Trouble in Your Tank: Implementing Direct Metallization in Advanced Substrate Packaging
It’s Only Common Sense: Storytelling That Sells—Stop Pitching, Start Painting Pictures
The Right Approach: Get Ready for ISO 9001 Version 6
Survey Finds 68% of Healthcare Respondents Not Familiar with Indoor Location Technologies
July 28, 2017 | ABI ResearchEstimated reading time: 1 minute
In a recent B2B technology survey of 455 U.S.-based companies across nine verticals, ABI Research finds that only 32% of respondents are familiar with indoor location technologies and their cost saving benefits. The findings show a disconnect between the healthcare industry’s evident need for an asset tracking solution and their willingness to implement one. Only 2% of healthcare respondents had plans to deploy an indoor location solution within the next twelve months.
“The healthcare industry could see significant returns on investment by tracking assets such as infusion pumps across facilities, especially as medical devices become increasingly advanced and more expensive” says Samuel McLaughlin, Research Analyst at ABI Research. “There is reluctance within healthcare to deploy asset tracking solutions, despite the potential to save both money and lives. Installation expenses can be high if the solution is not compatible with the hospital’s already-existing network infrastructure and regulations. Indoor location vendors must demonstrate they can offer standards-based systems which can support interoperability features, resulting in easier installation and reduced upfront costs.”
Multiple industry sources estimate that between 10% and 20% of hospital inventory is stolen or lost each year. This could be partly attributed to healthcare personnel favoring certain equipment and keeping it in areas where only they can access it, rather than where it should be stored. Typical assets that might be tracked in a hospital include ventilators, dialysis machines, heart rate monitors, wheelchairs, and IV pumps. One hospital alone has estimated the yearly cost of replacing IV pumps at US$70k.
Adoption of new and emerging technologies has been traditionally slower in healthcare compared to other verticals, often due to funding issues and cost-saving measures at a government or organizational level. “Recent breaches in security in healthcare systems due to antiquated systems across the world should serve as a wake-up call in hospital organizations to embrace emerging technologies sooner rather than later,” concludes McLaughlin.
Share on:
Testimonial
"In a year when every marketing dollar mattered, I chose to keep I-Connect007 in our 2025 plan. Their commitment to high-quality, insightful content aligns with Koh Young’s values and helps readers navigate a changing industry. "
Brent Fischthal - Koh YoungSuggested Items
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
08/15/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007In our industry, my top reads include Prashant Patel’s overview and argument for reshoring, which I found to be a great general overview and breakdown. In further support of the onshoring/reshoring message, I’m highlighting Nolan Johnson’s interview on the survey and report by the Reshoring Initiative. Check out my interview with USPAE’s Jim Will on the state of the flat panel display (FPD) industry and the risks associated with it for U.S. defense and critical infrastructure products.
Global Electronics Industry Remains Under Pressure from Rising Costs
08/04/2025 | Global Electronics AssociationThe global electronics manufacturing supply chain remains under pressure from rising costs, with 61% of firms reporting higher material costs and 54% noting increased labor expenses. according to the Global Electronics Association’s Sentiment of the Global Electronics Manufacturing Supply Chain Report.
Statement from the Global Electronics Association on the July 2025 Tariff on Copper Foil and Electronics-Grade Copper Inputs
07/31/2025 | Global Electronics AssociationWe are disappointed by today’s decision to impose a 50% tariff on imported copper foil and other essential materials critical to electronics manufacturing in the United States.
Direct Metallization: A Sustainable Shift in PCB Fabrication
07/31/2025 | Jim Watkowski, Harry Yang, and Mark Edwards, MacDermid Alpha Electronics SolutionsThe global electronics industry is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the need for more resilient supply chains and environmentally sustainable manufacturing practices. Printed circuit boards (PCBs), the backbone of interconnection for electronic devices, are at the center of this shift. Traditionally, PCB fabrication has relied heavily on electroless copper, a process that, while effective, is resource-intensive and environmentally hazardous. In response, many manufacturers are turning to direct metallization technologies as a cleaner, more efficient alternative.
Considering the Future of Impending Copper Tariffs
07/30/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamThe Global Electronics Association is alerting industry members that a potential 50% tariff on copper could hit U.S. electronics manufacturers where it hurts.