Editor's Notes
New Year's Eve is long past now, so some might find the late-April timing a bit unusual for GS1 Healthcare US leaders to be urging hospital supply chain managers and their trading partners to keep four important resolutions regarding data standards implementation before 2010 closes. Not me. No need for half-hearted holiday resolutions when it comes to sobering requests for those who manage supply chain systems to eliminate some of the glaring cost and logistical inefficiencies that have long plagued the industry.
All four of the resolutions revolve around the industrywide implementation of the GS1 Global Location Number (GLN). The GLN standard is a 13-digit, globally recognized number used in place of custom account/location numbers to identify legal entities and locations in electronic commerce activities. GS1 Healthcare US officials rightfully argue the GLN will provide reliable and consistent location information. Basically, this will make it easier to get the right products to the right locations at the right time while also greatly improving supply chain efficiencies. In turn, this should also enhance patient safety by ensuring that surgeons, nurses and other front-line caregivers have the right products and medical devices in the right place at the right time.So what exactly is GS1 Healthcare US asking of you? Here are the four major 2010 GLN Sunrise Goals:
• GLNs should be assigned by location owners.
• GLN hierarchy is defined and maintained by location owners.
• The GLN Registry for Healthcare is used to facilitate correct location identification.
• GLNs are used in appropriate business transactions and processes between trading partners.
If you're not up to speed on this issue or are looking for tools to assist you in doing your part to help transform the health care supply chain, visit www.GS1US.org/hcsunrise. There you'll find tool kits, implementation guides, case studies and other educational material to assist you.
"With eight months left to reach the GLN Sunrise, the industry has the tools needed to successfully take the steps to implement the GLN," said John Terwilliger, co-chair of the GS1 Healthcare US Location ID Workgroup, in a news release aimed at supply chain leaders.
Momentum has been building on this issue for some time now, but in the end the success or failure of this effort will largely depend on individual hospitals and health systems and how effectively they work with their trading partners.
This article first appeared in the May 2010 issue of Materials Management in Health Care.
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