Health

How Barcodes Are Used To Improve Hospital Patient Care

Improve Hospital Patient Care

August 22nd, 2022   |   Updated on January 23rd, 2023

Over the years, barcodes have transformed the way we live our lives in so many different ways. They have entered every sector of our society. Our lives are not the same as they were before the beginning of the history of barcodes.

Technology continues to develop every single day. New and more complex codes are being created and designers are creating new ways of using existing codes.

In these modern days, codes are revolutionising the way hospitals are run. They are improving the quality of patient care within hospitals throughout the world. They are doing this in many different and innovative ways.

How Barcodes Improve Communication Within Hospitals

Communication between doctors and nurses as well as other staff within hospitals is critical for ensuring that patients receive the highest quality care possible. Communication in this setting is literally a matter of life or death.

Barcodes are being used within hospitals to ensure that all the staff are on the same page and heading in the same direction. When a patient is admitted, they will receive a wristband with a Quick Response code on it.

This is a complex, two dimensional code that links the user to a website and is able to be scanned by any Smartphone.

This code is normally used in payment applications like Zapper or Snapscan or to promote businesses within the wider community.

By scanning the patient’s QR code, the staff will be linked to all the information that they need to know about this particular patient.

Information such as name, contact details, dietary requirements, reason for admission, medication, type of blood, next of kin, etc. In this way, the treatment plan for each patient is clear and everyone knows what their job entails.

Nurses will know what medication to give to the patient, what meals are needed as well as next of kin information in case of an emergency.

In this way, codes help staff to track a patient’s stay, right from admission to when the patient is discharged.

Human error has no place within hospitals. With barcodes, the patient is guaranteed to receive the highest quality care that is possible.

They will receive the correct medication, the right blood for their type, the right diet for their needs as well as the right treatment for their ailment.

If there are any problems or inconsistencies within a patient’s care history, codes make it possible to look back and evaluate what exactly went wrong.

The whole care process is meticulously documented by the scanning of these codes. This increases the accountability of both doctors and nurses throughout this process and ensures the highest standard of patient care.

How Barcodes Improve Dispensing Of Medication And Blood

It is critical that medication be dispensed in a controlled manner. Due to the possibility of abuse, medication needs to be managed strictly. Barcodes are being used to control this whole process. Each vial of medication or pill bottle will have a EAN code on it.

This is a simple, one dimensional code that can be scanned by any barcode scanner. These thirteen digit codes come from America originally but have spread throughout the world.

They are normally used within retail stores in order to control the sales process and sell products. Scanning this code with a barcode scanner will bring up each item on a sales system.

EAN codes are used within hospitals in order to control the dispensing of medication. Every time medication is dispensed, this EAN code will be scanned and in this way, all medication will be tracked and made sure that it gets to where it needs to be.

It is very tempting for staff or outsiders to steal medication either to use themselves or to sell for their own profit. Using codes means that all the staff are held accountable and it is harder to steal or misplace any medication.

Barcodes are also used within the Blood bank in order to control the dispensing of each blood type. It is crucial for patients to receive the right type of blood.

Each blood type will have its own unique EAN code. By scanning these codes, staff can make sure that each blood type gets to the right recipient. In this way, codes are helping to improve the accuracy within hospitals and saving lives in the process.

QR codes have even been used to help to regulate the dispensing of the Covid-19 vaccines. Each vial of vaccine will have its own code.

When the vaccines are moved from the laboratory to the vaccination centres, these codes will be scanned into a computer programme. This will ensure that they reach each vaccination site on time and in one piece. It limits the possibility of the vaccines being stolen or misplaced.

In this way, codes will ensure that the vaccine rollout runs as smoothly as possible and allows more vaccines to reach the general public.

How Barcodes Are Used To Control Access Within Hospitals

It is very important to restrict access to certain areas of hospitals. This is for everyone’s safety; patients and staff alike.

Doctors and nurses who have permission to access certain areas of the hospital will be given key cards that have a code on it.

This code can be scanned at each access point to let them through. In this way, codes are being used to control who can access which part of the hospital. This makes hospitals a far safer place for everyone.

Why Get Barcodes For Your Business

Barcodes can revolutionise your business as well. Investing in codes will enhance the reputation of your business and will ensure that it thrives within the competitive business world of today.

barcodes123.co.za is proud to be a part of this revolution and is ready to give you a helping hand on your journey with codes.

We are the most popular reseller of barcodes within South Africa. We supply the whole range of codes from simple EAN and UPC codes right through to QR codes and box or case codes.

As can be seen, barcodes are not only saving people time and money, they are saving lives and improving patient care within hospitals.

They are giving hospitals more control over every aspect of patient care, from admission right until the patient is discharged. Codes enhance a hospital’s ability to provide quality care for each individual patient by ensuring that no client slips between the cracks and gets forgotten or neglected in any way.

By investing in codes for your business you will give it the best chance of survival. Breathe life back into your business by taking the first step towards buying barcodes today.

Image Source: flickr.com

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