Wireless Scanner May Reduce Medication Errors

A new cordless hand-held scanner that can scan all bar codes from a mobile platform is designed to reduce data entry errors and thereby reduce common medical prescription errors in hospitals and other medical centers. The scanner was recently on display at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Symposium in Los Angeles.

Among the first to implement the system, called the Mobile Wireless Scanner (MWS), are nine U.S. hospitals. The scanner, developed by Symbol Technologies, is the product of EMS Wireless, a division of EMS Technologies (Atlanta, GA, USA). EMS notes that Montefiore Medical Center in New York (NY, USA) has begun widespread use of mobile computers for patient data entry and has reduced medication errors by 50%. The MWS features a base station and bar code scanner that can be mounted to any mobile platform. A rechargeable battery offers up to 48 hours of continuous use, while the system's range extends to more than 10 feet from the scanner.

"Bar-code scanning is the ideal format for data entry; it's 100% accurate and there's no human error,” said Jeff Schou, director, Symbol Technologies. "Our technology, combined with the MWS platform, provides an ideal mobile solution that reduces medication errors right at the point of activity.”




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