5 Ways Asset Tracking Makes LTC Capital Planning Easier

If you are a Director of Care or other team member responsible for managing your facility’s capital equipment inventory, you already know how challenging it can be in terms of time and efficiency.

Questions like these might come to mind during routine operations:

Which beds and mattresses need replacing?

How many tubs on the 4th floor are having problems with water flow?

Which warranties are going to expire at the end of the quarter?

Is our scale giving accurate readings, or does it need to be calibrated?

The list goes on.

Because larger pieces of medical equipment have longer lifetimes, they regularly need repairs, preventative maintenance, and other servicing to keep them functioning properly and safely.

There is also annual capital planning and budgeting to consider according to your region’s spend allowance.

Common Issues With Conventional Equipment Tracking

If your facility has been keeping track of these needs using electronic spreadsheets or even paper, you have likely dealt with problems associated with:

• Maintaining accurate and up-to-date records
• Too much data entry/volume of data needed
• Ensuring data accuracy
• Managing multiple staff/users and permissions
• Properly organizing capital equipment by type and category
• Creating timeline and accurate reports for the Ministry of Health
• Lost files due to IT issues/files not backed up

A Simpler Way to Manage Your Equipment Fleet

For the past several years, we have helped long-term care facilities across Canada overcome these challenges with a simple solution (that also happens to be free – we include it as part of all our service calls): digital asset tracking using the Asset Tiger app.

How does it work exactly? Instead of relying on spreadsheets that need to be maintained manually, facility staff simply scan the barcode on a piece of equipment. The app then pulls up that item’s records, including:

• Full equipment details
• Serial number, make and model
• Age and assessed value
• Warranty and Preventative Maintenance expiration
• Preventative Maintenance checklists
• History, status and related documents
• Entrapment test results
• Photos

When we first introduce our customers to asset tracking, some are hesitant about the technology and integration with their operations. Those are fair concerns and completely understandable.

The best part about digital asset tracking is that you don’t need any specialized tech skills or knowledge. The app can be used on your phone, or you can login to the web version on your desktop computer. You start by creating your facility’s profile and working with our team.

For more information about how asset tracking works, download our Asset Tiger setup infographic.