A Medical Device Daily

GS1 US (Lawrenceville, New Jersey) said it has formed GS1 Healthcare US, a new industry-led group designed to help the U.S. healthcare industry improve patient safety and increase supply chain efficiency through the adoption and broad implementation of GS1 global standards.

Charles Lloyd, COO of GS1 US, said the new group has two primary goals: to help improve patient safety through the use of GS1 standards, and to provide standards-based solutions intended to allow the healthcare industry meet their need for accurate data and the ability to efficiently share that data internally and externally.

“We believe that standards are critical in helping the healthcare industry achieve these goals,” Lloyd said. “GS1 is one of the most globally recognized standards organizations by the healthcare industry and GS1 Healthcare US will play a key and vital role in leading this effort.”

According to GS1 US, the new group will bring together a range of healthcare stakeholders – providers, pharmacies, industry associations, group purchasing organizations, manufacturers, distributors and technology solution providers. The group will develop a variety of tools and resources for the industry including standards implementation guidelines, standards-based solutions, case studies of applications, as well as training and education, according to GS1.

GS1 US, a member organization of GS1, describes itself as “a neutral, non-profit organization dedicated to the use of open, global standards and the implementation of standards-based solutions to help companies improve the accuracy, speed and efficiency of business processes in supply and demand chains.”