of measured proximity of Bluetooth-based contact tracing apps. Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, 49-60. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63086-7_4