Unique Device Identifiers Could Lead to Quicker Recalls

摘要

When a hospital receives a device recall notice, it wants to get the device out of action as quickly as possible. That can be difficult when manufacturers use a different barcode than the distributor or hospital, making the device harder to identify and find. "We need to be able to identify devices the same way," said Jay Crowley, senior adviser for patient safety at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Centers for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH). That's the rationale behind the development and implementation of unique device identifiers (UDI)-to have a universal barcode for each medical device throughout the healthcare system.