Radio frequency-based applications in healthcare are opening up new avenues. It is the next wave in the evolution of computing. As healthcare in India is a sunshine industry and growing annually at a rate of about 13 percent, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) will continue to make inroads thru track-and-trace solutions, first, as asset and inventory management tools, then gravitating towards personnel, patient, and clinical monitoring devices. High-end asset tracking, location tracking, and anti-counterfeiting are the futuristic areas for active RFID. RFID is a disruptive technology like other technologies - the printing press, television, the Internet, and even bar codes - in the past. Early adopters often have a better chance keeping in view of long-term success. The key is in figuring out where RFID fits in an organization and determine how to best integrate RFID with the existing supply chain applications to increase corporate Return on Investment (ROI) and improve the entire process of getting products to market. This paper looks at the aspects of RFID technology in healthcare supply chain to ensure complete visibility of data and thus efficient delivery of patient care. Healthcare supply chain management can help manage patient care and administrative processes such as patient identification, routing and treatment, drug administration and inventory, laboratory examination, identification of departments, and medical procedures. The specific benefits that RFID tags offer over bar codes present the opportunity for entirely new way of working in the competitive business environment.

Healthcare has emerged as one of the major activities concerning human beings in the recent past (changing life styles, awareness, and habits) irrespective of age, income, region, religion, caste, culture, and so on. The need for effective health services is the order of the day. As a result, hospitals are absorbing tremendous amount of resources. Globalization has opened up new opportunities, and there is cut-throat competition among hospitals in offering services to patients at reduced rates.

The needs, priorities, and expectations of the patients from time to time have to be captured and the hospital services are to be redesigned accordingly to enhance the efficiency of hospital supply chain operations. Adoption of appropriate technology and utilization of highly skilled and specialized professionals add to the competitive advantage. During the past decade, supply chain management has seen a complete overhaul of traditional logistics procedures as tight integration between warehouse, distribution, and retail have smoothed out duplication and improved time to market. However, further improvements have been constrained by the technology used to track goods through the supply chain.

The use of bar codes has become prominent in the manufacturing service organizations. But bar codes have a tendency to get damaged easily and need human intervention to read and give partial information as they represent only a product number. To ensure supply chain efficiency, Indian companies are slowly realizing the importance of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags. RFID (wireless technology) is a big opportunity for the organizations to significantly enhance supply chain processes and improve in customer service.

Management Research journal, Radio Frequency Identification, RFID, Healthcare Supply Chain Management, Iinventory Management, Return on Investment, ROI, Business Environment, Global Retail Market, product Management, Data Management, Asset Management, International Organization for Standardization, ISO, Information Management.