What’s in it for me?

Automatic Identification technologies provide the opportunity to increase the efficiency, integrity and accuracy of the Healthcare supply chain, which can lead to improved patient safety.

  • Automatic identification at point of care and robotic dispensing systems reduce medication errors
  • Traceability and authentication reduce counterfeiting and enable efficient and effective product recalls
  • Automatically capturing the unique identification of a product with a bar code or RFID tag at every stage makes supply chain management more accurate and efficient

 

Hospital and pharmacy retailers

  • Reduction in medication errors through efficient automatic identification: the right product for the right patient at the right time through the right route and in the right dose
  • Verification of patient identification (surgery, medication administration, …)
  • Efficient traceability
  • Efficient product authentication
  • More time to consult directly with patients
  • Cost reduction through increased supply chain efficiency:
    • Improved order and invoice process
    • Optimised receiving
    • Reduced inventory
    • Increased productivity
    • Improved product recall
    • Improved shelf management
    • Improved service levels/fill rate
    • Improved benchmarking and management of supply cost
    • Eliminates need for re-labelling and proprietary codes
  • Regulatory compliance (where applicable)

 

Manufacturers

  • Efficient traceability
  • Improved production process and supply chain management
    • Optimisation of production process: improved work in process
    • Optimisation of the packaging & labelling process: wherever possible, one data format that would allow global packages for machine-readable codes
    • Optimisation of warehousing and shipping
  • Brand protection
  • Regulatory compliance (where applicable)

 

Wholesalers & distributors

  • Efficient traceability
  • Efficient product authentication
  • Simplification and accuracy improvement in order process, warehousing, shipping, and invoicing
  • Regulatory compliance (where applicable

How? By providing user-driven, open, and proven standards

  • GS1 identification keys: numbering schemes for products, locations, patients, caregivers, and assets
  • GS1 bar codes: several types of bar code, linear and 2-dimensional, for use by GS1 members depending on the application
  • GS1 EPCglobal: supporting the use of radio frequency identification
  • GS1 Global Data Synchronisation: ensuring synchronized and accurate product data across supply chain partners
  • GS1 eCOM: supporting electronic document interchange technologies