CenTrak adds AI & BLE tools to boost hospital safety

CenTrak has released a new generation of products for its location intelligence platform, adding AI-driven reporting tools and new Bluetooth Low Energy options for hospitals and other healthcare settings.

The update focuses on the company's ConnectRT platform and expands functions that use real-time location data for staff safety, patient monitoring, and medical equipment management. CenTrak demonstrated the products at the HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition in Las Vegas using clinical workflow scenarios.

Existing users can upgrade to the new software and device options, with an emphasis on expanding coverage and improving data access for staff.

Safety and alerts

A key product in the release is the DuressRT Mobile App, which sends duress alerts from mobile phones. CenTrak positions it as a way to extend staff protection beyond a building footprint, including car parks, courtyards, and home health settings.

CenTrak also introduced the CenTrak Safety Bracelet, a watch-like wearable for continuous monitoring of patients considered at risk of wandering or needing close observation. The device is aimed at behavioural health and senior care environments.

Workplace violence and safety have become more prominent issues for hospitals internationally. In Australia, health services have reported growing concern about aggressive incidents and the need for rapid response procedures, particularly in emergency departments and mental health settings. Real-time alerting systems are gaining attention as part of broader safety programmes that also include staff training, incident reporting, and physical security.

Assets and utilisation

Another element of the update is AI-Enhanced AssetsRT, which analyses asset location data and surfaces trends and patterns. The goal is to identify workflow issues and reduce inefficiencies linked to equipment movement and utilisation.

CenTrak has also added natural language search and reporting to help staff locate devices and query data without relying on predefined reports. The release describes the outputs as actionable insights derived from location information.

Hospitals have long used real-time location systems to track high-value equipment such as infusion pumps, wheelchairs, and specialist devices. The challenge is often less about knowing where an item is and more about understanding whether fleet size matches demand, where bottlenecks occur, and how quickly equipment returns to service after use or cleaning.

Tags and reach

The release also includes next-generation BLE sticker tags, described as ultra-thin, low-cost, and disposable. They are intended to expand what can be tracked, including consumer devices such as phones and tablets, and, where appropriate under local policy and consent practices, patients and visitors.

BLE-based tags have attracted interest as organisations balance coverage, cost, and ease of deployment. Sticker tags can lower the barrier to tracking lower-value items and temporary populations, although hospitals still need to consider governance, privacy controls, and the operational processes for issuing and collecting tags.

At HIMSS, CenTrak demonstrated workflows including initiating a duress event through a wearable badge or mobile app, and analysing equipment movement and utilisation. It presented the platform as a way to move beyond basic item location towards operational decision-making.

Interoperability focus

CenTrak said the updated platform maintains an open approach to integration with common hospital systems, including electronic medical records, nurse call, and computerised maintenance management systems.

Integration has become a central requirement for digital health procurement, particularly as hospitals look to reduce the number of standalone tools used by frontline staff. In Australia, interoperability also sits within broader national digital health strategies and state-based programmes that emphasise data sharing and alignment across care settings.

Mohsen Hekmatyar, Vice President - International & Specialty Markets at CenTrak, linked the product direction to operational and clinical pressures in the Australian market. Staff safety and patient protection are increasingly urgent, he said, alongside workforce shortages, rising costs, and the need for real-time operational insight.

CenTrak also positioned the update as a way to expand what organisations can achieve from existing RTLS investments. This reflects a broader trend towards incremental upgrades rather than wholesale replacement, particularly when technology has already been deployed across multiple sites.

Crystal Ryan, Chief Commercial Officer at CenTrak, said the new products broaden use of the system across different hospital populations and asset types while adding AI-enhanced reporting.

"With CenTrak's latest innovations, such as mobile applications for staff and low-cost, disposable tags for assets, patients, and visitors, healthcare organizations can expand the utility of their RTLS investments while leveraging AI-enhanced reporting to maximize ongoing value and return on adoption," said Ryan.

Ryan said the company has evolved ConnectRT and highlighted use cases including duress response, mobile equipment management, and monitoring vulnerable patients.

She said, "We've evolved our ConnectRT platform to help organizations act on location-driven insights immediately, whether that means responding to a duress event, efficiently managing a fleet of mobile medical equipment, or monitoring a vulnerable patient, without adding complexity to the technology ecosystem. Our goal is to provide a single, comprehensive platform that gives healthcare teams the confidence and clarity they need to focus on what matters most, delivering high-quality care."

CenTrak said the platform updates and devices will roll out across its customer base through upgrades and new deployments, with further software updates planned as part of its product roadmap.