GS1 US published a new guideline titled “Guide to Managing and Measuring Data Quality in Healthcare,” created to aid the healthcare industry in using complete and accurate product data for internal processes as well as for sharing data with trading partners.

The new guideline supports collaborative data management among global pharmaceutical and medical device stakeholders across the healthcare supply chain, including manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, and providers.

“Within a highly complex and global supply chain, healthcare products are handled by various trading partners – each with its own systems that rely on product information to support supply chain functions such as procurement, inventory, distribution and more,” says Angela Fernandez, vice president community engagement, GS1 US. “Data housed in such a variety of source points must be consistent and accurate to be useful and provide safe and efficient patient care.”

The “Guide to Managing and Measuring Data Quality in Healthcare” completes a suite of five resources created to help healthcare trading partners share quality data utilizing tools such as the GS1 Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN), a repository of product data that can be automatically exchanged with trading partners. The four preceding documents in the collection include:

  • Best Practice Guide for Sharing Vital Attributes in Healthcare: Created to increase accuracy, completeness and consistency of vital product information needed to support basic healthcare processes, this guidance helps stakeholders to seamlessly share data with trading partners.
  • Creating the Case for Trusted Data: Attribute Lists and Implementation Insights From Three Healthcare Business Process Cases Using GDSN: This resource provides guidance for aligning industry on product attributes to support three key healthcare use cases: order-to-cash for medical devices, pharmaceutical tracking events and point-of-care scanning.
  • GS1 Healthcare US: Quick Start Guide for Implementing GDSN in Healthcare: This guide provides an overview of GDSN and tips for implementation to share medical device and/or pharmaceutical products data.
  • GS1 Healthcare US: Getting Started with GDSN: This resource aids healthcare organizations in jump-starting their GDSN implementation efforts, including recommended processes established by other companies in their deployment of the GDSN.