Barcodes are so extremely versatile that they can be used in almost every arena of life. They are used in retail, manufacturing, art and architecture. They are even used in the medical industry, which is what this blog is all about. Barcoding technology has progressed to a new and very advanced level and it is continuing to develop exponentially. This has made it possible to make our lives smoother and more efficient – in every area of life.
In the past, the medical industry has relied on written and verbal reports and filing systems. This has led to mistakes that have damaged the ability to give the patients the best quality care possible. In the medical industry, mistakes can mean the difference between life and death. Accuracy is not an option. This is why barcodes South Africa are so suitable for this industry. They eliminate the possibility of human error and allow for the high degree of accuracy needed to provide top quality patient care.
There are many ways in which barcodes are used in the medical industry. Firstly, they are used to identify and manage medication for each patient. Barcodes that are used for medical purposes are programmed with very specific information about the patient and the medication involved with that patient. In America, the information in the barcode must include the National Drug Code, which can be defined as a ten digit identification code for each medication. This code includes the name of the drug, the dosage, the company that produces the drug, the date of expiry date as well as the lot number. The purpose of this is to make sure that there are no fake or expired drugs that may be given to patients, with bad side effects.
Managing medication of patients is a very tricky task. It is based on the five rights of every patient. These are the right dose at the right time for the right patient and the right way of administration. Using barcodes to regulate medication allows nurses to document the exact medication that each patient is taking. This will help to make sure that they are not overdosed or under dosed. It is crucial that every patient receives just the right level of medication in order to ensure that they achieve optimal health in the least possible time.
There are a huge variety of benefits to using barcodes to regulate medication. These include lower medical errors, increased nurse and patient satisfaction as well as enhanced relations within the community.
A second use of barcodes within the medical industry is in the collection of specimen and blood. This is done to assist in disease diagnosis, health assessment as well as regulating medication level. If there are errors in the collection of specimens or in the blood results, this could lead to misdiagnoses, mistreatment and even death.
The use of barcodes lessons the errors in the labeling of specimens and blood tests which, in turn leads to the best patient care possible. Barcoding blood results guarantees less medical error and enhances the safety of patients. Barcodes that assist in regulating blood samples need to include the following information:
*Unique number code for the source of the blood.
*Unique number identifying the exact donor of the blood.
*Code of product
*The specific type of blood.
A third use of barcodes in the medical industry is in the identification and sterilization of surgical instruments. Surgeons prefer certain types of instruments in certain procedures and the use of barcodes to regulate this has assisted in making sure that the specific instruments are there when they are needed. Barcodes also helps to monitor which instruments are used more regularly and are therefore more in demand. They can also ensure that each surgical instrument has been sterilised as per regulations.
In the future, barcode technology will continue to develop, in the medical industry as well as in all other industries. The next step is 2-D Code systems, which will allow for a larger amount of data to be stored.
Buy Barcodes SA is proud to be a part of the advancement of code technology by providing excellent quality barcodes at very reasonable rates. Our excellent service means that whether you live in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth or Durban, you will receive your GS1 barcodes within 24 hours.
