It takes a variety of supplies to run your practice. And although drugs, medical supplies and animal food top the list of expenditures, they aren’t the only essential items. In fact, it’s impossible to execute vital tasks like medication dispensing and hazardous material identification without veterinary labels. They may not get the same scrutiny as the higher expenditure categories but when managed effectively there are steps you can take to impact costs and ensure effective patient care. Here are 10 facts about veterinary labels that may change your opinion about their importance.[...]

Compliance departments work to ensure their facility continuously meets state, federal and independent accreditation standards. And with complex clinical processes and changing standards, that is no easy task. But, maintaining compliance isn’t always about implementing complex routines. In fact, it is most successful when the right thing to do is the easiest thing to do. And for many standards, the easiest thing to do is to incorporate a label as a communications device. Healthcare labels serve as an information dashboard and help organizations meet compliance objectives.[...]

It’s estimated that half of all dogs and cats that are patients of a veterinary practice today need some level of dental care. In fact, Banfield Pet Hospital’s “2016 State of Pet Health Report” estimated that periodontal disease could be found in 76 percent of dogs and 68 percent of cats. Further, fractured teeth in dogs and tooth resorption in cats are extremely common dental issues. With these canine and feline issues, it’s no wonder that veterinarians are choosing to add dental services to their practice portfolio.[...]

As recently reported by the CDC, “Seasonal flu activity in the United States has been elevated for eight weeks and continues to increase.” With nearly 4,000,000 cases already reported, the 2019-2020 flu season is on pace to exceed outbreaks reported over the last few years. In fact, 37 states report high virus activity forcing numerous hospitals to enact visitor restrictions in an attempt to prevent additional infections. [...]

Moving patients safely through a healthcare facility requires the effective orchestration of medical care, physical resources, and internal systems. And as crucial as electronic health records, medical devices and medications are to the process there is another item that healthcare providers rely on to get patients from the point of admission to the point of discharge while maintaining quality patient care. Labels. In fact, they help guide dozens of diverse clinical care steps throughout the patient journey. From medication dispensing, IV tubing and communicating critical patient information, to disinfection, sterilization and infection prevention, labels are an essential part of the workflow. But, only if the label works properly. And if it doesn’t, a displaced label can disrupt patient care and potentially impact patient safety. Here’s how to make the right label adhesive selection.[...]

With more than 4,000 labels that serve the needs of healthcare organizations, veterinary practices, manufacturers, distributors, professional services, and more, the United Ad Label catalog is more than just a listing of products. It’s a resource that you can use as a reference tool, to compare product options, answer common questions and save money.[...]

It’s a common occurrence in health systems every day. Workers handle hazardous drugs (HD). In fact, more than 12 million doses of an HD are administered each year by nearly 8 million healthcare workers. What’s more, if the drugs are handled improperly, the workers put themselves and others at risk. That’s why it’s vital to design a process to avoid these dangers which is the purpose behind USP <800>. The United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) developed requirements for hazardous drugs with intent to limit exposure to healthcare workers, patients, staff, family or visitors. And it goes into effect December 1, 2019.[...]

Are extreme weather events occurring more frequently? Stories about floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, fires and other weather related events appear with increasing frequency in our news feeds. And, it’s not just hyperbole. The U.S. government’s national climate assessment found weather extremes are on the upswing. For example, very heavy precipitation events that cause flooding have increased significantly since 1991. Plus, Atlantic hurricane activity is escalating. In addition, these threats don’t just impact coastal regions, instead they affect most areas of the country. So as extreme conditions become the norm, the importance of hospital emergency management planning increases along with it. [...]

In many ways, for the millions of people who take a prescription drug, the directions on a medication label can feel like a foreign language. Take medication names; many are difficult to read and pronounce. Further, understanding the complexities of dosage, drug interactions and contraindications, even when medication instructions are well documented, is difficult. And, that problem worsens when they appear in small print on the prescription label. The fact is, an adverse drug effect is an all too common outcome for people who take prescription drugs. That’s why a medication instruction label is so valuable. It is the flashlight in a dark room that allows a patient to illuminate essential information reducing the potential for adverse drug effects. [...]

Can you measure the cost impact of vaccines? Their value on our health and well-being is enormous. Vaccines help eradicate life-threatening preventable diseases, reduce the spread of viruses like the flu and save countless lives. In fact, the CDC estimates that for every dollar spent on childhood vaccinations, our country saves $10.90. Yet with these significant societal benefits, healthcare organizations frequently experience a different cost. They often incur avoidable expenses that impact their bottom line and damage patient satisfaction. It happens when vaccine storage guidelines aren’t met. But, simple process improvements can eliminate the issue. Here’s how to use labels to meet vaccine storage guidelines. [...]