RFID in E-Health: Technology, Implementation, and Security Issues

Background

RFID has been around for a long time, with initial applications being in the areas of automatic toll collection and airline baggage handling systems (Landt, 2001; Landt, 2005). Hawrylak, Mickle, and Cain present the background and history of the technological development of RFID (Hawrylak, Cain, & Mickle, 2008). RFID is composed of three components: RFID tags, RFID readers, and middleware/backend software. RFID tags are attached to an asset or person. The RFID tag identifies the asset or person and provides a medium to store additional data about the asset or person. This memory is commonly referred to as user memory. The RFID reader serves as the link between the middleware/backend software and the RFID tag. The RFID reader is responsible for communicating with the RFID tag and transferring information between the middleware/backend software and the RFID tag. The middleware/backend software represents two software components that are sometimes merged together. The middleware provides the glue logic, similar to a device driver, to connect the RFID reader to the backend system responsible for process control. Some advanced middleware platforms incorporate filtering and data processing capabilities to reduce the amount of data and requests sent to the backend software. The middleware connects to the backend software. In some RFID systems the middleware component is built into the RFID reader. The backend software provides the process control for the larger system. An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is one example of a backend system. Figure 1 illustrates the four major components in an RFID system.

Figure 1.

Overview of a typical RFID system

RFID enhances a traditional ERP system by providing better visibility and insight in the real-time operation of the system or process being managed. In the medical environment RFID can provide better inventory management, inventory locating capability, improve patient throughput, and improve patient safety.