The effect of a bar-code system on personnel time requirements and data-entry
accuracy in an existing automated controlled substances inventory system was
determined. In the previous system, technicians used a keyboard and alphanumeric
codes to enter into the computer data about the physical transfer of controlled
substances among hospital areas. A system for barcode data entry was adapted for
use with the existing procedure. After learning to use the bar-code system, four
experienced technicians entered data by the keyboard method for eight days and
the bar-code method for eight days during a 32-day study period. The amount of
time required to enter all transactions and the accuracy of data entry were
measured. Mean data-entry times for the keyboard and bar-code methods were not
significantly different, most likely because of the greater number of
manipulations needed for bar-code data entry. The mean percentage error
associated with the bar-code method (0.79%) was significantly less than the
error associated with the keyboard method (1.53%). For this particular computer
system in which bar-code data entry was adapted to existing procedures, use of
bar codes to enter controlled substances inventory data was not substantially
faster but was more accurate than a traditional key-board data-entry method.
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