Recommendations for implementation of the GS1 rules and standards in healthcare industry. Step-by-step guide
Before engaging in any implementation of GS1 standards in healthcare, GS1 MOs and healthcare industry stakeholders should consider what opportunities exist for their organisation to better serve existing users or trading partners as well as how to expand the use of GS1 standards in this sector.
Get started by fully understanding your local healthcare market and its stakeholders—healthcare providers, suppliers, distributors, associations and solution providers. Identify their business priorities, the challenges they face, and the problems they wish to solve.
Research your healthcare market to devise strategies about how to best position the value of GS1 EDI standards and the global guideline. Start with the size, players and mix of your local market.
- How many healthcare companies operate in your market?
- How many are:
- Healthcare providers?
- Pharmaceutical and/or medical device manufacturers?
- Hospital & retail pharmacies?
- Wholesalers and/or distributors?
- What leading solution providers exist? Among them, who is implementing GS1 EDI? Understand the overall needs of the market.
- What challenges do they face?
- What are their business priorities, e.g., reduce costs, increase efficiencies, improve patient outcomes?
- How do the needs of each segment differ?
Identify which standards are in use and how they are being used.
- What GS1 standards do they use?
- How many companies use GS1 EDI standards?
- How are these standards used and in which processes?
- What messages/standards are used and by whom?
- What are the most widely implemented messages?
- What versions are used?
- What other systems are used, such as paper, invoicing, proprietary systems or other standards?
- What are the most widely implemented non-GS1 EDI standards? Analyse healthcare associations’ implementation statistics and plans.
- What associations exist in the market? Which ones are most influential?
- What is their knowledge of GS1 standards?
- What is their position regarding implementation of GS1 standards?
Collaborate with solution and service providers to measure EDI traffic or usage.
- Which solution providers operate in the market?
- What is their knowledge of GS1 standards?
- What is their capability regarding GS1 standards?
- Are they able to share information about the general capability of their customers (both suppliers and buyers) with regards to use of GS1 standards?
- What are the implementation barriers they see and advice to overcome them?
To learn more about Healthcare EDI and become a CEDIAP® (Certified EDI Academy Professional), please visit our course schedule page.