1. Nate Lee
846188
RFID Uses in Warehousing and Health Care
RFID (radio frequency identification) application is used in many sectors especially in
tracking shipments. The application in RFID is endless. RFID’s can be utilized in tracking the
movement of people to razors being shipped around the world. Its end to end application allows
its users to account for inventory from the cradle to well after the grave due to the data that can
be retrieved. RFID has many applications but there are some limitations. Besides the
limitations, the use and application of RFID continues to grow and improve the effectiveness of
businesses across the many sectors.
To utilize any benefits of RFID, the operation must be computerized. “The ability to
capture, store, rationalize, and integrate information captured by RFID technology, including
product information, location, volume, and transactional data, allows organizations to more
effectively pick/pack, ship, route, track, and distribute materials.”(284) Because of these
improvements, organizations lower inventory levels and improve equipment productivity and
labor. Because the system is computerized, RFID systems can alert when inventory is at its
maximum or minimum. RFID’s are used in the movement of products or materials. Receiving,
storage, pick/pack, shipping and reliability are all improved when RFID’s are successfully
implemented.
RFID’s eliminate the need to check every palate by sight or by scanner. RFID’s tags can
be read from anywhere thus containers, pallets and inventory do not need specific places.
RFID’s can validate if correct amounts are picked and shipped and also measure warehouse
productivity. RFID readers can verify that the correct pallet is placed on the correct truck at the
right time.
Because much information is being retrieved, stored and analyzed, potential bandwidth
problems can occur. Also internal system functions must be upgraded. UPC bar code labels
usually have only eleven digits; however RFID serial numbers contain thirteen digits. The

2. Uniform Code Council is mandating that all U.S and Canadian companies are capable of
scanning and processing up to fourteen digit bar codes.
The healthcare management system is a budding environment for RFID technology. The
application of RFID in the medical sector is significant. As the Baby-Boomer ages climb and
healthcare cost rise, the need for accountability, fiscal responsibility and end to end tracking of
supplies are ever more needed. “Smart shelves”, shelves that track when a product is taken,
often cannot account for where the product went. Utilizing RFID technologies in an end to end
fashion, each product can be accounted for. The product can be linked to who used it, on what
patient and all manufacture information associated with it. RFID technology can send a signal
when product supply is low.
RFID’s record and transmit information about a product. The applications of RFID in
logistics are immense. RFID’s enable a manufacture to locate a product at any given moment, to
verify shipment of a products or inventory, the count of a items and the replenishment or
exhausted state of useable goods. It’s worth mentioning some limitations of RFID. RFID’s can
cause problems due to double scanning if RFID’s are to close. Also there is no way to track a
missed scan. Also, the information system must be able to handle heavy bandwidth for fast
paced manufacturing or information retrieval. Aside from the noted issues, RFID do increase
effectiveness and productivity. RFID’s provide a way to gather, more accurately, data for
logistic and information purposes. The end to end traceability makes RFID’s the way to go.
Work Cited Page
Erick C. Jones, E.C and Cung, C.A. (2011) RFID Uses in Warehousing. In RFID and
Auto-ID in Planning and Logistics – A Practical Guide for Military UID Applications (pp.281-
286; Chapter 24), CRC Press, New York.
Bendavida, Y. and Boeckb, H. (2011). Using RFID to Improve Hospital Supply Chain
Management for High Value and Consignment Items, Procedia Computer Science 5 (2011) 849-
856