An inbound badge assignment interface to CareFlow from Epic simplifies patient tracking by assigning Midmark RTLS badges directly in Epic, without duplicate data entry into the RTLS. When staff enter the Midmark RTLS Badge ID in the Epic tag field upon patient arrival, Epic automatically sends applicable patient data to CareFlow. And the outbound CareFlow interface to Epic enables real-time location updates and timestamps in Epic modules such as Grand Central, OpTime, ASAP, MyChart Bedside and more. 

Together, these interfaces allow clinicians to view patient, staff and equipment location in Epic to keep the entire care team up to date. Automating patient bed assignments and transfers based on patient location improves patient flow and staff productivity. When a patient’s location changes to a new unit (e.g., to MedSurg from ICU), the bed assignment is automatically updated. Environmental Services is notified for room cleaning when a patient is transferred (location change) or discharged (patient badge placed in a Midmark RTLS drop box) and bed status is automatically updated. 

The system also uses location data to automatically timestamp patient events in the EMR (e.g., patient arrival/departure from the operating room) to accurately document the patient experience and reduce manual data entry. The Epic OpTime module provides stage communication via a status board for staff and a waiting room view to keep family up to date on progress throughout a procedure. The CareFlow RTLS integration reduces data entry and manual transcription errors by automatically documenting each stage using location data. 

Other functionalities include: 

• Suggesting associations in the patient chart when equipment is co-located with a patient​ 

• Displaying equipment near a patient’s assigned room 

• Listing available (not associated to a patient) equipment on a unit  

• Logging staff in Epic Monitor when entering the patient room 

• Displaying who saw the patient and who is with the patient in MyChart Bedside 

• Showing staff locations on the Grand Central unit map 

Overall care team coordination improves with shared, accurate location context. One Florida hospital utilizing the CareFlow RTLS Epic interface reports it has seen positive ROI in many areas since implementing it in 2012. Through enhanced patient flow and communication, the system has dramatically reduced length-of-stay measures by 37% for children, 18.5% for discharged adults and 36% for admitted adults. The hospital has also achieved quicker room turnover, and increased cash collections by 45% based on their badge collection/discharge procedures.⁴ 

Small Interface, Big Impact 

A growing number of health systems are discovering how this behind-the-scenes integration is delivering outsized benefits. CareFlow RTLS has received the Epic Toolbox designation for the RTLS category and is advancing toward the new Staff Duress category through meeting Epic’s recommended best practices, affirming our commitment to streamlining clinical workflows and enhancing patient care through innovative technology. 

Automation supports faster, more informed decisions by providing clinicians with live visibility into patient and staff locations across departments. By leveraging this technology, healthcare staff are experiencing fewer clicks, fewer delays and fewer data entry errors—with measurable time savings per patient encounter and task.