The health emergencies of recent years have highlighted the critical need for operational efficiency in public healthcare. Yet, achieving this efficiency is not always straightforward — particularly in healthcare environments, where delays and inefficiencies are often caused by multiple overlapping factors.
Among these is the growing issue of physical and verbal aggression against healthcare workers. These incidents not only endanger doctors and nurses but also pose risks to patients, for two key reasons:
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an assaulted staff member may be unavailable in urgent or emergency situations;
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aggression disrupts the calm and therapeutic environment essential for patient recovery and well-being.
Given the increasing frequency of such incidents, the healthcare sector is now among the most affected by workplace violence. In response, health authorities — including the Ministry of Health in some countries — have introduced national prevention plans and specific actions aimed at protecting workers’ health and safety.
Risks to staff and patients
Aggression towards healthcare workers is a growing and serious concern, often leading to physical injuries and psychological distress. One of the most common consequences is work-related stress syndromes, such as burnout.
According to INAIL data from 2016 to 2020, nearly 12,000 workplace injuries involving violence, assaults, or threats were reported by healthcare professionals — averaging 2,500 cases per year. Other reports indicate that roughly one-third of nurses experience some form of workplace aggression annually, amounting to around 130,000 cases, with an estimated 125,000 additional unreported cases each year. Notably, 75% of these incidents involve female staff. In the three-year period 2020-2022, however, approximately 6,000 cases of assault were recorded, with 2,243 cases in 2022 alone.
Common triggers for aggression include:
- anxiety about one’s own health or that of a loved one
- poor communication between staff and patients
- staff shortages and overcrowding in facilities
These issues often lead to tense environments, especially in high-risk departments such as psychiatry.
According to surveys conducted by INAIL:
- 91% of assaults occurred in medical clinics or reception areas
- 61% of aggressors were patients; 21% were family members
- 56% of assaulted staff were working alone
- Only 27% of victims reported receiving help during the incident
Real-Time Locating System as a safety solution
Occupational violence in healthcare negatively impacts service quality and staff performance, which is why many facilities are adopting RTLS (Real-Time Location Systems) solutions using Bluetooth Low Energy technology, which is valued for its energy efficiency, scalability, and low cost. These systems enhance the safety of both staff and patients by employing devices equipped with position sensors and emergency buttons, allowing rapid reporting of critical situations through geolocated alarms and timely intervention. A Real-Time Locating System enables the real-time location of patients, the monitoring of healthcare personnel, the tracking of medical equipment, and the collection of workflow data. The system is typically composed of three main elements: tags, active battery-powered devices worn by people (staff, patients, visitors) or attached to assets (such as ultrasound scanners, defibrillators, syringe pumps, carts, and electromedical devices), which send signals at regular intervals to enable tracking; antennas (or anchors), fixed devices usually ceiling-mounted that receive the signals from the tags—some solutions use completely wireless, battery-powered receivers, making the infrastructure suitable for existing environments without invasive interventions; and management software, which processes the received data, applies localization algorithms, and displays the information on a digital map, providing a real-time overview of the facility.
Operational benefits of RTLS in healthcare
Hospitals that implement RTLS for staff and patient tracking can achieve a variety of measurable improvements:
1. Improved patient flow: overcrowding is a major issue in healthcare facilities. RTLS helps optimize patient admission and movement, reducing wait times and enhancing care quality. Staff can monitor patient progress and prioritize critical cases.
2. Service optimization: real-time tracking enables clinicians to follow patients throughout the facility. Mobile apps give staff access to location data on the go, allowing them to locate patients or equipment instantly. Alerts can be generated if, for example, a patient is left waiting too long.
3. Enhanced patient safety: continuous monitoring ensures that patients stay within authorized areas. Alerts can be triggered if a patient exits a predefined zone or experiences a fall or emergency.
4. Faster emergency response: by visualizing team members on a real-time map, healthcare and security staff can coordinate faster responses in emergencies, significantly reducing reaction times.
5. Smarter staff allocation: RTLS enables dynamic staff assignment based on proximity and real-time availability. It also allows for historical data analysis to better predict demand and optimize shift planning.
Conclusion
RTLS technologies offer a powerful way to increase safety, streamline operations, and reduce costs in healthcare environments. By enabling real-time monitoring of people, assets, and activities, these solutions support optimized emergency and resource management, addressing the challenges of an increasingly complex healthcare system.