Barcode technology is undergoing a transformation as the speed of innovation increases and the world evolves toward a more global future.

While barcode labels used to hold a limited amount of information, RFID tags today are smarter. They feature improved data storage and collection, processing and transmission with read/write technology and radio frequency functionality.

Experts agree that the healthcare industry will continue to grow, and the usage of barcodes and automatic identification technology is likely to keep pace.

Tomorrow’s means of identifying and tracking may look different as technology adapts. Learn about six ways barcode technology will evolve.

1.Traditional Barcode Labels Will Work With RFID

While RFID technology is gaining prevalence, traditional barcodes aren’t going away. In the near future, traditional barcodes and RFID will continue to work together.

In terms of tracking reagents in the diagnostics world, this trend is already in place. RFID tags help track the quality and quantity of reagents associated with diagnostic equipment.

2. Patient Care Will Become More Personalised

Patients will feel the impact of barcode technology’s progression. Automation in diagnostics could move from a large, single lab directly to the patient’s bedside.

Plus, personalised medicine will help doctors diagnose and treat each patient as an individual. Point-of-care diagnostics, made possible by lab data stored on chips, will improve personalisation while also speeding up the diagnostic process.

3. Compound Management Identification Will Speed Up

Organisations that manage chemical libraries may also use RFID technology increasingly going forward.

In compound management, RFID will help libraries recognise which samples are available and identify their location faster.

4. Researchers Will Be Able to Locate Samples in Real Time

RFID will provide real-time location information as samples are being evaluated, reducing the risk of sample loss.

5. Sample Sizes Will Become Smaller

Researchers will need much smaller sample sizes as automation becomes more condensed and accurate. This trend translates to the nature and sizes of barcodes needed to accommodate smaller containers. 

6. Researchers Will Accelerate Their Impact

Overall, the sharing of technology will have a major impact on patients, researchers and the healthcare industry. RFID tags working together with traditional barcodes will help researchers develop critical drugs faster and improve diagnostic test accuracy.

How Will Barcode Technology Change Overall?

RFID technology will affect everyone, inside and outside of the healthcare industry, in a more global future.

Everyday objects will be able to hold a certain amount of intelligence, reveal their history and status, and communicate with each other and different systems.

The Internet of Things is a network embedded with RFID technology that will enable trucks to “talk” with traffic lights, your refrigerator to “talk” to the supermarket, and other objects and systems to interact.

For example, emergency crews at the scene of an accident will be able to receive alerts on special medical needs and establish real-time availability of hospital beds and equipment through the Internet of Things.

With the growing versatility barcode technology offers, it’s important to make sure you implement solutions that match your strategic goals. The right label solutions provider works in partnership with your team to add value both at the foundation of your organisation and up through your specific processes.