InpatientsNCT04114110
RTLS Technology Study
An observational study of Inpatients and Staff, run by The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust at 1 site in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
This study will examine the productivity of the hospital workforce utilizing a unique dataset that is stored at the Royal Wolverhampton Trust (RWT). The data is recorded by a Real Time Location System (RTLS) that tracks the second-by-second physical location of patients, staff, and medical equipment. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any age
- Conditions the study is for
- Inpatients, Staff
- What is being tested?
- RTLS data
- How many people
- 2,000 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- 6 Jan 2020to 15 Nov 2021
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Any age
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Study population: All admitted inpatients between 1 April 2016 and 31 March 2019, and all staff members with RTLS badges, at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT), Wolverhampton.
Who may be able to join
- Patients admitted to inpatient departments at RWT and are present at RWT during the period of 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2019 inclusive.
Who cannot join
- Patients admitted to outpatient wards at RWT;
- Patients that were not admitted at or discharged from RWT between 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2019 inclusive.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United Kingdom1 site
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust
Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV10 0QP
About this study
Official title: A Retrospective, Observational Analysis Using Real Time Location Systems (RTLS) Technology to Explore the Effects of Clinical Staffing on Hospital Productivity and Patient Health Outcomes
This study will examine the productivity of the hospital workforce utilizing a unique dataset that is stored at the Royal Wolverhampton Trust (RWT). The data is recorded by a Real Time Location System (RTLS) that tracks the second-by-second physical location of patients, staff, and medical equipment. Using this data, the plan is to measure the amount of time that clinical staff spend with patients and with other clinical staff, and then explore how these measures of contact time influence patient health outcomes. The data will also be used to measure the location and movement of patients during their hospital stay, and test the impact of moving patients between wards on their health outcomes. In light of the recent COVID-19 outbreak, impact of COVID19 on patient contact time, patient outcomes and professional working practices will also be examined.
- Conditions
- Inpatients, Staff
- Being tested
- RTLS data
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
RTLS dataOther
data extraction from RTLS
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Admitted inpatients | no intervention Receives: Other: RTLS data | |
| Staff with RTLS badges | no intervention Receives: Other: RTLS data |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Number of in-hospital deaths (RWT specific)
in-hospital mortality figures
Measured: 30 days
Number of readmissions (RWT specific)
readmission figures
Measured: 30 days
Length of stay
total amount of time in hospital
Measured: 3 years
Nurse sensitive indicators
Number of Falls, medication errors, pressure ulcers and Urinary Tract Infections
Measured: 3 years
Number of Adverse incidents affecting patient care
Number and description of Adverse incidents affecting patient care as recorded by the Datix information system (e.g. falls, medication errors)
Measured: 3 years
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted3 Oct 2019
- Study start6 Jan 2020
- Primary completion15 Nov 2021
- Study completion15 Nov 2021
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for InpatientsStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Other
- Time perspective
- Retrospective
- Enrolment
- 2,000 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust
- Sponsor type
- Other government
- Collaborators
- La Trobe University, Cornell University
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04114110
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2019SUR107
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 1 Oct 2019
- Last updated
- 9 Mar 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: No participant data is planned to be shared.
Publications
Cannaby AM, Carter V, Hoe T, Strobel S, Tafti EA, Baker R, Nash C, Whatley V, Gray R. The feasibility and validity of using a real time location system (RTLS) to measure bedside contact time. J Res Nurs. 2022 Aug;27(5):421-433. doi: 10.1177/17449871211016169. Epub 2021 Nov 15.
PubMed 36131691
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 9 Mar 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Retrospective, Observational Analysis Using Real Time Location Systems (RTLS) Technology to Explore the Effects of Clinical Staffing on Hospital Productivity and Patient Health Outcomes
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04114110
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2019SUR107
- Conditions
- Inpatients, Staff
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 2,000 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS TrustOther government
- Collaborators
- La Trobe University, Cornell University
- Study start
- 6 Jan 2020 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Nov 2021 (actual)
- Study completion
- 15 Nov 2021 (actual)
- First posted
- 3 Oct 2019 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study will examine the productivity of the hospital workforce utilizing a unique dataset that is stored at the Royal Wolverhampton Trust (RWT). The data is recorded by a Real Time Location System (RTLS) that tracks the second-by-second physical location of patients, staff, and medical equipment. Using this data, the plan is to measure the amount of time that clinical staff spend with patients and with other clinical staff, and then explore how these measures of contact time influence patient health outcomes. The data will also be used to measure the location and movement of patients during their hospital stay, and test the impact of moving patients between wards on their health outcomes. In light of the recent COVID-19 outbreak, impact of COVID19 on patient contact time, patient outcomes and professional working practices will also be examined.
Study design
- Observational model
- Other
- Time perspective
- Retrospective
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Admitted inpatients | – | Other: RTLS datano intervention |
| Staff with RTLS badges | – | Other: RTLS datano intervention |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- All admitted inpatients between 1 April 2016 and 31 March 2019, and all staff members with RTLS badges, at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT), Wolverhampton.
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Patients admitted to inpatient departments at RWT and are present at RWT during the period of 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2019 inclusive.
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Patients admitted to outpatient wards at RWT;
- Patients that were not admitted at or discharged from RWT between 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2019 inclusive.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| RTLS datadata extraction from RTLS | Other | Admitted inpatients, Staff with RTLS badges |
Primary outcome
Number of in-hospital deaths (RWT specific)
Time frame: 30 days
in-hospital mortality figures
Number of readmissions (RWT specific)
Time frame: 30 days
readmission figures
Length of stay
Time frame: 3 years
total amount of time in hospital
Nurse sensitive indicators
Time frame: 3 years
Number of Falls, medication errors, pressure ulcers and Urinary Tract Infections
Number of Adverse incidents affecting patient care
Time frame: 3 years
Number and description of Adverse incidents affecting patient care as recorded by the Datix information system (e.g. falls, medication errors)
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 9 Mar 2026.
- Background: PubMed 36131691Cannaby AM, Carter V, Hoe T, Strobel S, Tafti EA, Baker R, Nash C, Whatley V, Gray R. The feasibility and validity of using a real time location system (RTLS) to measure bedside contact time. J Res Nurs. 2022 Aug;27(5):421-433. doi: 10.1177/17449871211016169. Epub 2021 Nov 15.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. No participant data is planned to be shared.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Inpatients and Staff, run by The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust at 1 site in United Kingdom.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 9 Mar 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United Kingdom. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Number of in-hospital deaths (RWT specific) (time frame: 30 days). The study lists 5 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04114110, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 9 Mar 2026.