Ingenica Solutions partners with Scandit to pioneer the use of augmented reality (AR) in the NHS

Ingenica Solutions specialises in healthcare procurement, supply chain, inventory management, patient costing and back-office operations, designed specifically to make managing the vast quantities of inventory within the NHS a much simpler task. To further empower its clients to achieve greater efficiencies and improve patient care, Ingenica Solutions has now integrated Scandit’s computer vision and AR software into its inventory management solution - 360 IM.

This integration of Scandit’s AR capabilities into Ingenica Solutions’ 360 IM, the first GS1 certified solution in healthcare, creates the next-generation of inventory management technology. This integration is another first for Ingenica, being the first inventory management system for the industry powered by computer vision with AR. It also further augments the Ingenica solution, and creates an extremely powerful inventory management tool for NHS trusts. The use of AR enables the blending of the physical and digital worlds, where real-time information can be displayed over images of physical objects.

The Scandit functionality enables healthcare professionals to simply scan hospital supplies with any smart device or handheld scanner and view real-time inventory information via AR-overlays – such as product expiration dates and stock levels. This simple, easy-to-use solution automates and connects workflows across many teams, creating significant financial and operational efficiencies in inventory management. 

Scandit’s MatrixScanAR capability also enables scanning of multiple barcodes at once, including a mix of 1D and 2D barcodes, highlighting specific items with AR feedback on the device.  This brings faster, more accurate product or asset recognition, reducing the time clinicians spend searching for products and allowing more time for frontline patient care. 

David Ford, a founder and CTO at Ingenica Solutions, said: “The benefits that advances in digital technology bring to healthcare are considerable, and the impact and relevance of augmented reality on the inventory management process in the NHS is immense.  Ingenica Solutions continues to lead the market with advanced technology for back office solutions in healthcare, and so our new technology partnership with Scandit helps to support and maintain our strong position, providing best-in-class innovative technology to shape the future of the NHS.”

Samuel Mueller, CEO at Scandit said: “Workers in the healthcare sector, particularly in the NHS, are incredibly time poor and new ways are needed to free up staff from inefficient tasks. Our partnership with Ingenica Solutions will help transform inventory management across NHS systems. Computer vision and AR technology has the ability to inject speed and accuracy into the healthcare sector, reducing human error, improving patient safety and lowering costs. This type of technology will become the norm in digital healthcare for decades to come.”