Barcode Technology in Barcode Technology in healthcarehealthcare

Nowadays, published reports Nowadays, published reports illustrate high rates of medical illustrate high rates of medical error (adverse events) and the error (adverse events) and the

increasing costs of healthcare. As increasing costs of healthcare. As a result, the desire for barcoding a result, the desire for barcoding

technology in healthcare has technology in healthcare has grown as a realistic and applicable grown as a realistic and applicable solution to reduce medical errors solution to reduce medical errors

and promote patient safety and promote patient safety

Barcoding in healthcare have a variety of Barcoding in healthcare have a variety of

applications, including the followingapplications, including the following Drug Identification and Medication ManagementDrug Identification and Medication Management

Barcodes must be linear in nature and must be readable by Barcodes must be linear in nature and must be readable by barcode scanners. barcode scanners. 

Medication barcodes must have specified information for drug Medication barcodes must have specified information for drug identification. identification.

Barcode information on these items must include the National Barcode information on these items must include the National Drug Code (NDC) number of the drug, a 10-character Drug Code (NDC) number of the drug, a 10-character identification number for the medication. The NDC contains identification number for the medication. The NDC contains the name of the medication, dosage and drug company the name of the medication, dosage and drug company that produces the medication. that produces the medication.

Additional information that may be included in medication Additional information that may be included in medication barcodes may include the expiration date and lot number of barcodes may include the expiration date and lot number of the medication. This is to ensure that counterfeit or expired the medication. This is to ensure that counterfeit or expired drugs are not being administered to patients.drugs are not being administered to patients.

Cont.Cont. Medication management is a difficult task, where it Medication management is a difficult task, where it

focuses on the "five rights": focuses on the "five rights": right patient, right right patient, right medication, right dose, right time, and right route of medication, right dose, right time, and right route of administration.administration.  

Barcode medication verification at bedside allows for Barcode medication verification at bedside allows for nurses to automatically document the administration nurses to automatically document the administration of drugs by means of barcode scanning. A study of drugs by means of barcode scanning. A study conducted in 2010, found that barcode usage conducted in 2010, found that barcode usage prevented about 90 000 serious medical errors each prevented about 90 000 serious medical errors each year and reduced mortality rate by 20%. year and reduced mortality rate by 20%. 

One case study noted that the use of barcodes One case study noted that the use of barcodes reduced medication administration error by 82% reduced medication administration error by 82% across five units studied from pre-implementation to across five units studied from pre-implementation to post-implementation. post-implementation. 

Other benefits that were realized included improved Other benefits that were realized included improved nursing staff satisfaction, improved patient nursing staff satisfaction, improved patient satisfaction, and improved community relationssatisfaction, and improved community relations..

Specimen Collection and Blood Infusion Specimen Collection and Blood Infusion SafetySafety

Healthcare professionals use specimen testing (blood, Healthcare professionals use specimen testing (blood, urine, or other) to help diagnose disease, assess health, urine, or other) to help diagnose disease, assess health, and monitor medication level. Accurate results can be and monitor medication level. Accurate results can be yielded from error-free collection procedures. yielded from error-free collection procedures.

Specimens that are collected incorrectly may lead to Specimens that are collected incorrectly may lead to erroneous test results, which may lead to serious erroneous test results, which may lead to serious consequences for patients. This may include delayed or consequences for patients. This may include delayed or inappropriate treatments and incorrect medication inappropriate treatments and incorrect medication adjustments. adjustments.

More than 160 000 adverse medical events per year More than 160 000 adverse medical events per year have been suspected in the United States because of have been suspected in the United States because of misidentification of patient or laboratory misidentification of patient or laboratory specimen. Barcodes have been noted to be the strong specimen. Barcodes have been noted to be the strong intervention to reduce labeling errors on specimen intervention to reduce labeling errors on specimen collection, by ensuring that the correct patient is collection, by ensuring that the correct patient is receiving the correct analysis. receiving the correct analysis.

Barcode technologies for specimen collection have been Barcode technologies for specimen collection have been noted to increase patient comfort, decrease possible noted to increase patient comfort, decrease possible delays in diagnosis or treatment, and decrease rework delays in diagnosis or treatment, and decrease rework for nurse and laboratory staff. for nurse and laboratory staff.

Cont.Cont. Barcoding blood and other products may allow for Barcoding blood and other products may allow for

reduction of medical error and increase patient reduction of medical error and increase patient safety. This is used to minimize the risk of safety. This is used to minimize the risk of patients receiving the wrong treatment in patients receiving the wrong treatment in healthcare facilities. For example, for a sample of healthcare facilities. For example, for a sample of blood, a minimum of four information pieces are blood, a minimum of four information pieces are required for the label, which includes the required for the label, which includes the following:following:

Unique identifier for the facility from where the Unique identifier for the facility from where the blood is coming from,blood is coming from,

Lot number identifying blood donor,Lot number identifying blood donor, Product code; andProduct code; and Blood type (ABO and Rh).Blood type (ABO and Rh).

Surgical Instrument Identification and Surgical Instrument Identification and SterilizationSterilization

Barcodes may be used to identify the instruments Barcodes may be used to identify the instruments and supplies in kits for surgical procedures. and supplies in kits for surgical procedures. Barcodes on instruments and surgical kits may be Barcodes on instruments and surgical kits may be used to ensure compliance with surgeons' used to ensure compliance with surgeons' preferences for what their kits contains. preferences for what their kits contains.

Using barcodes to track what is and what is not Using barcodes to track what is and what is not used on a regular basis may allow for hospitals to used on a regular basis may allow for hospitals to optimize kit contents for each surgeon. optimize kit contents for each surgeon.

This provides opportunities to reduce costs since This provides opportunities to reduce costs since surgeons' preferences may change over time. With surgeons' preferences may change over time. With the lack of updates to kit and cart contents, it may the lack of updates to kit and cart contents, it may result in the purchase of supplies that are never result in the purchase of supplies that are never used. used. 

Barcodes on surgical instruments can also be used Barcodes on surgical instruments can also be used to uniquely identify each instrument that is to uniquely identify each instrument that is sterilized individuallysterilized individually

Patient IdentificationPatient Identification Barcode technology can help prevent medical Barcode technology can help prevent medical

errors by making accurate and reliable information errors by making accurate and reliable information readily available at the point-of-care. readily available at the point-of-care.

Information, such as the drug identification, Information, such as the drug identification, medication management, infusion safety, medication management, infusion safety, specimen collection, etc. and any other patient specimen collection, etc. and any other patient care activity can be easily tracked during the care activity can be easily tracked during the patient stay. Wristbands with barcodes that patient stay. Wristbands with barcodes that contain the information of the patient's medical contain the information of the patient's medical record or visit number, and any other identifiers record or visit number, and any other identifiers have been proven effective to provide proper have been proven effective to provide proper patient care. patient care.

Barcoding technology in healthcare plays an Barcoding technology in healthcare plays an important role in the development of health sector important role in the development of health sector