If you’ve been to a medical lab or hospital recently, you may have seen nurses or other medical professionals scanning barcodes. Phlebotomists also affix barcode labels to laboratory equipment such a blood vials. As part of a larger patient tracking system, barcode scanning helps to ensure patient safety. Here’s a closer look into what it entails. 

What Is Medical Barcoding?

While you may be used to seeing barcodes on consumer-facing products in retail settings, they’ve also been popping up on laboratory equipment and other medical items in recent years. In fact, in hospitals and other medical centers, they’re affixed to almost everything. Patient bracelets, IV bags, and other medications all have their own unique identifiers. The nurse or technician scans the code to ensure it matches what’s listed in the healthcare systems’ database.

For example, if a patient in the hospital is receiving an IV bag, the nurse will scan both the patient’s wristband and the medication prior to administering. This will create a record trail for what each patient is receiving and where medications are going. 

Likewise, a phlebotomist receives lab orders indicating which tests the patient is due to receive. They can then use printed sticker bar codes and affix them to the appropriate collection vials. When they’re sent for processing, the lab technician will scan the code to ensure they’re processing the specimens properly and sending the results to the right parties for the right patients.

How Does Medial Barcoding Keep Patients Safe?

Using barcodes on medications, laboratory equipment, and hospital wristbands promotes patient safety in several ways. For one, it minimizes the risk of human error in lab tests, which could otherwise lead to missed or incorrect diagnoses. It also ensures that patients always receive the proper medication. The extra step gives nurses and other medical providers an added chance to cross-reference doctors’ orders to ensure they’re administering the right medicine. It also reduces the likelihood of medications going missing, which especially important amid the opioid crisis. 

The ability to scan a patient’s wristband in busy hospital networks is also important. Not only does it help keep track of patients’ physical locations, but it also gives doctors and surgeons the ability to verify they’re performing procedures on the correct individuals. For patients who are under anesthesia or otherwise unable to provide their own identification verbally, this can be an invaluable safeguard.

For quality laboratory equipment for your medical facility, turn to Midwest Medical Systems. Located in Dayton, OH, this trusted provider offers a wide range of lab and pharmacy equipment. Explore their product lines on their website or call (800) 762-7722 to request a quote.