Article List

Barcodes: Not Just for Cereal Anymore
November 18, 2009

Thirty six years ago a supermarket checkout clerk in Troy, Ohio, scanned a 10-pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit chewing gum across a laser beam, and the cash register automatically recognized the item’s price. That event kicked off the widespread use of barcode technology to speed transactions, manage inventory and prevent errors in almost every retail transaction we make.

If this prevalent system of black and white stripes can be used to track luggage, deliver mail and gather data, why can’t it be used in hospitals to prevent medication errors?

It can, and it has at Elkhart General.

Since November of 2008 Elkhart General has been using the barcode medication administration system, McKesson Horizon Admin Rx, designed to enhance patient safety by eliminating the causes of many medication errors and alerting caregivers to potential problems before a medication is given.

“Barcode technology has been utilized in retail settings for years to assist with accuracy and it has finally made its way to health care. The process starts in the pharmacy,” Susan Hawes, Director of Pharmacy at Elkhart General, stated.

“When the inventory is received from the wholesaler, we ensure all medications have a barcode that is able to be scanned by our Admin Rx System. An additional safety feature available to the pharmacists entering the physician order is an “alert” regarding allergies and interactions before the medication is dispensed to nurses on the unit. Then the most up-to-date patient medication list is available to nurses on a computer monitor in the patient’s room.”

“Admin Rx allows us to scan the barcode on the patient’s ID bracelet received upon admission and pull the correct patient identification up on our computer system,” explained Colleen Nowlin, Manager of Clinical Informatics. “Before medication is administered, scanning the barcode ensures that the right patient receives the right dose of the right medication at the right time.”

Barcoding eliminates the reliance on oral and handwritten communications along with minimizing dependence on transcription, translation and interpretation of physician orders, all of which are potential sources of medical errors. Barcoding also eliminates any potential confusion with medication names, particularly those that sound alike.

With more than 13,000 discharges in 2008, Elkhart General fully expects the new automated approach to yield significant benefits not only in the area of patient safety, but in the areas of efficiency and cost-savings as well. As of November 2008, over 600,000 doses of medication have been administered to patients in the Hospital.

So the next time you’re standing in line, mesmerized by the flashing red light and monotonous beep of the scanner, marvel at this simple technology that’s saving people’s lives. The barcode has come a long way.