Get The Right Bar Code Scanner For Your Mission Critical Healthcare Applications

By Quest Solution

There are many factors to consider in the selection of a bar code scanner for use in healthcare environments. With the right criteria, you can easily select a device that can meet the demands of the many different departments throughout your facility, ensuring the success of POC and other scanning solutions that will improve patient safety, the quality of care and the overall operational efficiency of your facility.

The Issue: Improving Patient Safety And The Quality Of Care
Today's hospitals are facing two major challenges: The rise in the frequency of medical errors that threaten patient safety and the quality of care and new government regulations designed to help eradicate those errors. The need to comply with two new government regulations is of particular concern. By 2011, hospitals must reconcile medication orders before administering medication to a patient. In addition, by 2013, they must also create and maintain an electronic record of every instance that medication is administered to any patient.

The Solution: Bar Code Scanning At The Point Of Care (POC) And More
Bar code scanning can address these issues by enabling the automated double and triple checks required to eliminate medication errors — without inserting any additional paperwork into everyday processes. For example, a scan of the bar code on patient wristbands, employee badges and medication closes the loop for patient safety and accountability by providing a three-way match to check the ‘five-rights' of medication administration — in just seconds. The result is cost-effective compliance with new regulations. In addition, the same technology can be utilized to streamline many other everyday processes — from admission to inventory management. For example, the ability to scan bar codes on controlled substances as they move throughout the hospital provides a highly accurate chain of custody — without adding paper trails that increase cycle times and decrease productivity. Access This Content To Read This White Paper In Its Entirety.