Case Study: Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust improves wristband and pathology barcode scanning with Dakota Integrated Solutions

Dakota delivers wristband printing and mobility solution

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust faced significant challenges with its barcode scanning systems. The Trust was experiencing poor scanning rates for specimen labels in its pathology labs and for neo-natal and child patient wristbands due to problematic barcodes and band curvature. They also required a new mobile, wireless printing solution for bedside use. Dakota Integrated Solutions was engaged to address these core technological issues.

Dakota Integrated Solutions implemented a comprehensive solution by switching to higher-quality Zebra coated label media for the pathology specimens and converting the wristband barcodes from 1D to a more compact 2D Datamatrix symbology. They provided new Honeywell Healthcare Imagers capable of reading 2D barcodes and helped redesign the wristband layout. The result was a dramatic improvement in barcode scanning success rates, which eliminated considerable extra work for staff and restored confidence in the system, as confirmed by positive feedback from the Trust's Head of IM&T.

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Peter Aspinall

Head of IM&T