reducing risk through certainty

reducing risk through certainty
The European Healthcare Initiative, established by the European Member Organisations, is part of GS1 Global Healthcare Initiative to develop the adoption and usage of the GS1 System of item identification, bar coding symbology and electronic commerce message standards in the Healthcare sector in Europe.
The GS1 System is already widely used in European Healthcare across all segments of the market. The aims of the European Healthcare Initiative are to significantly increase this usage – GS1 firmly believes that the benefits the standards provide can, at low cost, significantly reduce supply chain costs and improve the quality of patient care.

Reduction of risk and improved patient safety are key imperatives for the European Healthcare market. Certainty of identification and the automatic capture of information through bar coding and scanning are central to these requirements. For example, by implementing the GS1 system, the appropriate application of a prescribed medicine to a specific patient can be validated before administration. Full tracking and tracing facilities are available by using the GS1 System, not only to verify the expiry date of a healthcare product but also by the capture of lot or serial numbers to update electronic patient files. All these facilities are essential for safer patient care.

To learn more about the GS1 System, the European Healthcare Initiative and reducing risk through certainty in European Healthcare read on.

VISION STATEMENT

European Healthcare Initiative

reducing risk through certainty

To improve the quality of patient care and safety, decrease operational costs and counter risk by introducing certainty and increased efficiency through the application of the GS1 System to track and trace medical products of all kinds, ultimately achieving a more efficient and responsive healthcare supply chain.

We will work with the Healthcare industry in Europe to facilitate the development of co-managed and user driven solutions (as accredited by UN, ISO, JTC1, CEN and other leading organisations) throughout the supply chain - from manufacturers to patients. These solutions will be based upon ‘best-in-class’ enablers including:identification systems for products, locations, care units, doctors and patients Automatic Data Capture through barcoding and intelligent tagging systemsfacilitation and promotion of mass e-business adoption based upon EDI and XML solutions end-to-end tracking and tracing capabilities. These solutions, based on GS1 standards, will provide more effective systems for the distribution and application of medical and surgical products and services of all kinds, and the prescribing, dispensing, and accurate administration of medicines to patients.”

Some milestones

	European Pharmaceutical Supply Chain of the Future ( March 2004)
	First EHI Assembly, September 2003: Delegates from the GS1 Member Organisations meet to share experience.
	GS1 at Logipharma 2003, May 2003 : EHI present at the largest meeting on logistics for pharmaceuticals in Europe.
	GS1 at Medtec 2003, March 2003 : EHI present at the most important fair on medical devices sub-manufacturing in Europe.
	Launch of the initiative (February 2003)

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