How could a barcode potentially save your life?

In our article How UPC Bar Codes Work, we explain that a barcode is a graphical representation read by a computer via a scanner, which decodes the bars into numbers. The Universal Product Code (UPC) is one of the most common and long-established types of barcodes. You’ll find UPC symbols on products in retail stores worldwide.

Barcodes are now used far beyond just retail. Various industries have realized that scanning a barcode is not only quicker than manually inputting data, but it also minimizes human errors. To implement barcode technology, businesses configure their computer systems to link specific barcodes with relevant data, like product prices or employee information. They then print the barcodes and use scanners, along with decoding software, to retrieve the associated data. For instance, in the shipping sector, a barcode on a package’s shipping label enables fast tracking. Every time it’s scanned, new data about the package's location and status is logged, ensuring it arrives as scheduled.

While bar codes might seem more like a luxury than an essential tool, certain uses of bar codes could quite literally save your life. These codes are typically used to retrieve information quickly and accurately. Let’s explore some of the potentially life-saving ways they are used.

A prominent example of bar code use is in medical ID wristbands that patients wear when admitted to a hospital. These wristbands feature a bar code alongside other key patient details. Doctors and nurses use handheld scanners to read the bar code, which is connected to a computer that pulls up the patient's digital chart. This system helps prevent the risk of administering incorrect or even life-threatening medications or procedures [source: General Data Company].

The bar codes used in hospitals are just one example of how they mitigate significant health and safety risks. Let’s now look at other crucial applications of bar codes, such as in the tracking of medicines and consumer products.

Bar codes to the Rescue

The pharmaceutical sector is beginning to implement barcodes to verify the authenticity of its products. The World Health Organization estimates that counterfeit drugs make up 10 percent of global market sales [source: Kremen]. The Health Authority-Abu Dhabi (HAAD) in the UAE is planning to introduce a barcode system in 2011 to track legitimate medications and prevent counterfeit drugs from entering the market. Patients taking a medication can verify its authenticity by calling a hotline and entering the barcode from the package (source: Underwood). Pharmaceutical distributors across the globe are adopting similar security measures with 2-D barcode technology [source: Kremen].

Within hospitals, barcodes are used on medications, including pill bottles and intravenous (IV) fluid bags. The primary aim of these barcodes is to ensure that hospital personnel match the right medication with the appropriate patient [source: Reinberg].

However, if the barcode system is not properly used, it can fail to prevent patients from receiving the wrong medication. A study conducted across five hospitals revealed that nurses still ordered incorrect medications despite receiving system alerts from barcode scans for more than 4 percent of patients, accounting for over 10 percent of all medications ordered. Researchers noted that nurses who misused the system and ignored the alerts could have potentially administered incorrect doses and formulas to patients [source: Neale].

Barcodes may also contribute to safety beyond healthcare settings. For example, ID cards with barcodes are used for secure access to buildings. These cards are scanned at each secure entry point to release the door locks. This technology helps prevent unauthorized individuals from entering the building, ensuring the safety of people inside and protecting sensitive materials from falling into the wrong hands, which could pose a threat to public safety.

Barcodes also play a crucial role in preventing life-threatening situations by accelerating the product recall process. A part of a UPC barcode is the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), which helps identify a specific product or a batch of products as they are distributed to retailers and other businesses [source: GS1 US]. With the GTIN, warehouse and retail stockers can quickly check whether they have any recalled products in stock before they ever hit store shelves.

A quick search for product recalls online reveals numerous instances where a food, toy, or baby product posed a potential hazard to consumers. Take, for example, the case in December 2010 when Whole Foods Market recalled a milk-free frozen dessert due to the potential presence of milk. This posed a serious risk to individuals with severe milk allergies who purchased the product specifically because it was advertised as milk-free. Whole Foods responded promptly by identifying 25 suspect pallets, determining their distribution routes, and informing their stores and customers on how to recognize the recalled product. [source: Whole Foods]

As we've just highlighted, barcodes have the potential to save lives by providing crucial information for ensuring safety and reducing the time needed to respond to emergencies. Keep reading to learn more about the role of barcodes in various scenarios.