Bar Code Slide Labeling Helps Reduce Misidentification Errors in the Laboratory

Key Benefits• TrustSense™ smart technology

automatically detects media and self-calibrates

• Innovative spindle-less design allows “drop and print” of various sized labels to save time

• Point of care bar code printing enabled with optional wireless capability and long-life rechargable battery

• Prints premium bar codes at 300 dpi for superior scanning and up to 6 inches per second

• Compact footprint easily fits on carts or crowded desktops

• Large media capacity — accomodates media rolls up to 5 inches

• Optional LCD display and programmable touch panel to customize settings and functions

• 2-year warranty for printer and print head

According to the “2013 Deep Dive Analysis on Laboratory Testing” study conducted by the ECRI Institute, specimen mislabeling is the leading cause of errors in the laboratory testing process. This includes a specimen with a label from a different patient, two contradictory labels, or a label that does not correspond with the order. Of the nearly 2,500 patient safety events reviewed in the study, 31% were due to mislabeling. The study also states that mislabeled specimens can lead to delays in the lab, such as the re-collection of samples, which can cause patient harm such as obtaining important diagnostic information for patient care.

To help prevent these types of errors, one of the Joint Commission’s 2014 National Patient Safety Goals for the Laboratory Accreditation Program is to “use at least two patient identifiers when providing laboratory services.”

Printing standardized bar code slide labels helps improve patient safety by providing positive patient identification. Handwritten or faulty labels that smear or fade can contribute to the misdiagnosis of patients and an increase in unnecessary costs linked to re-testing.

TrustSense™ Patient ID Printing Solution Application Brief

HC-394-0714 1,000

Call 800.543.6144today for more information on the TrustSense™ Patient ID Printing Solution or to arrange for a free demonstration.

www.trustsense.comProduct names, company names, marks, logos, and symbols mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of PDC Healthcare and Brother.

TrustSense™ Media Provides Label Durability and Data Integrity TrustSense™ media, by patient ID leader PDC Healthcare, is specially designed to seamlessly integrate with the TrustSense™ printer by Brother. The media is resistant to oils, plasticizers, and water which are common components found and used in a laboratory setting. Made with durable materials, TrustSense™ label media can withstand up to 200°F to maintain bar code and data integrity during vigorous testing. The label adhesive is strong and resilient so technicians do not have to worry about labels detaching from slides during testing and storage.

Positively Identify Slide Labels with the TrustSense™ Patient ID Printing Solution

The TrustSense™ printer allows lab technicians to “drop and print” a variety of label types without re-calibrating in between. Using smart technology, the printer automatically senses the type and size of label media inserted, saving technicians’ time as there is no need for reformatting.

With its compact footprint, the printer can fit virtually anywhere and can be mounted on the wall, to provide increased flexibility in a crowded lab. The TrustSense™ printer is wireless, with an optional WLAN interface, to provide a level of mobility traditional thermal printers can’t offer. Its portability caters to the needs of technicians and the applications needed – not a power outlet.

If a handwritten label is misread, patients can be put in danger and hospitals at risk for liability of misdiagnoses. Using bar coded labels eliminates handwritten inaccuracies to provide lab technicians with peace of mind that patient ID information is accurately printed in the lab.

Standardized bar code slide labels also comply with regulatory requirements, such as the Laboratory Accreditation Program from the Joint Commission and the AUTO12-A standard enacted by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI).

Improving lab workflow efficiencies and performance are other benefits of bar coding, allowing technicians to spend more time on specimen testing to more quickly diagnose patients.