When the problems related to patient identification within the Hungarian hospital health care came to the attention of the general public in July, Állami Nyomda immediately set out to adapt its existing systems. The printing company now offers a comprehensive solution to hospitals for safe patient identification. The patient receives a bar-coded wristband made of special, water-resistant paper that can only be removed by cutting. The barcode printed onto the ribbon is entered directly into the hospital’s central patient database upon admission of the patient. The barcode displayed on the patient’s wristband can be read using a simple barcode reader at each individual examination station (X-ray, CT, blood work, etc.). Subsequently, using a simple label printer connected to a computerised support system, the unique barcode can be printed onto a self-adhesive label and affixed to test results. Tracking the patient can thus be significantly simplified. Upon archiving of the test results these IDs are easy to process, which makes patient registration, traceability of the illness, error avoidance, and overall data management significantly easier. Barcode readers and label printers may be required in all areas where results are generated or where identification is necessary. The wrist tag equipped with a barcode provides for accurate data recording throughout the course of the treatment, as personal data as well as test results are coded onto the wrist tag. It is enough to place a sticker with the patient’s barcode onto the test results, further ensuring secure handling of personal or confidential data. The introduction of the barcoded patient identification system means not the full implementation of a new system but rather the expansion and fool-proofing of the customised identification system currently used by hospitals.
For more information, click here.