How Barcode Scanning Can Reshape the Healthcare Supply Chain

| Healthcare

How Barcode Scanning Can Reshape the Healthcare Supply Chain

2020 has completely transformed supply chain management in healthcare. Healthcare logistics teams are adapting their strategies to manage supplies and ensure medical teams have the resources they need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Efficiency is key as healthcare enterprises adopt new tools to streamline their supply chain and ensure the safety of providers and patients.

With the implementation of barcode scanning, supply chain leaders can maintain the proper levels of PPE (personal protective equipment), ventilators and medication across hospitals—while reducing unpredictability of inventory. Today, let’s review how this powerful technology can support medical facilities, manufacturers and logistics companies in advancing healthcare outcomes.

The Growing Demand for Supply Chain Optimization in Healthcare

A recent industry survey of 138 U.S. hospital executives shows how drastically COVID-19 has impacted healthcare organizations and their priorities. The study shows that supply chain optimization is the second-highest priority for hospital leadership—just behind preventing staff from getting sick. Proper distribution of supplies and devices is a leading concern for healthcare teams, as is managing supply chain risk for pharmacy.

There’s a good reason why supply chain management is dominating executive mindshare across these hospitals: disruptions in the supply chain prevent clinicians from providing ideal treatment for their patients, while introducing new compliance risks and hampering profitability. As a result, healthcare leaders are adopting new technologies to help automate supply chain processes, efficiently analyze data, and enable fast responses to potential supply shortages to make the best possible use of limited resources.

Enterprise Barcode Scanning from Scandit

Scandit’s enterprise barcode scanning technology makes it easier for medical companies to manage healthcare supply chain processes and streamline critical manual tasks. Our powerful data capture software transforms almost any camera-enabled mobile device, including inexpensive smartphones or tablets into enterprise-grade barcode scanners and is easy to integrate into your existing applications. From verifying patient details to tracking and reordering medical supplies on the go, the Scandit solution brings speed, accuracy and consistency to a wide variety of healthcare workflows.

Barcode scanning and augmented reality (AR) software on smart devices empowers healthcare workers in pharma and hospitals to track assets in real time and manage stock checks up to 40% faster. Here are a few other essential supply chain processes that Scandit software supports in patient care environments:

1. Tracking PPE Equipment in Hospitals

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many healthcare teams are struggling to access required PPE in a time of decreased supply. But with Scandit barcode scanning enabled-devices in their hands, hospital staff can effortlessly track a range of PPE being used across their facility—and plan restocking efforts accordingly.

Scandit-powered mobile apps make it simple for healthcare teams to track and optimize PPE inventory. Hospitals can leverage these tools on basic smart devices to keep track of PPE supplies, calculate daily consumption rates, and use those insights to plan and purchase more equipment in accordance with future demand.

2. Asset Maintenance Tracking for Manufacturers

Maintenance is a core activity for manufacturers in healthcare. Many medical devices and equipment require regular maintenance to ensure they perform at their best across the continuum of care. That’s why medical equipment manufacturers are using mobile devices and apps to track maintenance work digitally and enable faster, more accurate workflows.

With Scandit barcode scanning, healthcare maintenance teams can accurately record and track maintenance and repair data using their own smartphones. With a single tap of their finger, maintenance workers can scan the barcodes on assets and equipment to view their maintenance history, last events and parts needed—all displayed in-app via augmented reality (AR) overlays on the device screen. Manufacturers can use this innovative technology to bring greater visibility across healthcare maintenance efforts, while optimizing asset management and reducing costs.

3. Warehouse Management for Healthcare Logistics

Effective warehouse management is essential for healthcare logistics. Mobile barcode scanning in warehouse operations reduces human error, eliminates backorders, and improves stocktaking productivity. With barcode scanning and AR, your healthcare logistics or manufacturing company can increase efficiency across its entire warehouse management system (WMS).

Scandit-powered mobile apps empower warehouse staff to easily find and keep track of products using MatrixScan. This software employs AR to scan and capture multiple product barcodes at once, driving faster and more accurate stocktaking and inventory management. Mobile device-based scanners also offer lower TCO compared to traditional scanners—and are easy to integrate into your existing warehouse management system.

4. Proof of Delivery for Temperature-Sensitive Products

Scandit technology can be used to facilitate seamless, contact-free proof of delivery (PoD) for temperature-sensitive drugs. Our mobile scanning solution for proof of delivery web apps is easy to deploy and integrate with your existing PoD workflows—unlocking contactless proof of delivery to keep patients and delivery staff safe by letting recipients use their own devices to sign and acknowledge deliveries.

With Scandit, drivers can use their own smart devices to access real-time information on deliveries with on-screen AR feedback, instructing them on time restrictions, temperature requirements and other essential delivery details. Use our barcode scanning software to optimize the PoD process and create more efficient deliveries for your medical logistics company.


Drive Healthcare Innovation with Scandit

Scandit is committed to helping healthcare organizations use technology to increase efficiency, improve treatment outcomes, and ensure the safety of providers and patients alike. To learn more about how your team can enable simple, cost-effective innovation, read our free whitepaper: How Smart Devices Are Changing the Hospital Landscape. 

This best practice guide will teach you how to streamline inventory management and other healthcare supply chain efforts using mobile smart devices and Scandit technology. Contact us today for more specific information on barcode scanning for supply chain management in healthcare.