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Safety meets technology: How barcode patient identification systems prevent errors

Johanna January 29, 2025 4 mins read
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Barcodes have long played a crucial role in healthcare systems. Twenty years ago, healthcare institutions started to use Barcode Medication Administration (BCMA) to ensure the 5 Rs of medication administration: right patient, right medication, right dose, right route, and right time.

Positive patient identification (PPID) is a cornerstone of BCMA. It aims to ensure that patients receive the correct treatments, procedures, and medications, ultimately minimizing medical errors and enhancing patient safety. Otherwise, errors and mix-ups endanger patients and expose hospitals and other healthcare institutions to liability.

In this article, we will discuss how mobile barcode scanners increase the accuracy and usability of PPID.

The importance of positive patient identification

Positive patient identification ensures that caregivers accurately match patients to their health records. PPID typically involves a patient wristband with the following information:

  • The patient’s full name
  • Date of birth
  • Gender
  • Unique identifiers like a patient ID number

Verifying this information is a safety step to combat the misidentification of patients, and so to ensure the delivery of the right care to the right person. It also helps ensure medical records are complete, correct, and not duplicated. All this reduces the risk of wrong medications, surgeries, or diagnostic tests.

Wristband tags were initially handwritten, but this proved to be too unreliable for PPID purposes. Illegible handwriting and the limited amount of patient information – due to lack of space – too often resulted in misidentification.

Newer, barcode-based systems are far more reliable: Barcode scanning gives instant access to accurate information. Barcodes also fit perfectly on small tags, and can store significantly more information than they need space. 

Replacing handwritten wristband tags for patient identification with barcode scanning thus opened the door to a new standard of care. 

Challenges in barcode patient identification systems

Barcode technology brought a clear safety advantage. However, healthcare institutions have faced practical challenges in implementing barcode patient identification systems: 

  • Computers on wheels: These devices are hard to maneuver and take up significant space. Often only a limited number is available.
  • Wired barcode scanners: The cables of traditional scanners restrict arm movement and scanning range.
  • Real-life conditions: Barcodes can be damaged, blurred, or worn. They’re often small, and the lighting can be dim. All this can make barcodes challenging to read for classic scanners.

Poorly-suited barcode scanners disrupt workflows and slow down otherwise capable staff. Pressed for time as they are, they may skip cumbersome steps in the identification process.

Streamline patient identification with a mobile barcode scanner

The solution is simple: mobile devices. Modern barcode scanner software is all it takes to turn tablets and smartphones into reliable barcode scanners. Small, intuitive, and powerful, they are well-suited to the challenges of healthcare settings.

Using mobile devices for barcode scanning has several benefits:

  • Increased mobility: Tablets and smartphones are highly portable and take up little space when stored. They also make it easy to scan barcodes that are otherwise hard to reach, like on a patient’s wristband.
  • Improved workflows: Nurses can move quickly and freely, easing PPID at the point of care. Smooth workflows encourage consistent identity checking and adherence to guidelines.
  • Performance: Powerful cameras and software make for rapid, accurate scans even in difficult conditions. The result can be displayed immediately on the screen, saving even more time.
  • Cost-effectiveness: Smart devices with barcode scanner software replace two expensive devices at once: the computer on wheels and a dedicated barcode scanner.
  • Scalability and flexibility: Mobile scanner software can be deployed on as many devices as needed.

Mobile barcode scanning has many uses in hospitals, not just BCMA. Take PPID on its own: Scanning a patient’s wristband barcode can provide immediate access to the correct hospital file. This increases data accuracy and facilitates informed decision-making, ultimately improving patient outcomes. Behind the scenes, inventory systems benefit from the real-time stock updates provided by BCMA and other barcode-based systems.

To maximize the impact of a mobile barcode scanning system, it is key to choose a high-quality barcode scanner SDK. It should not only be fast, reliable, and accurate, but also easy to integrate.

The Scanbot Barcode Scanner SDK can be integrated into any mobile or web app within days. Because of its fixed-price model, it scales without limits – and without any usage data tracking. Barcode scanning and processing happen locally, protecting sensitive patient data.

The SDK makes scanning even damaged, poorly lit, small, or distant barcodes a breeze. It reliably reads all common 1D and 2D barcodes. Thanks to ready-to-use UI components, you can set up a customized barcode scanning interface in minutes and ensure your app is easy to navigate and use.

Experience the SDK yourself by trying our free Barcode Scanner demo apps or running our example apps for various platforms.