Duke Fertility Center Uses Advanced Radio Frequency Identification Technology to Ensure Safety and Security
IVF Lab Director Douglas Raburn, HCLD, PhD, works with a sample at the Duke Fertility Center.
The safety and security of your reproductive cells is Duke Fertility Center’s top priority. To reduce the risk of human error, we use radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, called RI Witness. This platform is a sophisticated electronic witnessing system designed to enhance the safety and security of all laboratory processes involved in fertility treatments.
Here, Duke Fertility Center's High Complexity Clinical Laboratory Director, Douglas Raburn, PhD, explains how the RI Witness platform works.
Reproductive Cells and Embryo Tracking
In addition to our standard labeling system, which includes your name, medical record number, and an assigned color, we have incorporated the RI Witness platform. RI Witness uses radio frequency identification tags to link you to your reproductive cells. This helps the laboratory track and record every step of the process more efficiently. The system automatically monitors and records the movement and handling of all samples, alerting laboratory staff to any potential errors or mismatches in real time.
At Duke Fertility Center, you are assigned a unique RFID number that corresponds to labels attached to your laboratory specimens and embryos. You receive a card that is used throughout the fertility process.
You will present your RFID card to the laboratory each time you provide a sample or receive embryos. Your card will be placed on the RFID reader next to the sample dish. The machine scans the chip on the dish and the chip in the card to verify that the numbers match. “If we brought out a dish that was already assigned to someone else and put that on the reader with the patient's ID card, we’d get a big warning saying something's not right,” said Raburn.
RI Witness Ensures Compliance
RI Witness reduces the risk of human error by ensuring every step of the fertility treatment process is accurately tracked and monitored. In addition to the added layer of safety through RFID labeling, the RI Witness platform monitors and records staff compliance with protocols. Every time a team member handles your sample, their work is recorded in the RI Witness platform.
RI Witness readers throughout our laboratory also help reduce human error and ensure every team member is following the appropriate steps to process your eggs, sperm, or embryos. Every time a team member handles your sample, they record their work in the RI Witness platform. This ensures that no step is overlooked. “If an embryologist skipped a step, it won't let them progress. That means there's no difference in one embryologist to the other,” said Raburn.
RI Witness Keeps You Updated on the Process
The RI Witness platform has the ability to generate reports detailing every step in the process. These records and audit trails reassure team members and patients that all specimens were handled appropriately.
Choose a Fertility Center with RI Witness
Utilizing the RI Witness platform alongside established labeling protocols offers an additional layer of security. This ensures that when you visit Duke Fertility Center, you can have the peace of mind knowing your specimen and embryos are safe.
