Patient Allies: How Barcodes Revolutionized the Healthcare Sector

Two decades ago, the healthcare sector experienced a turning point when barcodes were introduced, changing the way everything from medicines to medical devices is tracked, identified, and distributed.

In the pursuit of a reliable and intelligent way to identify and trace healthcare products, barcoding transformed healthcare systems with a ripple effect that has ultimately benefited patients worldwide.

Originally developed for retail, barcoding has since become a quiet but vital force in modern healthcare, improving security, transparency, and efficiency in healthcare systems around the world.

From hospitals and pharmacies to local regulatory frameworks, GS1 barcodes support healthcare supply chains in more than 70 countries. Their adoption has helped ensure that the right medicine reaches the patient at the right time and in the right dose, an achievement driven by decades of collaboration between manufacturers, regulators, suppliers, and technology partners.

In Mexico, the impact of this technology has been evident, laying the foundation for a more agile, secure, and accessible digital health ecosystem for all. In Mexico, three key pillars achieved through the implementation of barcodes in the healthcare sector stand out: the Electronic Medical Prescription, the Electronic Medical Record, and teleconsultation. Each of these has the power to radically change the way we understand and manage healthcare in Mexico. This is not just about digitizing processes, but also about redesigning the care model.

The benefits are clear. A report by the Scan4Safety initiative found that the use of GS1 barcodes led to a 76% reduction in medication errors. In hospitals, barcode scanning enables real-time verification of medications and surgical instruments, improving accuracy and reducing risks. Worldwide, the two-dimensional GS1 DataMatrix barcode is printed on more than 16.5 billion medicine packages annually in the European Union and the United States alone.

For two decades, GS1 barcodes in healthcare have been an indispensable guardian of patient safety. By driving efficient data exchange, they help healthcare providers make informed decisions and prevent errors.

GS1 standards also contribute to the fight against counterfeit medicines, a growing global concern.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 in 10 medicines worldwide is substandard or counterfeit. With GS1 barcodes, products can be traced from manufacturer to patient, helping to detect counterfeit items and enabling rapid recall responses.

Looking to the future, GS1 is working with global technology partners to bring barcode-based information directly to patients. The goal is to enable anyone, anywhere, to scan a medical device with a smartphone and instantly access essential and comprehensive data, from dosing instructions to origin information.

As GS1 Healthcare celebrates this 20-year milestone, the message is clear: safer, smarter care starts with a simple barcode scan.