New label and wristband printers help reduce medical errors and improve patient safety

Zebra Technologies Corporation has announced two new healthcare barcode printing solutions that can identify patients and specimens at the point of care. Zebra’s ZQ600-Healthcare series label printers and ZD510-HC direct thermal wristband printer enable the production of highly durable labels and patient identification wristbands used to accurately and efficiently pair patients to the correct medical records, care staff, medication and specimens.

Both printers include Zebra’s Print DNA suite of applications, utilities and developer tools – powered by the Link-OS® operating system – which provides healthcare IT departments with a better printing experience through stronger security, easier integration and simplified remote management.

Both the ZQ600-Healthcare label printer and the ZD510-HC wristband printer are purpose-built for healthcare using specially engineered plastics designed to withstand an array of disinfectant solutions often used during device wipe-downs.

The ZQ600-Healthcare and ZD510-HC printers include the latest Wi-Fi and security capabilities to enable stable and safeguarded connections. Print Touch is a tag feature using Near Field Communication (NFC) that enables instant pairing with Android-based mobile devices, as well as a webpage and app launching feature that facilitates access to troubleshooting and product support. With the PrintSecure feature, hospitals can increase security by simplifying printer configuration to block unwanted access.

ZQ600-Healthcare
The ZQ600-Healthcare mobile printer is designed for high-volume specimen labeling at the point-of-care and helps reduce patient lab diagnostic errors while also allowing nurses to spend more time at the bedside.

The small, lightweight format allows it to be easily carried on a clinician’s belt clip or placed on a cart. It also features an easy-to-read color display that can clearly identify signal alerts, printer status and errors to quickly resolve issues.

Its high-capacity battery works with Zebra’s patented Power Smart Print technology (PSPT), which maximizes battery efficiency by calculating and delivering the exact amount of power required for hospital staff to print during their entire shift. It also includes the industry’s only instant wake over Wi-Fi feature, which automatically wakes up the printer if it goes into sleep mode when idle and enables clinicians to instantly print labels.

Zebra’s IQ Color Specimen Collection Labels automate the identification of STAT specimens, eliminating the manual process of marking the label with a marker which reduces errors and speeds up operations. The labels meet the Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute’s (CLSI) specimen collection label format standard.

ZD510-HC
The new ZD510-HC direct thermal wristband printer is ideal for producing high-grade wristbands used for positive patient identification and works with leading admission, discharge and transfer systems.

Its innovative cartridge technology enables fast-loading of wristband cartridges and includes a smart chip that automatically configures printer settings and identifies adult and pediatric-sized wristbands. This virtually eliminates training and significantly increases staff efficiency. The printer is also backwards-compatible with existing Zebra wristband cartridges.

Zebra’s Z-Band® Wristbands contain an antimicrobial coating and are up to six times more durable than leading thermal healthcare wristbands when exposed to common solvents used in hospitals. Z-Band wristbands are available in a variety of colors and sizes to meet different patient identification needs.

Keith LeFebvre, Vice President, Specialty Printing Group, Zebra Technologies said “Built specifically to meet the needs of the healthcare industry, the ZQ600-Healthcare mobile printer and ZD510-HC wristband printing solution enable clinical staff to accurately record critical data in patient and hospital records, helping minimize serious errors and raising the standard for patient care and safety across the globe.”