Healthcare Bar Coding Applications — Beyond Unit Dose

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Bar coding technology has existed and been widely used in many industries since the mid-1970's. Perhaps the most common reference to bar coding technology is the bar code used on a can of soup or a similar retail item at a grocery store. The checkout clerk, or the consumer, scans the barcode and the register immediately references the price of that can of soup. This is just one example of bar coding, the one that is most commonly used because many people can understand its basic function. But, this example does not reflect all of the potential uses of bar coding technology, especially in a hospital setting.

The healthcare industry has been one of the last large industries to adopt bar coding as part of an automated data collection (ADC) technology system into the day to day operations of facilities. Recently, there has been widespread interest in incorporating bar coding technology into healthcare facilities. This interest is driven not only by pending government regulations on patient safety and privacy, but by other factors as well, such as the increasing shortage of pharmacists and nurses, and the constant desire to cut costs in the healthcare industry. Bar coding technology can address these and many other issues increasing billing accuracy, tracking patient files, accurately identifying lab specimens, improving supply chain costs with the backing of a technology that has existed in widespread use for many years.

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