Kalispell Regional Medical Center Boosts Wristband Readability With Zebra

More Legible, Durable Bands Support Patient I.D. and Safety

Located in Northwestern Montana, Kalispell Regional Medical Center serves the area with a level of care you might only expect in a metro area. KRMC offers a comprehensive cancer treatment program, some of the finest neurosurgeons in the country, a gynecological surgery program, including advanced laparoscopic procedures pioneered by KRMC physicians, an orthopedic center, heart surgery program and NICU.

Challenge

With a strong focus on patient safety, KRMC has 139 steps built in to help ensure patients receive medication correctly—from the time the physician writes the order to the pharmacy filling it to administering it to the patient.

However, the hospital pinpointed patient identification as an area for improvement, inspiring its Positive Patient ID initiative. Enhancing readability and ease of use of its patient wristbands were essential to supporting safety.

At the time, the paper wristbands KRMC used required multiple scanning attempts. A small wrinkle in a band left it unscannable, and the paper didn’t hold up well over time.

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