In oncology and infusion pharmacy, every minute and each milligram matters. High-cost medications, short shelf lives, and tight USP <800> compliance requirements create a fragile balance between safety, efficiency, and waste. For Sentara Health, managing this balance has long been a priority. Now, thanks to real-time inventory tracking using RFID technology, it’s also a reality. In fact, Sentara Health was honored with the RFID Journal Award for Best Healthcare Implementation for their work using KitCheck Anywhere at Norfolk General Hospital. 

At RFID Journal LIVE!, a fireside chat with Sentara and Bluesight explored how KitCheck Anywhere, a flexible RFID-based inventory solution, is reshaping how health systems manage some of the most sensitive and expensive drugs in their formulary. 

The Stakes of High-Dollar, High-Impact Medications

When you’re dealing with oncology drugs that can cost the hospital up to $50,000 per dose or infusions that must be compounded and used within tight timelines – manual inventory tracking simply isn’t enough. These aren’t just high-dollar, they’re also high-impact and critical medications that need to be ready for patients when they’re needed. On top of that, there are stringent USP <800> standards for hazardous drug handling including adequate PPE when handling or entering the cleanroom. Yet, relying on manual counts to verify inventory means that there’s risk of wasted medications due to expiration, contamination or PPE overuse due to repeated cleanroom entries, and stockouts that cause delays in care. 

Sentara Norfolk’s pharmacy team was previously managing these medications with multiple manual inventory checks per day, often involving access into the sterile hazardous clean room. One missed expiration or miscount could result in wasted medication, a canceled infusion, or a delay in critical patient care. After implementing real-time RFID monitoring, that manual burden disappeared along with medication waste.

Keeping a Pulse on Inventory to Eliminate Expirations and Delays

Since adding always-on oversight into an IV cleanroom fridge at Norfolk General Hospital, the pharmacy team knows exactly what oncology inventory is in the fridge and what’s expiring soon – enabling the hospital to transfer any short-dated items to sister hospitals to ensure they are used and not wasted. There has not been a single expired medication since, which delivers both clinical and financial benefits. 

Key benefits include:

• Zero expired oncology medications since implementation.
• Optimized compounding planning based on actual inventory and anticipated patient volume.
• Reduce stockouts to ensure patients receive care without delay.

Reducing Traffic in the Clean Rooms

The RFID monitoring also added a measurable impact on cleanroom safety and staff time. By enabling remote monitoring of hazardous drug inventory, the system minimizes the need for staff to enter sterile environments and don PPE to count stock levels.

Key benefits include:

• Increased staff efficiency by providing live inventory views directly at their computers – no more physical counts or repeated cleanroom entries.
• Minimized staff exposure to hazardous drugs and reduced contamination risk for the inventory.
• Reduced PPE consumption and associated costs.

Takeaways on Using RFID for Oncology and Infusion Settings

While RFID has long been used in kit and tray management, its adaptability makes it ideal for high-risk, high-value inventory environments. The technology works with existing infrastructure – fridges, cabinets, and shelving – without requiring a major workflow overhaul.

RFID is more than a logistics solution. It’s a clinical enablement tool that:

• Ensures the right drug is in the right place at the right time.
• Reduces waste.
• Enhances both staff and patient safety.
• Frees pharmacy staff to focus on high-value work.

Sentara’s real-world implementation proves that automation in sterile compounding and clean room settings can eliminate expirations, support efficient inventory transfers, and reduce cleanroom traffic – improving outcomes for both patients and pharmacy teams.