CHI at Temple Street wins GS1 Healthcare Award

Safer services for patients: traceability of infant feeds. 

The Special Feeds Unit at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Temple Street, Dublin received the GS1 Provider Best Case Study Award 2020, for the implementation of GS1 standards for the electronic traceability of ‘special feeds’ in the hospital. 

This award, presented by GS1 Healthcare and selected by the GS1 Healthcare Leadership Team, recognises a healthcare provider who has completed a successful implementation of GS1 standards in a business or clinical process within their organisation. 

Award Presentation Photo: Front L- R: Denis O’Brien (Director of Standards and Solutions, GS1 Ireland), Sinead Moran (Special Feeds Unit Manager, CHI at Temple Street) and Mona Baker (CEO, CHI at Temple Street) Back L-R: Amanda Creane (Healthcare Project Management Executive, GS1 Ireland), Siobhain Duggan (Director of Innovation & Healthcare, GS1 Ireland) 

Championing electronic traceability processes

The CHI Special Feeds Unit treats vulnerable infants, such as those with metabolic disorders, for whom these special feeds are life-saving. The award was accepted by Sinead Moran, Special Feeds Unit Manager in CHI at Temple Street. Prior to working in the Special Feeds Unit, Sinead worked in several hospitals in the area of Central Sterile Services. Sinead was aware of the immense patient safety benefits and time savings that could be achieved by implementing electronic traceability in place of the paper-based process which was previously used to track the feeds. 

The electronic traceability system ensures complete, real-time visibility of each special feed across the hospital; in stores; in the feed preparation area; on the ward, right to the patient. The critical information for traceability and product recall purposes includes product name, product barcode/GTIN, best before or expiry date, batch number and patient ID. Instant access to this information provides full visibility of stock at all times for patient safety, inventory and financial purposes, and fully complies with the legal requirements for food traceability and recall.  

Sinead and the team are excellent ambassadors of the benefits of using GS1 Standards and achieving safer, more efficient care for patients, through the traceability of infant feeds. 

Click here to read the case study or watch the video below.