A healthcare provider in the US has brought in a new system that can accurately read pharmaceutical labels and ensure they go to the right patients.
Berkshire Medical Center recently completely computerised all its in-patient medications, significantly lowering its error rate, the Berkshire Eagle reports.
Nurses now have computer work stations on wheels that can scan pharma labels, then scan unique patient identifications to double-check their prescription is correct.
It is also possible to look up information about patients and flag up allergies, which will hopefully lead to paper records being phased out in 2012.
"It's really a great, safe way to make sure we've got the right thing for the right person," said nurse Laurie Robinson.
In October, Cook Children's Health Care System, Athenahealth, Microsoft and two drug manufacturers collaborated to develop a new kind of barcode for the healthcare sector that allows more data to be stored within it.
Denny Bros Ltd, 19 December 2011
