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Connect&GO joins forces with The Quebec Institute for Logistical Innovation to tackle coronavirus

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Connect&GO, a leader in RFID solutions for the leisure, sports and attractions industry, has partnered with the Quebec Institute for Logistical Innovation in order to fight coronavirus (COVID-19).

Connect&GO is pleased to announce that it is working with the Quebec Institute for Logistical Innovation (IILQ) to create a solution for hospitals dealing with the coronavirus crisis. Connect&GO’s co-founder, Anthony Palermo, was previously in charge of RFID Academia for almost ten years. RFID Academia is a leader in the development of RFID solutions for industrial and logistical applications in various industries, including healthcare.

Thanks to this background, as well as Connect&GO’s expertise, the company is an ideal partner for this new venture. IILQ asked Connect&GO to help create a logistical solution for hospitals treating COVID-19 patients.

A logistical solution

Notre-Dame Hospital in Quebec is developing a hospital within a hospital to cope with the crisis, in order to provide isolated units for coronavirus patients. This will limit the spread of the virus, as well as reducing the need for protective materials in other parts of the building. It will also save time, by cutting down the time needed for security measures as medical teams move around the hospital.

To assist with the situation, the IILQ and Connect&GO have developed an application to track patients’ progress through their treatment. It tracks a range of information including patients’ test samples, which medical teams worked with them, which equipment and linens were used and any medical waste generated. It uses near-field radiofrequency identification (RFID) to collect this data, in order to avoid cross-contamination.

The scanner can check RFID wristbands, stickers and chips to identify people and objects and track their progress throughout the hospital.

“This technology offers a number of advantages; it is cost-effective, easy to deploy and uses passive waves that do not interfere with the medical equipment,” says Palermo.

A unique situation

“We never thought our platform would be used in a hospital setting, but this crisis has made us see things differently,” says Dominic Gagnon, CEO of Connect&GO. “Currently, our platform is being used in amusement parks to provide additional security for families by not allowing children to leave the park without the parent and by including allergy and emergency medical information in the profile associated to each guest’s wristband.

“Clearly, there are many similarities between these existing deployments and the current project we are developing for this unique situation.”

The project will be rolled out as part of the National Research Council Canada’s “Challenge programs”, which was announced on 23 March in response to the crisis. The solution is currently being reviewed and the first use is expected to take place in early April.

Earlier this year, Connect&GO announced the acquisition of Kool Replay, creator of a proprietary system that allows guests to take and share branded photos and videos.

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charlotte coates

Charlotte Coates

Charlotte Coates is blooloop's editor. She is from Brighton, UK and previously worked as a librarian. She has a strong interest in arts, culture and information and graduated from the University of Sussex with a degree in English Literature. Charlotte can usually be found either with her head in a book or planning her next travel adventure.

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