Healthcare barcodes for a digital future

Healthcare barcodes are part of our digital future

By GS1 Healthcare

What could barcodes mean to the future of healthcare and what role could they play in a world of increasing digitalisation? The answer is surprising and exciting.

arcodes have been an essential part of packaging for nearly 50 years. They are an integral part of our everyday life, including during healthcare provision. The barcode is a fundamental healthcare tool – but not just any barcode. Standardised barcodes contain standardised information so that everyone knows the rules for how to read and process the symbol.

Today, many jurisdictions require regulated healthcare product packaging to include a globally standardised GS1 barcode that is used to enable product identification, traceability, verification of authenticity and, most importantly, to facilitate patient safety actions. It is commonplace in many countries and healthcare settings to see product barcodes scanned by caregivers at the point of medicine dispensing or administration or to record healthcare actions in patient records.

For brand owners, barcodes are increasingly contributing to sales and marketing activities and are unlocking the ability for patients and caregivers to access additional information about a product – electronically.

There is no question that the barcode is a necessary and important part of packaging design, and it would be highly detrimental to not have globally standardised barcodes on healthcare product packaging. Types of barcodes We see different types of barcodes on healthcare products. On some healthcare products, we see the familiar one-dimensional barcode that goes beep at the checkout. This contains only a globally unique identification number, which is a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN).

On higher risk products, we see either the GS1 DataMatrix or a linear barcode called GS1-128. These symbols contain the GTIN plus data such as the batch/lot number, serial number and an expiry date. This extra information is critical for accurate dispensing, recording of data in medical records and traceability and stock management, all of which contribute directly to patient safety.

Generally, the barcode chosen is influenced by the clinical risk associated with the product, pertinent regulatory requirements, information to be encoded, packaging size and much more. If a 1D barcode is chosen, it is likely due to the product being scanned with laser-based scanners – including the handheld scanners seen at point of sale in a reducing number of pharmacies – which can only read 1D barcodes. You need a camera-based scanner to read any 2D symbol. Barcodes containing information in addition to the GTIN (eg batch, expiry date or serial number) must be applied on the production line. Production line printing is a separate operation from pre-printing the packaging in bulk and requires a range of additional technology capabilities within the organisation printing the barcodes.

A simple vision What then is future of barcodes in healthcare? The vision is simple: one single barcode that can be leveraged by all and that can even be a tool for engagement with patients and clinicians.

How does this happen? Firstly, the company applying the barcode needs to select the type of barcode and encode the data that is appropriate, taking into account the factors mentioned above. Then, there needs to be an understanding that the barcode is part of the toolkit needed to facilitate access to electronic information for patients and clinicians. We are often asked: Don’t you need a QR code for that? The answer: No.

Coupling the GS1 barcode on the packaging with an app that routes the user to the appropriate location when the barcode is scanned and having all of this based on the GS1 Digital Link standard is the key. GS1 Digital Link describes how to use the information in a GS1 barcode to lead to multiple sources of information – clinical and pharmacological information, instructional videos and information for patients, all in the right language for the user. Scanning the GS1 barcode with a GS1 Digital Link-enabled app to access healthcare product e-leaflets is already seen in Japan.

We have a vision for the future, and we need to work together to achieve the vision. We know that having one single barcode on the pack is the solution that will best facilitate patient safety, avoid errors, and remove the challenges faced by doctors, nurses and pharmacists when presented with multiple barcodes. We know that the need to access digital information is an ever-increasing reality. What then needs to happen to ensure the GS1 Digital Link standard is able to facilitate healthcare’s digital information needs?

To use the GS1 barcode to address even more industry needs, we need apps that connect these barcodes to authoritative information on the web. We’re working to encourage the development of new apps and additional functionality in existing apps to do this. Healthcare stakeholders from across all business functions are working with us to make that happen.

After 50 years, the role of the barcode is going through a revolution and digitisation is one of the drivers. The invitation is there for you to be part of it. Please, join us!

GS1.org/healthcare