BCMA Foster Enhanced Patient Safety

Bar Code Medication Administration (BCMA) is an initiative being implemented in varying degrees throughout the world. Concerns for patient safety have always been a strong undercurrent found throughout the practice of medicine.  Now, with the availability of rapid innovative technological advances, the cases for improved patient safety continue to grow stronger.

When medication administration is documented via manual charting, there is a lag time between the actual administration of a medication and the final documentation.  There is also a higher risk of correctly identifying the right medication, the right dose and the right patient, due to human error when using the manual process of administration.

BCMA, through automatic data capture, eliminates the lag time factor and so helps to decrease potential medication errors and enhances patient safety.  When used properly the administration of prescribed medication will be recorded immediately into the patient’s electronic health records (EHRs).  This time-stamped documentation is then available to all care givers with access to the patient’s records and so influences future treatment paths taken by them.

Datalogic ADC recently had the opportunity to attend and exhibit at the 2012 unSUMMIT Conference in Anaheim, C California.  There were easily 300 attendees anxious to hear and share thoughts on how to better patient safety through bar code technology. We  were excited to display Datalogics ability to display bar code readers that offered both 1D and 2D reading capabilities, corded and cordless as well as anti-disinfectant ready enclosures that offer optimal automatic data capture abilities for the health care environs.

By Pam McQueen, Channel Program Coordinator, Datalogic ADC, May 11, 2012

Bill Parnell, CEO Datalogic ADC

Bill Parnell, CEO of Datalogic ADC, recently participated in the CEO Vision Session held during the ID World 2012 Abu Dhabi Conference held March 18 – 19.  The 2012 World Summit is the fifth annual EMEA summit addressing security, mobility and traceability.

Before Bill Parnell joined the CEO Vision Session, he had the opportunity to be interviewed by Philip Stoten of ID People in which he was able to offer his thoughts on the present and future technologies being offered to consumers worldwide.  Bill pointed out that presently we are experiencing a convergence of technologies such as ADC, RFID, NFC and also including smartphone technologies.  He pointed to different security measures that are current, or discussed as potential applications for smartphones that secure transactions, such as iris recognition, voice recognition and even potentially gait recognition to determine the authenticity of the smartphone user.

Bill acknowledges that today’s consumer maybe considered technologically agnostic, in that they are much more interested in the resulting application versus the background technology that provides a solution.  With that in mind, he determines that the Automatic Data Capture (ADC) industry is also going through a fast transition to meet the technical demands of the present and the near future of the retail markets.  He points out that ADC scanners are able to do more than read a bar code, through imaging technology they also are able to offer face recognition and signature capture to offer security enhancement to retail transactions.

Bill Parnell’s insights offer an exciting outlook to the security of future retail transactions, through the use of seamless technologies available to today’s consumers.

By Pam McQueen, Channel Program Coordinator, Datalogic ADC, May 4, 2012

QR Code (Quick Response)

The other day, as my boarding pass was scanned at the airport I started reflecting on how the use of bar code data collection technology has become so integrated into our daily lives.  Whether we are purchasing items at the grocery store, entering a theater, showing our ID, checking real estate information or having lab tests done, information is made available through the collection of data from a bar code.  An advertiser can offer much more information in their print ad space by incorporating a code such as a QR Code (Quick Response) within their ad.   Shoppers are able to use their smartphones to gain instant coupon savings when scanning codes in ads, or on site in stores.

A coworker told me that she had heard that some grave markers now are available with QR Codes.  This concept intrigued me, so I did an internet search to find more information about this usage of bar code technology.  Sure enough after just a moment, I pulled up a few articles referencing the use of codes on headstones and monuments.  A company in Seattle, Washington, offers the option of QR codes being etched into the grave marker.  A visitor to the grave is able to snap a shot of the code on their smart phone.  This will enable them to gain access to a memorial website that will offer personal information, photos and other facts that give a deeper historical picture of the departed.  Amazing.

As the use of bar code data collection technology continues to seamlessly integrate into our daily lives, I am certainly interested to see where else we may see the codes pop up in the near future.  Wherever they may be, Datalogic ADC’s innovative data collection technology will be ready.

By Pam McQueen, Channel Program Coordinator, Datalogic ADC, April 16, 2012

SMB and Mobility – Strong Potential with Specific Challenges

I read an interesting article in Field Technologies Magazine regarding how SMB companies are looking to leverage mobility.  According to the SMB Group, a market research firm, the number of SMB enterprises considering giving their workforce mobility solutions has tripled. This is a significant number but it doesn’t mean that all field employees in SMB firms will get company hardware.  The article states that the firms are interested in the benefits of a mobility solution but have a different way to look at the deployment and implementation.

Of note is the heavy leveraging of BYOD hardware among the SMB firms.  While this may reduce hardware expense initially, it poses interesting challenges for the selection of software solutions. The use of smart phones as a hardware platform greatly reduces the number solutions that can be deployed.  In some cases cloud based solutions become the only option.  This is indicative of the specific challenges that SMB face and pose.  Other challenges noted in the article include the need for financing, out of the box software solutions, and a close look at data and voice plan cost impact.

The SMB space is unique in its needs for solutions.  This is one of the largest general market segments that can benefit from the added efficiencies of mobility. But brining solutions to this group will require changes from both the solution provider and SMB firms. Solution providers will need to directly tailor their product to this space to minimize any need for tech support and hand holding.  SMB firms will need to be very wary of the cost benefit of limited hardware deployments that can be much more costly in the near term.  Moreover incorrect hardware choices can leave them vulnerable to data loss, data corruption, or system failure.

By Jose I. Vega, Marketing Manager, Datalogic ADC, April 3, 2012

Patient Safety and ADC Technology

Having attended this year’s HIMSS conference in Las Vegas, I was amazed once again how technology and healthcare have combined to ensure a more efficient way to manage patients, records, lab tests and pharmaceuticals.  Visiting the exhibit showing future hospital concepts and tracking abilities is surely an amazing experience.  I have recently read of a study that showed the potential for future treatment and diagnoses may be available through an intravenous installation of an RFID chip which will travel through a patient’s bloodstream ever vigilant to alert the physician of impending physical disasters.  All amazing yes, but before we send these micro diagnostic chips systemically into patients, we actually have a current technology on hand that offers the potential to increase patient safety, track surgical equipment, foster seamless tracing of lab tests, and aid in the efficient admission and billing of patients.  This solution is automatic data capture (ADC) through the scanning of bar codes.  Although this technology has been a strong component within the retail market for a number of years, it is still in an infancy state within the medical care arena.  It is reported that there are approximately only 35% of the hospitals in the United States implementing bedside point of care through beside bar code scanning.

My college education was in nursing, and I have spent a number of years as a registered nurse both in the outpatient and inpatient environments.  I look back on these days of verifying the patient name, medications and lab tests by simply reading an armband and a chart, and thank goodness that overall patient safety was certainly achieved.  Now to see the availability of technology that will certainly enhance patient safety, as well as decrease hospital liability, I feel the balance of 65% of the hospitals need to seriously consider the benefits of ADC technology.

Datalogic ADC looks forward to attending this year’s unSUMMIT Conference in Anaheim, May 2 – 4, where it will have the opportunity to display innovative ADC solutions to improve data transfer within the medical community.

By Pam McQueen, Channel Program Coordinator, Datalogic ADC, April 3, 2012

Jose I. Vega, Marketing Manager, Datalogic ADC

I got the chance to attend the National Retailers Association of Mexico tradeshow, ANTAD, in Guadalajara, Mexico on March 14-16. The keynote speaker was the well-known physicist and Discovery Channel personality Dr. Michio Kaku.

The topic of his talk was the look of retailing 25 years from now.  He began by speaking about Moore’s law, the idea that the number of transistors that can be placed economically in a given space will double every 18-24 months.  According to Dr. Kaku this premise will hold true for the next 15 or 20 years. After that the Moore’s law will flatten out as there may not be any more value to be gained by an increase in the transistor density.  Until then we can expect to continue to see interesting technological advances.

That is not to say that technology won’t advance after that but things will be different.  The result of the continued effect of Moore’s law is that we will see transistors – or chips in everything; significantly more than we have now.  Moreover the concept of a computer will no longer exist; the term computer will cease to be used because everything will be a computer.

Dr. Kaku suggests that the cost of a chip will be less than a penny and thus items that do not contain chips today will contain them in the future. One example he gives is wall paper. Wall paper will be made of chips such that what we have on our walls will be able to change as we choose. He applies this idea to multiple objects such as paper, contact lenses, glass, and more.

So what does this have to do with retail? Dr. Kaku suggests that in the future the ubiquitous nature of technology will allow for a much greater access to information. This will result in what he calls perfect capitalism; everyone will know exactly what something costs so they will only pay the lowest prices.  Under that scenario the retail playing field will in one sense become level.  In the future, the differentiating factors will be brand and service. Sounds familiar!

While I am not sure I believe all of the prognosticating that Dr. Kaku did during his keynote address, I do believe his perspective that the essence of retail will continue to be the same factors in the future that exist today.  Moreover it is becoming clearer that retailers that embrace technology to maximize their customer experience today will be in a stronger position to survive the effects of perfect capitalism.

Datalogic’s Elf™ PDA

What better way to increase efficiency, productivity and peace of mind for field operators than ensuring exacting location determination on the go.  Precise, reliable and timely location information is essential to the successful deployment and management in the markets of Field Service, Field Marketing, Delivery, Retail or Logistic applications.

Datalogic’s Elf™ PDA, through the incorporation of the Skyhook Wireless Core Engine, is able to offer accurate location identification thanks to implementation of this software.   Skyhook’s software-only location system determines precise device location quickly and accurately by synthesizing data from Wi-Fi access points, GPS tracking satellites and cell towers using advanced hybrid algorithms.   Productivity and efficiency will be greatly enhanced through this geo-location concept.

Geo-location is at the center of mobile innovation and is considered fundamental to emerging mobile services for both businesses and consumers.  Through its implementation, the ease of navigation, enhanced logistic management and the tracking of field resources are easily realized.  Whether the user is a cable company repairman, a mobile sales associate, or package courier accurate location identification will be at their fingertips when using Datalogic’s Elf™ PDA.

Datalogic ADC Shines Brightly at EuroCis 2012

Datalogic ADC added new luster to their portfolio during the recent EuroCis 2012 Exhibition held in Dusseldorf, Germany. The German magazine for the retail industry Handelsjournal presented awards for the “Best Products for Retailers” on February 28 to various vendors. Datalogic ADC proudly received the Silver Award in the Innovative Retail Products category for its Magellan™800i omnidirectional bar code reader. Reiner Szech, Datalogic ADC Retail Sales Manager, was on hand to gratefully receive this award citing various technological reasons why this product is such a crowd pleaser. The award is the result of votes tallied from the 50,000 readers of Handlesjounal a magazine published by the German Association for Retail, Handelsverband Deutschland – HDE e.V, Berlin. Datalogic certainly appreciates the recognition and support offered by the favorable submission of votes from the magazine’s readers. It certainly validates Datalogic’s process of designing innovative products for the automatic data capture markets, while keeping the needs of customers’ in the forefront of their product planning.

Datalogic Innovative Solutions at HIMSS 2012

Datalogic Innovative Solutions at HIMSS 2012
HIMSS 2012 showed how to live it large last week in Las Vegas.  With an estimated 36,500 attendees, and roughly 1124 exhibitors, the exchange of information, concepts, questions and answers relevant to the healthcare industry was shared by all.  Visitors to the Datalogic ADC booth were pleased to find data capture solutions offering enhanced patient safety and protection through the special disinfectant-ready plastics used in the healthcare series of the Gryphon™ 4100 readers and Gryphon™ 4400 readers.  Special features found in these bar code readers such as Datalogic’s patented GreenSpot, and the speed and efficiency in reading codes impressed many a HIMSS attendee.  Datalogic enjoyed showing innovative data capture solutions that are able to address the needs of bedside point of care, pharmacy, administrative and laboratory demands found in the healthcare field.   At the conclusion of HIMSS attendees and exhibitors alike were both able to leave Vegas with new ideas, information and plans on ways to continue to improve management of healthcare information and patient safety.

Datalogic ADC at NRF 2012

The annual NRF 2012 Retail trade show recently concluded in New York City, drawing over 25,000 visitors. Most of them didn’t miss the chance to visit Datalogic ADC’s booth, with its complete range of mobile and scanning products. LaneHawk™, Joya™, Magellan™, Elf™ and Falcon™ X3 were all big hits. However, the biggest crowd gatherer by far was the demo of the automated scanning system. The floor buzzed with excitement for this new system that will revolutionize the retail industry. The media, our partners and visitors to trade show all provided very positive feedback and were enthusiastic about Datalogic ADC’s innovative solutions for the future of retail.