Safer services for patients: Traceability of infant feeds
Best practice patient safety and traceability of infant feeds at the Special Feeds Unit at CHI (Children’s Health Ireland) at Temple Street. A GS1 Ireland Healthcare Case Study.
The hospital implemented a standards-based electronic traceability database, barcode labelling and a scanning system that could capture the critical data about each product (expiry date or best before date, batch number, location within the hospital e.g. store or ward, the staff member that delivered or prepared the feed and ultimately the patient that received it).
The purpose of the new electronic traceability system was to ensure 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 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. To be effective the new system needed to be quick, efficient and accurate and not hinder the day-today work of healthcare staff in any way.
