BAR CODE READER

Description of Event or Problem

IN (B)(6) 2015, THE BLOOD BANK ENCOUNTERED AN UNANTICIPATED PROBLEM WITH SCANNING EXPIRATION DATES AND UNIT NUMBERS AFTER IMPLEMENTATION OF A CERNER UPGRADE RESULTING IN TRUNCATED OR SCRAMBLED NUMBERS. WHILE SOME OF THESE ISSUES WERE RESOLVED, THE PROBLEM REMAINS FOR (B)(6) NUMBERS AND THE UNIT NUMBERS. THIS OCCURS RANDOMLY AND ACROSS ALL PC'S AND BAR-CODE READERS. THIS CAN UNNECESSARILY DISRUPT THE PROVISION OF CARE TO PATIENTS AND RESULT IN THE WASTING OF BLOOD PRODUCT. WE DO NOT KNOW IF THIS PROBLEM CAN OR WILL EXTEND TO BLOOD TYPE BAR CODING, WHICH MAY HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT FOR THE PATIENT. WE HAVE NOTIFIED CERNER OF THE ISSUES, BUT HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO REPRODUCE THE ERRORS. A SOFTWARE UPDATE BY CERNER IS AVAILABLE THAT SHOULD ADDRESS THE UNIT NUMBERS, BUT NOT THE (B)(4) NUMBER PROBLEM. ON 3/9/2016 THE SOFTWARE VERSION WAS UPDATED TO THE (B)(6) PROGRAM ON THE BLOOD BANK COMPUTERS ((B)(6).) ON 3/12/2016 THE BAR-CODE SCANNERS WERE RECALIBRATED TO READ SLOWER. ERRORS STILL OCCURRED.