Schreiner MediPharm launches RFID labels for healthcare transparency

Schreiner MediPharm and US software company Bluesight have developed RFID labels to optimize digital inventory control in hospital pharmacies. The technology captures the drug and crucial information, such as batch numbers, expiration dates, missing or expired drugs, or indications of previously opened drugs.

The RFID labels are said to enable precise drug tracking, reduce medication errors, and enhance supply efficiency. 

The labels were developed using Schreiner’s RFID technology and Bluesight’s KitCheck systems. Schreiner tailored the labels to this scanning system, allowing for reliable identification of drug containers. 

Schreiner and Bluesight say their labels create the basis for hospital pharmacies to benefit from automated, digital medication management. 

“Due to the utilization of RFID technology, drug inventories can be monitored in real time, which facilitates the work of hospital pharmacies and increases safety along the entire supply chain,” says Nick Petersen, vice president for Corporate Development at Bluesight. 

Sebastian Münscher, senior product manager RFID/NFC Solutions at Schreiner MediPharm, adds: “Standardized and reliable RFID labeling of pharmaceutical products improves workflow, helps reduce medication errors, and enhances patient safety.”

RFID label advantages 

Bluesight’s KitCheck is a system for efficient and digital inventory management. Over 325 million units of injectable emergency and anesthetic drugs have been captured by the system in 900 North American hospitals, according to the company.

The “particularly robust” RFID labels from Schreiner MediPharm can reportedly easily be applied in pharmaceutical production settings and are designed for high-speed labeling systems. 

The label’s structure permanently protects the chip against mechanical stress and functional failures, explain the companies. Due to their optimized design, the RFID labels can be reliably applied even to primary containers with narrow radii, such as vials or syringes. 

Moreover, they offer a variety of additional functions such as integrated hangers, removable documentation labels, or tamper-evident seals.

In the application, Schreiner MediPharm’s RFID labels can automatically be read out in the KitCheck Scanning Stations using Bluesight’s tracking software.