Laser Versus Thermal Printing for Wristbands and Which to Choose

LASER VERSUS THERMAL PRINTING FOR WRISTBANDS

You can choose between a laser printer and thermal printer for producing the barcoded wristbands.

A laser printer might seem like the more economical choice, particularly since you likely have one in your Admissions Department. However, this convenience could come at a price. A thermal printer produces a sharper barcode image than a laser printer, which increases the scannability. If a nurse or clinician has to make repeated attempts to capture a barcode, productivity is hampered.

The purpose of a barcode is to easily and accurately capture data. If the effort takes additional time or requires the data to be written manually, you eliminate the major benefits of barcoding.

The next consideration in your wristbanding solution is the assembly.

Does the barcoded wristband come out of the printer, ready to attach to the patient, or is there assembly required? Some laser printers output the paper that then needs to be inserted or affixed to the wristband, creating another step. While that doesn’t sound like much time, when you multiply the time savings by the number of wristbandsthat are output daily, you could create more time for Admissions personnel to be addressing other key tasks.

WRISTBAND COMFORT AND PROTECTION

The wristband is intended for accurate identification while the patient is within your facility. The comfort and safety of the wristband itself factor into your choice. The wristband
should fit comfortably on any size wrist. A one-size-fits-all option doesn’t live up to its name. You should look for both wristbands and a printer that differentiate between the wrist of an adult, a child, and an infant. The wristband should be able to resist the many chemicals and liquids that might contact it—like water, soap, anti-bacterial solvents, alcohol, and betadine. An antimicrobial coating on the wristband can prevent the spread of germs as well.

The Zebra HC100 Patient ID Solution covers every aspect required for successful wristbanding. Easy to use, the HC100 is designed to fit into compact spaces, and still deliver big performance.