Data standards from GS1 ensure accuracy in information critical to patient safety while also reducing costs

In the heavily scrutinized healthcare environment, hospital information technology professionals are forced to juggle a growing list of IT priorities while also performing their day-to-day functions to keep hospital information systems running smoothly. To add to the complexity, IT staff must work through provisions mandated by healthcare reform, while also contributing to their hospital’s efforts to develop a sound, integrated IT strategy that accommodates the electronic health record and reduces costs. Other federal and state information-oriented mandates are constantly in play as well. There is no doubt that everyone who touches IT, from data entry specialists to middle-managers to the chief information officer, are handling extraordinary and complicated data needs every day.

While you sort your priority list to help your hospital meet the demands of the current healthcare landscape, be sure to consider the information coming from healthcare’s foundation – the healthcare supply chain – and understand how that data can impact and enhance the overall information picture at your hospital. Over the last several years, hospitals and supplier partners have been participating in an industry-wide movement to accurately share healthcare’s most basic information –trade items and their delivery locations – using a universal numbering standard. Starting in the supply chain and spreading throughout other hospital functions, the GS1 System of Standards has already helped hospitals realize their goals to improve patient safety, enhance efficiencies and reduce costs.

For generations, hospitals and supplier partners, and all points in between, have used thousands of different numbers and numbering systems to manually and electronically track the shipment of medical supplies. Not sharing a common “language” to describe these fundamental elements of the supply chain creates problems and inefficiencies, resulting in products arriving at the wrong location, rebates being processed incorrectly and countless hours spent tracking down where a product is and who was the last to “touch” it. These problems really come to light during product recalls, for example, where it may take days or weeks to track down and remove a contaminated medical/surgical product. By comparison, in the retail sector, recalled pet food can be tracked to the shelf and even to the buyer, in many cases within hours of the effort.

Our industry’s lack of consistency in identifying important location and product information adds tremendous cost to an already beleaguered healthcare system, with obvious negative impact to the quality of patient care. Reliable information about healthcare products and their delivery locations is essential for successful delivery of the right product to the right location – a vital component in ensuring patient safety. Electronic medical records, automated ordering systems and other healthcare IT systems all require accurate location and product identification to improve patient safety and support patient care.

Recognizing the urgent need for a system that clearly identifies critical linkages in the supply chain with a consistent numbering approach, healthcare alliances such as Premier, along with group purchasing organizations, healthcare providers and suppliers, leading software vendors and data management houses, are making strides. Across the industry, organizations are participating in projects to incorporate the GS1 Global Location Number (GLN), for location identification, and GS1 Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), for unique product identification, in their information systems. In addition, active participants are developing and testing approaches to synchronize true product information from a single, updated data source via the GS1 Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN).

When used as part of a sound IT integration strategy, these GS1 Standards enable hospitals to focus on how to use information rather than on how to get information. By using a set of unified standards, hospitals are able to shed light on areas where they can reduce significant costs while also improving patient safety. They are also able to ensure that electronic information captured across myriad provider and supplier IT systems is accurate, consistent and in a language that is understood across the industry.

Consistent data standards provide visibility and insight where there was none before, particularly in every area that a healthcare product touches – from manufacture, sourcing and distribution, to delivery, patient use and electronic recording, to billing and reimbursement and beyond.

Most of the major materials management system and ERP vendors now provide support for the GLN and GTIN. However, even if your system or version cannot currently accommodate GS1 Standards, you should still do what you can now to prepare for standards adoption. Start by talking to your peers to find out where your organization stands in GTIN and GLN implementation efforts. Get on the same page, and make sure that as your supply chain staff is working to incorporate GS1 Standards, they are also factoring in GLN and GTIN field requirements in your other information systems to enable interoperability. GTIN and GLN implementation should be complementary to – and in parallel with –your other IT programs.

Consider joining industry workgroups or participating in efforts launched by your GPO or other trading partners. The industry conversation has moved beyond education and even advocacy for standards.

Today, the vernacular is more about “how” to get the GLN or GTIN implemented, as it is becoming part of the day-to-day supply chain business process. Models are emerging for how GS1 Standards should be implemented, with lessons being shared by organizations that have already made the effort, so you are not re-inventing the wheel. Overwhelmingly, those who have risen to the challenge have found implementation to be easier than they had expected, with each effort getting easier.

Armed with useful information wrought by standards, hospitals and their trading partners are better equipped to pursue their financial, reform and patient safety and quality goals. GS1 Standards provide a system that can help the healthcare industry meet the challenges of today’s environment, and ultimately transform the challenges into new opportunities to thrive.

The author may be reached via email joe_pleasant@premierinc.com

About the GS1 System of Standards

When used as part of an overall information technology integration strategy, the GS1 System of Standards enables the hospital to focus on how to use information rather than on how to get information. Armed with useful information wrought by standards, hospitals are better equipped to improve patient safety, increase efficiencies and reduce costs. The primary GS1 supply chain data standards are:

Global Location Number (GLN)

Globally unique GS1 identification number used to identify locations and supply chain partners. GLNs can be used to identify a functional entity (e.g., accounting department), a physical entity (e.g., warehouse, hospital wing, nursing station), or a legal entity (e.g., health system corporation).

Global Trade Item Number (GTIN)

Globally unique GS1 identification number used to identify products at every level of packaging that are sold, delivered and invoiced at any point in the supply chain.

Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN)

An authoritative source of standardized healthcare product information (GTIN plus product attributes) that provides an efficient way of sharing and synchronizing this information to ensure that all supply chain partners are using identical, up-to-date, reliable product data.
For more information, go to www.gs1us.org/healthcare

Becoming Part of the Solution

GS1 Healthcare US is an industry group that focuses on driving the adoption and implementation of GS1 Standards in the healthcare industry to improve patient safety and supply chain efficiency. GS1 Healthcare US brings together members from all segments of the healthcare industry to address the supply chain issues that most impact healthcare in the United States.
GS1 Healthcare US workgroups include:

Product Identification (GTIN)
Location Identification (GLN)
Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN) Implementation
Traceability Adoption
Hospital Implementation Workgroup
For more information, go to www.gs1us.org/healthcare

Government Actions

Government is supporting industry’s efforts to standardize and synchronize important information to improve patient safety, data quality and interoperability. With the passage of legislation in the fall of 2007, the U.S. Congress mandated use of a unique device identification (UDI) system for healthcare products to aid in recall efforts and other patient safety initiatives. After four years of deliberation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has finally developed its regulation for a UDI system, which is being reviewed now by the Office of Management Budget.

At the state level, California will enforce drug pedigree requirements in 2015 (www.pharmacy.ca.gov/), and it is anticipated that several states will follow suit, with the federal government also launching requirements for the healthcare industry to better enable tracking and tracing of pharmaceuticals in the supply chain. www.fda.gov.