Development of optimized payment system for medical services using RFID technology.

Abstract

The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming healthcare by enabling real-time data exchange and automation, but many Rwandan hospitals have continued to rely on slow, error-prone payment procedures that frustrate patients and staff. To overcome these challenges long queues, billing mistakes, and opaque processes this study deployed and tested a Smart Medical Payment System, an IoT-enabled solution now operating in a pilot Rwandan clinic. The system uses RFID cards for patient identification and NodeMCU microcontrollers to transmit data to a centralized database and administrative dashboard in real time. Patients tap their RFID cards at outpatient, pharmacy, or diagnostic Systems to authenticate and settle bills in under five seconds; staff monitor transactions live, generate reports, and manage exceptions remotely. Field trials demonstrated a 90 % reduction in average wait time, near-elimination of billing errors, and strong patient satisfaction. Secure, automated payments and instant on-screen and SMS confirmations have streamlined operations and boosted transparency. This tested, scalable solution establishes a new standard for healthcare payment management in resource-constrained settings and can be extended to other hospitals across Rwanda and similar contexts.