Performance analysis of a healthcare supply chain for RFID-enabled process reengineering

This study is part of a project which aims to study innovative RFID-based management systems, to optimise logistics in a blood transfusion centre (BTC). In 2009, an analysis of transfusion processes (AS IS 2009) and criticalities was carried out and a RFID-based process reengineering was performed (TO BE 2009). After several technical and management changes in BTC, a further process analysis was carried out and a new model (AS IS 2013) was implemented. The aim of the study is to evaluate efficiency and safety levels of BTC at present, and to compare the models using a coherent methodological approach. A failure modes, effects and criticalities analysis (FMECA) was carried out, in order to highlight criticalities related to patient safety and ad hoc key performance indicators (KPI) were designed and calculated for the two as is models. This paper describes a significant step prior to the design of UHF RFID systems.