Initiative reduces manual data entry for clinicians and provides automatic identification and verification of products in medication management systems

Fresenius Kabi announced today the introduction of a three-year plan to add GS1 Data Matrix barcodes to its pharmaceutical portfolio of vials, syringes, IV solutions and parenteral nutrition products at the unit of use. The initiative will help streamline workflows at health care facilities by reducing error-prone manual data entry by providing automatic identification and verification of products in medication management systems. Fresenius Kabi USA is the first pharmaceutical company to commit to offering GS1 Data Matrix barcodes on all drug product labels. The initiative was piloted on select IV products earlier this year and will continue with the first vial products available in early fall.

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Data Matrix barcodes included on Fresenius Kabi product labels are easily scanned at any position and store more crucial information (lot number, expiration date and National Drug Code) than a standard one-dimensional barcode, which only stores National Drug Codes (NDC). (Graphic: Business Wire)

This U.S. project marks an important milestone within this global product initiative of Fresenius Kabi, focusing on offering scannable products to support customer and patient needs.

Data Matrix barcodes (also referred to as 2D or two-dimensional barcodes) store significantly more information than a standard one-dimensional barcode. This allows Fresenius Kabi to encode essential information in the label that is crucial to clinicians. In addition to the National Drug Code (NDC), Fresenius Kabi will include the lot number and expiration date within Data Matrix barcodes, following GS1 standards for interoperability and readability.

“Fresenius Kabi is committed to help streamline medication workflows and improve patient safety throughout health care facilities via the products we offer and the associated technology advancements we are focused on,” said John Ducker, president and CEO of Fresenius Kabi USA. “By adding GS1 Data Matrix barcodes to product labels in our comprehensive portfolio of medicines, we are further answering our customers’ calls to make it easier to assure that the right pharmaceuticals are in the right places at the right time.”

Additional benefits of Data Matrix barcodes include the potential to:

• Support safety checks for clinicians during preparation, dispensing and administration by assuring the right drug is used and that it’s not expired
• Facilitate system-wide data integration of lot numbers and expiration dates to help easily track potential recalls and expired medications
• Enable the immediate population of crucial drug data into health care systems, eliminating manual data entry and transcription
• Support automatic inventory replenishment to reduce manual processes

“Our goal is to integrate technology into our pharmaceutical portfolio to help streamline the medication-use process for clinicians, minimizing the burden of manual processes that can contribute to human error,” said Gwen Volpe, RPh, LSSBB, FASHP, Director of Medication Technology at Fresenius Kabi USA. “We recognize the importance of continually innovating our pharmaceutical portfolios with auto-identification technologies including Data Matrix barcodes and RFID to support accurate, efficient data collection and enhanced patient care. By adding GS1 Data Matrix barcodes to all product labels, we can help clinicians reduce manual data input, more accurately track medications, and reduce the potential for error.”

About Fresenius Kabi

Fresenius Kabi (www.fresenius-kabi.com/us) is a global health care company that specializes in medicines and technologies for infusion, transfusion, and clinical nutrition. The company’s products and services are used to help care for critically and chronically ill patients. The company’s U.S. headquarters is in Lake Zurich, Illinois. The company’s global headquarters is in Bad Homburg, Germany. To learn about U.S. career opportunities at Fresenius Kabi, visit us at www.fresenius-kabi.com/us/join-us and follow us on LinkedIn.

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#FreseniusKabi, a leader in injectable medicines, has announced a three-year plan to add GS1 Data Matrix barcodes to all pharmaceuticals as part of a companywide commitment to #medicationsafety.