Barcode technology for health care pushed

Local barcode standards GS1 Philippines is advocating for the use of barcode technology in health care to streamline workflow for health professionals, enhancing patient safety.

- By CATHERINE TALAVERA

"By using GS1 Standards, health manufacturers and distributors can record data in clinical systems, enhancing the speed and accuracy of data capture," GS1 Philippines said.

It added that health care providers can leverage these barcodes for patient identification, medication administration, and tracking of medical supplies and equipment, optimizing inventory management and streamlining overall workflow.

GS1 Philippines is making this push for barcode technology use amid the World Health Organization's Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020-2025 which highlights the transformative potential of digital transformation in health care.

It emphasized that technologies, like tools for data storage and exchange, remote data capture and virtual care are proven to enhance health outcomes by improving medical diagnoses, treatment decisions, digital therapeutics, clinical trials and fostering evidence-based knowledge for health care professionals.