Mobile scanning drives better outcomes in the United Kingdom’s Scan4Safety initiative
Despite the sophistication of modern healthcare, the incidence of error in its delivery remains alarmingly high. As many as four out of ten patients worldwide suffer harm when receiving care, and up to 80 percent of these incidents are considered preventable. However, barcode scanning might hold the key to improving patient safety.
To investigate the effectiveness of barcode scanning in reducing error and boosting overall efficiency, the United Kingdom’s Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) launched Scan4Safety, selecting six National Health Service (NHS) hospital trusts to take part in the two-year program. With DHSC funding, each participating organization implemented GS1-compliant barcodes on patient wristbands, on healthcare equipment, and in locations throughout their facilities.
Before performing procedures, healthcare workers in the Scan4Safety trusts used barcode readers to scan patient wristbands, all equipment and devices involved, and markers in the locations where care is provided. Captured data was then instantly transmitted and recorded into a hospital database, enabling staff to easily track which procedures were administered to which patient—and at what time, in what place, and with what equipment.
Scan4Safety participants improve care, free up hours, and save on inventory costs
The results? Scan4Safety barcoding systems greatly enhanced clinical efficiency, freeing up an estimated 140,000 hours across the participating hospital trusts. The technology also vastly improved inventory management, delivering £5,000,000 of savings in recurrent inventory costs and £9,000,000 in nonrecurrent costs. And by eliminating manual data entry and keeping the right items in stock and at hand, the solutions boosted hospital staff morale and productivity.
So far, Scan4Safety has reduced medication errors by 76%.
Most importantly, Scan4Safety barcoding proved highly beneficial in critical areas related to care delivery and patient safety:
• Error reduction. The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust implemented barcode scanning procedures in its workflow for prescribing and dispensing medications, eliminating errors related to drug administration and reducing its overall error rate by 76 percent.
• Prevention of “never events.” Barcode scanning also helped trusts protect against “never events”—serious medical incidents that should never occur with the proper precautions in place. In the orthopedics department of the North Tees and Hartlepool Hospital NHS Trust, for example, barcoding technology ensures that the correct patient undergoes the correct procedure on the correct side of the body.
Advanced barcode scanners, like Code’s CR2700, support Scan4Safety.
• Fast, accurate recalls. With complete traceability available at the click of a mouse, staff at the participating hospital trusts are positioned to spend far less time tracking down patients and products in the event of a recall. For instance, if a recall is issued for an implantable device, an organization can instantly determine which patients have had the device implanted and when each procedure took place. Recalls like this are made possible, in part, to firms pushing the limits of the actual barcodes themselves. Take, for instance, Rel8 and its imZERT technology, which is billed as the world’s smallest direct part marking barcode for components, such as those in medical devices. Made from nanostructures, these imZERT barcodes can be as small as 1mm2, making them ideal for the tracking the components used in medical devices and equipment.
• Streamlined observation systems. Several hospital trusts extended their barcoding technology to capture key patient data—blood pressure, pulse, and respiratory rate, for example—and transmit it to their electronic observations systems. Organizations reported reducing time spent gathering observation data by up to 35 percent, saving a significant number of clinical hours each day.
Following Scan4Safety’s lead with the right barcode scanners
To implement highly effective barcoding solutions like those deployed in the Scan4Safety initiative, healthcare organizations need technology they can count on, including the hardest-working data capture devices: barcode scanners (aka barcode readers). These mission-critical devices must be designed for:
• Virus protection. Now more than ever, healthcare staff need to rigorously clean and disinfect all equipment—including barcode scanners—to ensure patient safety. If scanners and readers lack the proper chemical composition, medical-grade cleaners and disinfectants will degrade the devices. Scanner housings that crack over time hasten device failure.
• Durability. To fully withstand the demands of a medical environment, barcode readers need to be built for protection against dirt, dust, fluids—and repeated drops to floors and other hard surfaces.
With software offering enterprise-grade scanning strength, healthcare organizations can incorporate their own mobile devices into basic clinical workflows. Mobile scanning also enables them and incorporate barcode data into their electronic health record or electronic medical record systems for administrative purposes. By integrating popular Android and iOS mobile devices into healthcare workflows, medical providers have another way to incorporate barcode scanning into their practices in a way that’s fast, cost-effective, and easy for users to adopt.
Have you been tasked with improving workflows for your organization or outcomes for your customers and not sure where to start? Contact Code for guidance in selecting the right data capture and barcode scanning solutions for you: info@codecorp.com or +01 801-495-2200.
CodeShield® Plastic
CodeShield® Plastics offer superior protection against harsh chemicals at 3 distinct levels. These levels provide the ability to quickly select the Code reader that best suits your use case, environmental requirements, and desired level of infectious disease control.
Ready for Modern Disinfecting Challenges
Ranging from 3 disinfectants to 20, each level expands the list—offering the broadest range of approved chemicals in the barcode scanning industry. Suitable for anything from healthcare to retail, CodeShield® Plastics withstand disinfection time and time again—without degrading. It’s never been easier to protect your patients and staff (or customers and employees) from COVID-19, C. difficile, MRSA, and other infectious diseases.
CodeShield: Reliably Safe Scanning
Quality products begin with quality materials; that’s why Code has developed CodeShield®, a new standard in infectious disease control for barcode scanners. CodeShield® products are certified by an independent lab—confirming best-in-class performance and longevity.
Commonly used cleaners may contain chemical agents that degrade scanner housings, shorten product lifespans, void warranties, and leave your organization with replacement costs.
CodeShield® Level 1 or 2 readers will withstand the most x03commonly used cleaners and CodeShield® Level 3 expands your options to 20—including the harshest chemical cleaners.
Disinfectant-Ready vs. Antimicrobial Plastics
Plastics injected with antimicrobial additives resist bacteria, but they don’t eliminate the need to clean the device. Cleaning, disinfecting, and removing dust and debris are necessary steps for handling equipment to ensure patient safety. Disinfecting cleaners will degrade plastics that do not have a disinfectant-ready chemical composition.
With CodeShield® and an IP65 rating, Code’s CR2700 withstands more disinfectants than any other barcode reader. Looking to leverage the mobile power of the iPhone 7/8/SE 2nd Generation? No need to compromise your infection control protocols—the CR7018 mobile case protects your patients and staff (or customers and employees).
Approved Chemicals
| CodeShield Level 1 | • Clorox® Non-Bleach Disinfecting Wipes • 0.5% hydrogen peroxide solution • Oxivir® Tb Wipes |
| CodeShield Level 2 | • All chemicals in Level 1 • 3% hydrogen peroxide solution • Sani-Cloth® Plus Germicidal Wipes • 91% Isopropyl Alcohol Solution • MetriCide® 28 Day Solution (2.5% glutaraldehyde) |
| CodeShield Level 3 | • All chemicals in Levels 1 & 2 • CaviWipes® Disinfecting Towelettes • Virex® 11 256 Disinfectant Cleaner • Cidex® OPA • Sani-Cloth® HB Germicidal Wipes • Sani-Cloth® PDI AF3 Wipes • Super Sani-Cloth® Wipes • Windex® Original • Windex® Multi-Surface Anti-Bacterial Spray • Formula 409® Glass and Surface • Hepacide Quat® II • Dispatch® Wipes • Bleach 10%* • Clorox® Bleach Disinfecting Wipes* |
| Note: Bleach-based cleaners/disinfectants are known to corrode metal and should not come in contact with charge pins on readers, batteries, or chargers. If bleach does contact the pins, please rinse immediately. Evidence of use of bleach on contacts could be grounds for voiding warranty. Accessories are not disinfectant tested.
Clorox, Clorox Healthcare, and Formula 409 are registered trademarks of the Clorox Company. Oxivir & Virex are registered trademarks of Diversey, Inc. Sani-Cloth is a registered trademark of Professional Disposables International, Inc. MetriCide & CaviWipes are registered trademarks of Metrex Research. Cidex is a registered trademark of Johnson & Johnson. Windex is a registered trademark of Spartan Chemical Company, Inc. Dispatch is a registered trademark of CalTech Industries, Inc. *Only approved for use on CR2700 |
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Author
Paul Garcia
Many of the talented and qualified staff at Code Corporation contribute to our blog. Our team members add a unique perspective to our communications efforts, and we are fortunate to have such a great cadre of writers as part of our company.