Automation Tools for Patient Tracking: A Comprehensive Review Toward Establishing a Digital Twin for a Sustainable Healthcare System
摘要
This paper explores the transformative impact of automation in healthcare, with a focus on patient tracking technologies such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and the Internet of Things (IoT), Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Biometric Tracking, etc. It highlights the shift toward patient-centric care models enabled by these technologies, which allow for continuous monitoring and enhanced healthcare delivery. RFID systems have been shown to significantly improve patient safety by reducing medical errors, optimizing inventory management, and streamlining clinical workflows. Key applications of RFID include tracking medical instruments, ensuring accurate patient identification, and enabling remote health monitoring. Complementing RFID, IoT-enabled devices, such as wearable sensors and edge computing platforms, offer real-time monitoring that supports timely medical interventions, particularly in the management of chronic diseases. These technologies also enhance healthcare efficiency in remote and underserved regions by providing critical health data to care providers. Despite these advancements, the paper identifies several challenges to widespread adoption, including high implementation costs, privacy concerns, and technical barriers related to system integration. The review calls for further research and development to overcome these obstacles and fully realize the potential of automation in healthcare. Ultimately, the successful integration of these technologies promises to revolutionize patient care, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen healthcare systems.