Netcare: Investing in GS1 standards and quality product information for patient safety

The Netcare Group (Netcare) in South Africa operates the largest private acute care hospital, primary healthcare, emergency medical services, mental health and renal care networks in the country.

With a continuous focus on providing the best and safest health and care to each patient, Netcare wanted to transform its paper-based business and clinical processes to ones that are automated, digital and highly efficient.

Netcare is now scanning GS1 barcodes on products — pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices — as they are received in the hospital’s pharmacy and theatre storage rooms, and as they are used throughout wards and operating theatres. Netcare, collaborating closely with GS1 South Africa, engaged with suppliers to start using GS1 standards on medical devices. For master data management, Netcare and its suppliers use the Global Data Synchronisation Network™ (GDSN®) to exchange accurate and complete product information.