Spec Systems has expanded its range of products aimed at the healthcare industry with the introduction of the market's first dedicated wristband bar code printer that meets the most stringent healthcare standards.
“Patient identification and management are critical issues for healthcare practitioners of all descriptions, and the Zebra Printers' Patient Identification Solution addresses this need directly,” says Spec Systems' technical director Nicolas Korff.
Spec Systems is a specialist bar code printing solutions provider and is the sole authorised distributor of Zebra Printers in South Africa.
The solution consists of a dedicated wristband bar code printer that provides accuracy, durability and ease of use in a portable unit that supports a host of connectivity options.
“The HC100 printer answers a crucial need in the hospital environment where staff are under pressure and they need tools they can rely on and that are easy to use,” explains Korff. “The printer is portable and connects via most popular protocols, so admission staff, for example, can quickly and easily handle a large volume of patients by being mobile.”
The HC100 has been designed for one-handed operation, with a simple interface via a single button and an integrated cartridge system, which Korff says is central to the ease of use, durability and accuracy of the solution.
“We supply cartridges for different size wristbands, from infants to adults, and in various colours, but the key to the system is the embedded smartcard that reads the media type, tape length and determines the optimum print size.
“These labels are printed on next-generation wristbands using direct thermal-only printing to the highest quality at 300dpi, providing image durability of up to 14 days, which is the average length of a patient's stay in hospital,” he says.
Korff is most excited about the patent pending on Zebra's unique silver anti-microbial coating that protects the wristband from cultivating a range of bacteria such as S.aureus, P. aeruginosa, E.coli, and MRSA Types II, III, IV.
“This is a very exciting development because it gives us a very clear differentiator, while of course, giving our customers peace of mind that they can use our system without giving it a second thought,” he says.
Durability is another key concern in this environment, which Zebra has addressed by producing an impact resistant, dual-walled, but ergonomically pleasing printer. The cartridges are also produced to the highest standard and have been designed to not break or crack from a one-metre fall.
These outer attributes are well supported by the HC100's internal technology that includes standard 8MB Flash RAM and 16MB SDRAM, which can be upgraded to 64MB Flash. Connectivity is via standard serial and USB interfaces, as well as 10/100 Ethernet or 802.11g WLAN for wireless networks.
In addition to supporting ZPL applications, the HC100 is compatible with XML, ZBI and Unicode programmes, ensuring easy integration across a wide range of platforms.
The printer is further geared to its intended environment by conforming to the IEC 60601 standard that ensures the safety of electrical equipment in the medical space.
Korff is quick to point, though, that the wristband bar code printer is equally well suited to other environments and applications such as the leisure and hospitality industry, as visitor and guest tracking, and entrance and access control.
“We see tremendous potential for the system and have already received strong market demand. It's all about bringing the right products to market that address a specific need - which in most cases is to improve efficiencies. We can now do that.”
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