Webinar: How Can You Quickly Adopt Data Standards for Unique Device Identification?

Loftware is pleased to announce, as an extension of our blog, a series of educational webinars to focus on the process of meeting unique device identification requirements and the adoption of GS1 data standards.

Our kick-off session will be held on December 1, 2009 and registration can be found here.

This first session will focus on the business case surrounding data standards and provide a high level overview of proven methodologies to implement these changes in a cGMP environment.

The following webinar sessions will each focus on key,

Barcode Design Creative Options from Japan

Many people think barcodes are pretty homely. Packaging design professionals, in particular, often  

A Short Preview of our December 1 Webinar on UDI and the Healthcare Supply Chain

Did you know that in a recent survey, healthcare supply chain researchers learned that:

• Approximately 70% of Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) are committed to adopting GS1 standards, but…
• Only 50% of medical products and devices manufactures are moving that way!

Doesn’t that suggest a massive, near-term disconnect in the supply chain between manufacturers and GPOs? It does, and it is one of the topics we plan to cover in our upcoming December 1st UDI Webinar. In addition, here are some other data points you may want to know, 

Barcode Being Tested on Esquire Magazine’s Cover to Achieve ‘Augmented Reality’

Esquire magazine has been experimenting to see if it can optimize the old media world of its printed publication with the new media world of the Internet. Here’s a report about the magazine’s latest test, courtesy of Stuff.tv:

New GS1 Healthcare US Success Story: EMD Serono

GS1 Healthcare US has posted a new success story,  

Barcode Scanning Mandate in South Australia is Cutting Dispensing Errors in Half

Starting last July, all pharmacies in South Australia were required to start using barcode scanners. Now, about five months later, the early results show a decrease in errors of 50%, according to this article from Pharmacy News. I’m intrigued, however, by the comments of Peter Halstead,  

GS1 Hong Kong Supply Chain Management Excellence Summit Update

Webnewswire is carrying the text of a speech delivered at the GS1 Hong Kong Supply Chain Management Excellence Summit 2009 by Rita Lau. She is Hong Kong’s Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development.  

GS1 Management Board Acknowledges Emerging Importance of B2C Mobile Commerce

Here’s a headline from late last month on a GS1 press release: GS1 Management Board approves GS1 program to develop global standards for Mobile Commerce. I can’t imagine the board could possibly have come to a different conclusion, but nevertheless they are moving ahead in earnest.  

VHA Asks FDA for Speedy UDI Decision; Inclusion of Only GS1 Standards as Single Mandatory Solution

This news comes from Healthcare Purchasing News:  VHA Inc. and 13 of its largest health system members have sent a letter to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration requesting prompt issuance of Unique Device Identification (UDI) regulations, and that those regulations include  GS1 supply chain standards. At this link, you can see the full release direct from VHA.  

GS1 Canada’s Basic Store Checkout Product Recall Safeguard Featured by the Country’s Largest Daily Newspaper — Will “High-Tech Healthcare” Ever Get This?

Dana Flavelle, writing for the Toronto Star has brought mainstream media attention to GS1 Canada’s roll out of a solution that lets consumers learn of product recalls at the store checkout. The story carries the headline, “Product recalls soon to be listed at checkout.”  

Bedside Barcodes Help, But Nurses Mobilize to End Distractions, Too

According to Joanne Mette, chief nursing officer at Kaiser Permanente in Hayward and Fremont [California] . . . nurses can be interrupted five to 10 times in the course of giving one medication.  Her story, and that of other San Francisco bay area hospitals  attempting to reduce medication errors is featured in this San Francisco Chronicle report entitled, ‘Prescription for success: Don’t bother nurses,’ by Victoria Colliver.  

GS1 Healthcare US Releases Two New Guidelines for Healthcare Providers and Suppliers

The GS1 Healthcare US Product Identification Workgroup has completed, and is releasing, two new guidelines for implementing GS1 standards in the hospital.  

Emerging Markets to Encounter Perfect Storm Driven by Global Pharma Interests?

This morning, The Financial Express is running a front page story entitled ‘Generics Gateway ,’  

GS1 Healthcare’s 16th Global Conference to be in São Paulo, Brazil in March

The 16th Global GS1 Healthcare Conference will be held March 16th to the 18th in São Paulo, Brazil. At this link you can learn much more about the three-day event, including the current list of chief topics to be discussed. These include:  

Emerging Markets to Save Sanofi-Aventis from Urgent Merger Says CEO – Yet More EML Required!

The French newspaper Le Monde conducted an extensive interview with Sanofi-Aventis Chief Executive Chris Viehbacher about the drug company’s economic survival and whether or not a mega-merger is in order to achieve financial stability.  The whole interview isn’t yet available, but in this Dow Jones report about an advance copy, six specific things  are cited by Mr. Viehbacher that he says negate the need for any urgent corporate coupling:

India’s Booming Emerging Medical Device Market and the GS1 Connection: GS1 Compliant EML

Here’s a summary of recent research showing the current and future expected growth of the medical device market in India. It features plenty of stats, all upward trending and at a good velocity, but it was this statement that interested me the most: The medical devices and equipments market is poised for phenomenal growth due to focused investment in healthcare infrastructure and foreign manufacturers of medical devices and equipments eyeing for India for creating global hub for manufacturing medical devices and equipments.  

GS1 Australia Initiative Aims to Unite Consumer Electronics Retailers and Suppliers over eCommence Standard

A newly formed organization called the Consumer Electronics Working Action Group (CEWAG), which is an initiative of GS1 Australia, is intended to help  

GS1 Standards & System Development Newsletter, 1st Edition, Now Available

Here’s another informational resource for you from GS1: the first edition of their Standards & System Development Newsletter.  

FDA Launches New ‘Safe Use Initiative’ to Reduce Medication Errors

I go to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website almost every day to glimpse their recent news releases. That’s because sometimes their announcements don’t seem to get much pick up in the usual places. Yesterday they issued this news release. The headline is: FDA Unveils Safe Use Initiative that Targets Preventable Harm from Medication Use.  

Expansion in Emerging Markets is One of Three Key Abbott Strategies – That Means More Emergent Markets Labeling and GS1 Compliance

In a news release this morning, Abbott announced