مدیریت اطلاعات سلامت (May 2016)
Attitudes of the Staff of Hospitals Affiliated to Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Iran, towards the Role of Radio-Frequency Identification in Care and Treatment
Abstract
Introduction: Automatic identification and data collection without the need for frequent human intervention is an undeniable necessity in health control. Among a variety of methods, radio-frequency identification (RFID) is known for this characteristic and can be used for the online process of sending and receiving information. This study was conducted to determine the role of this technology in the effectiveness of treatment and care at hospitals affiliated to Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Iran, from the point of view of its users. Methods: This was an applied, descriptive, and the cross-sectional research. The statistical sample consisted of 72 physicians and nurses of hospitals affiliated to Kashan University of Medical Sciences selected through stratified sampling method. Data collection was carried out using a questionnaire the validity and reliability of which were, respectively, confirmed by a group of experts and using Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α = 0.89). Data were analyzed using chi-square test. Results: According to the results, 84% of the participants believed that RFID tags lead to the improvement of detection, diagnosis, identification, and automated reception of information in treatment and care. The attitude of the studied population toward RFID components was favorable in improving treatment and care in terms of effective detection (17.05), diagnosis (16.27), automated reception, collection of information (15.54), and identification (14.8). Conclusion: The favorable attitude of the participants shows that the use of RFID in the studied hospitals was effective in improving treatment and care for the patients.
