Case Study: Healthcare - University Community Hospital

By OKI Printing

INSTITUTION BACKGROUND
University Community Hospital (UCH), based in Tampa, FL, is a 431-bed facility that is home to five Centers of Excellence. The Centers of Excellence focus resources on cancer treatment, women's health, pediatrics, diabetes management, and orthopedics and offer patients access to the most advanced technology and treatment options.

THE CHALLENGE
UCH had been using an embosser solution to produce chart labels and thermal barcode printers to create wristbands for patient-admitting processes throughout its many healthcare facilities. UCH was considering moving to laser printing for all its barcoding needs in admissions, but was concerned that once the toner ran low and barcodes were not scannable, the staff would have to manually integrate the data into the new document imaging system, where information that is not electronically included is scanned into patient records. Further, laser printers could only produce entire sheets of labels, which would prove wasteful when only a few labels needed to be printed.

UCH needed one- and two-dimensional barcoded wristbands and labels for improved patient identification processes, including bedside point-of-care. This would enable UCH to increase productivity and efficiency; guarantee patient safety by barcoding all patient identification paperwork, including patient wristbands and medical charts; and reduce cost and waste.

The UCH project manager also needed the printing solution to be easily functional to ensure clinicians would not be distracted from their foremost responsibility of delivering quality patient care.