Global Location Numbers (GLNs) Soon to Be Used by Clinical Pathology Laboratories

Most pathologists and clinical laboratory managers are not aware that implementation of global location numbers (GLNs) will occur in just a few months. Every healthcare provider in the United States and many other nations will get a unique GLN. The entire purchasing and shipping side of healthcare is poised to adopt a universal standard that will ensure the precise delivery of products to their final destinations. Clinical laboratories and anatomic pathology groups will no longer experience delays caused by lost or incorrectly delivered supplies. At least that’s the hope of most of the nation’s major group purchasing organizations (GPO). Next, Health Industry Group Purchasing Organization, (HIGPA) intends to implement global trade item numbers (GTIN) by December 31, 2012. GTINs provide a standard, unique item identifier for every medical product in use. The combination of GLNs and GTINs will greatly improve the delivery of supplies across the entire healthcare continuum.