What’s in it for me?

Automatic Identification technologies provide the opportunity to increase the efficiency, integrity and accuracy of the Healthcare supply chain, which can lead to improved patient safety.

• Automatic identification at point of care and robotic dispensing systems reduce medication errors
• Traceability and authentication reduce counterfeiting and enable efficient and effective product recalls
• Automatically capturing the unique identification of a product with a bar code or RFID tag at every stage makes supply chain management more accurate and efficient

Hospital and pharmacy retailers

• Reduction in medication errors through efficient automatic identification: the right product for the right patient at the right time through the right route and in the right dose
• Verification of patient identification (surgery, medication administration, …)
• Efficient traceability
• Efficient product authentication
• More time to consult directly with patients
• Cost reduction through increased supply chain efficiency:
  • Improved order and invoice process
  • Optimised receiving
  • Reduced inventory
  • Increased productivity
  • Improved product recall
  • Improved shelf management
  • Improved service levels/fill rate
  • Improved benchmarking and management of supply cost
  • Eliminates need for re-labelling and proprietary codes
• Regulatory compliance (where applicable)

Manufacturers

• Efficient traceability
• Improved production process and supply chain management
  • Optimisation of production process: improved work in process
  • Optimisation of the packaging & labelling process: wherever possible, one data format that would allow global packages for machine-readable codes
  • Optimisation of warehousing and shipping
• Brand protection
• Regulatory compliance (where applicable)

Wholesalers & distributors

• Efficient traceability
• Efficient product authentication
• Simplification and accuracy improvement in order process, warehousing, shipping, and invoicing
• Regulatory compliance (where applicable

How? By providing user-driven, open, and proven standards

• GS1 identification keys: numbering schemes for products, locations, patients, caregivers, and assets
• GS1 bar codes: several types of bar code, linear and 2-dimensional, for use by GS1 members depending on the application
• GS1 EPCglobal: supporting the use of radio frequency identification
• GS1 Global Data Synchronisation: ensuring synchronized and accurate product data across supply chain partners
• GS1 eCOM: supporting electronic document interchange technologies