COMMENT: How mobile scanning could prevent thousands of medication errors annually

The cost of medication errors

Beyond the staggering financial burden lies an even more concerning human toll.

Research shows that one in five Americans has experienced a medication error, with 7,000 to 9,000 fatal outcomes annually.

Breaking down these statistics reveals that dosage errors account for 20 per cent of reported incidents, incorrect drug administration for 15 per cent, and treating the wrong patient for 2 per cent.

Meanwhile, healthcare organisations struggle to combat these issues, dedicating an average of 109 hours weekly on patient identity resolution—time that could otherwise be spent on direct patient care.

Ensuring patient safety through technology

Positive Patient Identification (PPID) prevents medical errors.

At its core, PPID is about enabling healthcare providers to accurately match patients to their medical records.

This ensures the healthcare industry’s “five rights”: right patient, right medication, right dose, right route, and right time.

Traditional identification methods have relied on manual checks and cumbersome equipment.

These approaches not only disrupt clinical workflows but remain vulnerable to human error, especially in high-stress environments where healthcare workers are increasingly stretched thin.

Mobile scanning: the future of patient identification

Modern scanning technology has redefined patient identification in healthcare settings. Now, caregivers can instantly verify patient information using the same mobile devices they already carry.

A modern, secure medication administration workflow consists of these essential steps:

1. Upon admission, patients receive a wristband with a unique barcode that connects directly to their Electronic Health Record (EHR). The barcode is often added to associated medical documents.
2. By scanning this wristband barcode with a mobile device, healthcare workers instantly access the patient’s complete medication plan, including information about medication types, dosages, and administration routes.
3. The worker then scans the medication’s barcode. The system automatically verifies that the right medication is being administered to the right patient and updates the dosage information in real-time.

The impact of barcode scanning extends well beyond medication safety – it’s instrumental for laboratory sample integrity, confirming patient identity before surgical procedures, and streamlining insurance and billing processes.

The mobile approach offers several advantages over traditional methods.

Healthcare providers gain mobility, performing identity checks anywhere without depending on fixed or wheeled scanning stations.

This mobility translates to greater efficiency and safety, as staff spend less time on administrative tasks and more on direct patient care.

From an implementation perspective, healthcare facilities can often leverage existing mobile devices, making this solution accessible regardless of budget constraints.

The technology typically integrates seamlessly with electronic health records, creating a more connected healthcare environment.

Moreover, with intuitive interfaces, mobile scanning requires minimal training while ensuring consistently accurate patient identification across all departments.

By reducing the administrative burden and enhancing accuracy, mobile scanning helps healthcare providers focus on what matters most: patient care.

Addressing privacy concerns

When implementing any healthcare technology, patient confidentiality must remain a top priority.

For mobile scanning solutions to be viable in clinical settings, they must meet strict privacy standards and regulatory requirements such as HIPAA.

Effective mobile scanning technologies address these concerns by employing on-device processing, where patient data is analysed locally on the mobile device rather than being transmitted to external servers.

This approach ensures that sensitive information remains within the confines of the secure healthcare network.

Additional safeguards typically include end-to-end encryption, strong authentication protocols and automatic session timeouts.

Looking ahead 

Mobile scanning technology represents a crucial opportunity to address medication errors and their devastating impact.

With healthcare workers already stretched thin—with staffing shortages and burnout rampant—the need for efficient, reliable solutions is acute.

By transforming a smartphone into a powerful patient identification tool, healthcare providers can enhance patient safety, save money and save lives.