AsseTRAK Locates Hospital Assets in Under 10 Seconds to Within 7 Feet

By Mike Maurer, President, MGM Solutions | 35+ Years in RTLS

Originally published on LinkedIn by Mike Maurer, April 2017. Republished here with expanded content for our website visitors.

How long does it take your staff to find a critical piece of equipment? In most hospitals, the answer is “too long.” Nurses spend an average of 30-60 minutes per shift searching for equipment like IV pumps, wheelchairs, and portable monitors. That’s time taken directly from patient care.

AsseTRAK changes that equation entirely. Operating on MGM Solutions’ proven SecurTRAK infrastructure, AsseTRAK locates any RFID-tagged asset in less than 10 seconds to within approximately 7 feet of accuracy — across millions of square feet of indoor and outdoor space.

How AsseTRAK Works

AsseTRAK leverages the same 433 MHz RF infrastructure that powers SecurTRAK’s life-safety applications. Every tagged asset continuously transmits its location, with position updates every 30 seconds when assets are in motion.

Finding Equipment Is This Simple:

1. Open any web browser (desktop, tablet, or mobile)
2. Search for the asset by type, name, or ID number
3. The asset’s location appears instantly on your facility’s AutoCAD floor plan
4. Walk directly to it — no searching required

The system displays assets on vector-format AutoCAD floor and site plans, providing perfect detail at any zoom level. Whether you’re looking at a single room or an entire multi-building campus, the display remains crisp and accurate.

Proven at Scale: 7 Million Square Feet and Counting

AsseTRAK is currently operational across multiple VA campuses covering 7 million square feet of indoor and outdoor space. This isn’t a pilot program or a proof of concept — it’s a production system delivering results daily.

Key Performance Metrics:

• Location time: Under 10 seconds from query to display
• Accuracy: Average 3 meters (approximately 10 feet) with 433 MHz RF
• Update frequency: Every 30 seconds for moving assets
• Coverage: Indoor and outdoor, including parking structures and between buildings
• Interface: Standard web browser — no special software required

More Than Just “Find My Equipment”

AsseTRAK goes beyond simple locate-and-retrieve. The platform supports intelligent business rules that automate responses:

• Exit alerts: Automatic notifications when tagged assets pass through designated exits
• CCTV integration: Security cameras proactively capture video as tagged assets pass camera locations, providing timestamped evidence
• Elevator control: Business rules can trigger elevator door locks to prevent unauthorized equipment removal
• Email/SMS alerts: Automated notifications when assets enter or leave defined zones
• Utilization reporting: Track which assets are in use, idle, or missing to optimize procurement

Built on Proven Life-Safety Infrastructure

What makes AsseTRAK unique is that it runs on the same infrastructure as SecurTRAK’s life-safety modules. If your facility already has SecurTRAK for patient elopement prevention or wireless staff duress, adding asset tracking requires zero additional infrastructure — just tags on the equipment.

And the reverse is also true: if you start with AsseTRAK for asset tracking, the same receivers, exciters, and network support all of SecurTRAK’s life-safety and operational modules when you’re ready to expand.

The ROI Case for Asset Tracking

The financial impact of an RTLS-based asset tracking system is substantial:

• Reduced equipment hoarding: When staff can find equipment instantly, they stop hoarding it in department closets
• Lower capital equipment spend: Better visibility into existing inventory reduces unnecessary purchases
• Recovered nursing time: 30-60 minutes per nurse per shift returned to patient care
• Theft prevention: Exit alerts and video capture deter and document unauthorized removal
• Maintenance compliance: Know exactly where every asset is for scheduled maintenance and recalls

At one VA facility, the SecurTRAK platform (including patient tracking and asset management) contributed to $1.63 million in annual savings through reduced sitter costs alone. The asset tracking module adds incremental value on top of that foundation.

Learn more about our full asset tracking capabilities or see how the SecurTRAK software platform ties it all together.