Mobile Medical Sample Labeling

Medical testing provides key information to physicians, serving as a foundational tool for diagnosing patient conditions. Accuracy is critically important; mistakes can lead to undiagnosed illnesses or inappropriate treatments. Current specimen vial labeling methods, however, are error-prone. Handwritten labels are subject to interpretation and manual data errors; labels preprinted at a central station and carried to the patient location introduce the chance for mix-ups. Mobile sample labeling eliminates these opportunities for errors, enhancing patient safety. Printing on Intermec media ensures robust traceability, meeting the application requirements of sample labeling from the point of collection through challenging laboratory conditions.

Automatic identification technologies such as bar coding excel at eliminating human error. Within the high-touch medical environment these systems have steadily improved patient safety. Errors resulting from manual data entry are unacceptable in a diagnostic environment where they can lead to lost samples (increasing time to diagnose and treat) or mistaken patient identities (potentially leading to incorrect diagnosis and course of treatment).

Recognizing the persistence of these errors, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) has made improving the accuracy of patient identification the first goal of the 2010 National Patient Safety Goals document. This goal requires blood and specimen containers to be labeled in the patient’s presence. Printing sample labels in place and on-demand with ID scanned from the patient’s wristband eliminates multiple points of error, enhancing patient safety.

The Intermec Advantage
With correct medical diagnoses relying on the accuracy and effectiveness of sample vial tracking, the labeling system must work together flawlessly. Intermec printers and media are optimized to deliver superior performance when used together. Our rigorous testing and co-engineering ensures consistently high print quality, proven label performance in demanding real-world environments, and maximum print head service life for reduced downtime.

Intermec printers and media are complemented by our complete line of integrated solutions and services, including rugged mobile computers, RFID systems, and advanced scanning technology. Intermec products and services are used by customers worldwide to improve the productivity, quality and responsiveness of their business operations.