Summer Work: RadarFind
4/21/2009 (Kelley Indianapolis)
Undergraduate students looking for a summer research position in a clinical setting can apply for a new research project funded by the Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Research Institute at Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis.
The project will document the impact of the implementation of a Radio Frequency Identification (RadarFind—www.radarfind.com) system at the Southeastern Regional Medical Center in North Carolina. The hospital recently implemented the RadarFind system on more than 15 different medical devices, allowing the real-time tracking of medical equipment and updates on the device’s use, location and maintenance schedule.
To apply for the program, students are asked to complete the online application as soon as possible at http: http://crl.iupui.edu/common/uploads/library/CRL/CRL264181.pdf before submitting their MURI application form at http://crl.iupui.edu/common/uploads/library/CRL/CRL835752.doc.
Students will receive a stipend of $3,200 for the period of June 1 through July 30. Students will be asked to travel to North Carolina for a few days and interview hospital personnel to determine if RFID system impacts care by allowing doctors to track the location of equipment to save time and reduce hoarding. Travel expenses will be covered.
Among the questions to address:
- How does the RFID equipment impact clinical engineering practice?
- How does it impact nursing care?
- How does it impact usage patterns of medical devices and behaviors?
- How does it impact accounting /patient billing?
- Can a positive return on investment be established?
Applicants must have at least a 3.0 GPA and have completed at least 12 credit hours of business curriculum. They also should be able to research the role of medical equipment in patient care, be comfortable in a clinical setting and be able to apply business principles to examine the return on investment in the system.
For more information, contact Barbara Christe at bchrist2@iupui.edu or Richard Rogers at rrogers@iupui.edu.
