A prominent medical center in New York's Hudson Valley announced it will adopt GS1 standards in its supply chain process through a data synchronization effort that will make use of the Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN).
In a press release, Westchester Medical Center said it would improve its supply chain efficiency with help from DataPros for Healthcare – a data cleansing company for the healthcare sector – and 1SYNC, the GS1-certified, GDSN-member data pool.
The medical center is part of a larger medical group that is a member of the GS1 Healthcare U.S. Initiative. That initiative includes more than 130 healthcare organizations that strive to improve standardization across the industry.
"We always challenge ourselves to have the best supply-chain processes, with a sharp focus on driving waste out of the system," Roger Weems, an executive at the Westchester Medical Center, said in a press release. "One key strategy has been ensuring completeness and accuracy of our data."
More than 19,000 companies nationwide participate in the GDSN, and healthcare providers are joining at an increasing rate. 1SYNC has been a leader in that regard, connecting more medical centers, like Westchester, with the supply chain data they need to improve productivity and workflow.
Ideally, such standardization would have a beneficial impact on healthcare as a whole. Improved label tracking and traceability through the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), for instance, allows providers to identify potentially defective or troublesome medical equipment. Similarly, the Global Location Number (GLN) makes it quick and easy to locate healthcare providers and suppliers anywhere in the world.
The GDSN uses both of those identifiers to offer users vital updates on product changes, system upgrades and other important information.
At Westchester, administrators hope adopting GS1 standards will help the center improve the quality of care it provides to its 3.5 million potential patients.
GHS and Regulatory Labeling Challenges in the New Era 
