Vaccine Barcoding Setup

Version 20.6

Office Practicum supports barcode scanners as an input mechanism for vaccine inventory and administration. This article explains the general process, which scanners are supported and how to program them. Follow the links at the bottom to learn how to use the scanner for inventory and administration tasks.

Note: The barcode scanner is only functional for the entry of vaccine inventory and administration of vaccines. You may not use the barcode scanner in the OP software with any other inventory entry such as lab supplies.

Supported Barcode Scanners

If you have ever purchased anything in a store, you should be familiar with barcode scanners. But, not all scanners are appropriate for medical applications. After evaluating numerous models and manufacturers, Office Practicum has decided to support the DataLogic Gryphon GD4400 HC series. This handheld scanner is designed for medical use. The housing is constructed of antimicrobial plastic, and it is sealed for regular disinfection. Depending on the physical configuration of your nursing station, it can be used in either hand-held or stand mode, and you can choose between a corded or wireless Bluetooth model. 

Supported scanners include:

  • DataLogic Gryphon GD4500-HC 2D Series:

    • DataLogic Gryphon GM4520-HC 2D

    • DataLogic Gryphon GBT4590-HC 2D

Learn more at the DataLogic website.

Programming The Barcode Scanner

Before you can use your barcode scanner with Office Practicum, you must assemble and program it. Unbox the scanner and USB cable. Slide the larger end of the USB cable into the bottom of the scanner until it clicks and stays attached. Plug the other end of the cable into any open USB port on your computer. The lights in the head of the scanner will flash momentarily, and you should see messages on the screen that a new device has been detected and is being installed. When you see a message that the new hardware is ready to use, proceed to the next step.

Programming the scanner is a simple matter of scanning a sequence of barcodes. Instructions are provided on Office Practicum Barcode Scanner Programming.  It may be tempting to try to read them off the screen, but many screens throw too much glare for the scanner to pick up reliably. Follow the instructions on the sheet. At a minimum, you need to program the section related to guard characters; otherwise Office Practicum will not be able to distinguish between keyboard and scanner input (you would still see numbers on the screen, but the program would not be able to do anything interesting with them). If you are planning to use a stand and want to use the scanner in hands-free mode while it is resting in the stand, you should also program that section.

Notice that the scanner gives positive feedback for each successful swipe. If you accidentally skip a step or scan two codes out of sequence you can reset to factory defaults, then start over.

Next Steps

Now that you have successfully attached and programmed your scanner, you can proceed to managing vaccine inventory and performing vaccine administration.

Click here to watch a video on Vaccine Barcoding Strategies and Training.