Zebra Technologies Adds Aztec Code Bar Code Symbology to Its Product Line


Benefits of Additional Symbology Will Enable Hospitals to Increase the Readability of Bar Coded Wristbands and Labels for Improved Patient Safety at the Point of Care

VERNON HILLS, Ill., Feb. 7 // -- Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ:ZBRA), a global leader in delivering on-demand specialty printing solutions for the healthcare industry, today announced it has added the Aztec Code bar code symbology to its line of desktop printers. This two-dimensional bar code symbology, already available in Zebra's line of high performance tabletop printers, facilitates quick and accurate scanning at the point of care. The Aztec Code symbology can be used for a variety of patient-safety applications, including patient identification wristbands and labels for unit-of-use medications, IV mixtures, blood products and specimens.

According to a recent report issued by the Institute of Medicine, at least 1.5 million preventable adverse drug events occur in the United States each year. The use of bar code technology has been shown to substantially reduce the incidence of medication errors while improving the overall efficiency of operations. Zebra's on-demand thermal printers and supplies offer healthcare organizations a secure, compliant bar code solution that enables medical staff to quickly and accurately match a bar coded patient wristband with bar coded medication before it is administered to the patient.

"Aztec Code is an ideal symbology for use in hospitals today because it is extremely space efficient and can encode a significant amount of data," says Debbie Murphy, global practice leader, life sciences at Zebra Technologies. "In addition, Aztec Code does not need a quiet zone between symbols like other 2-D symbologies, which means the code can be printed multiple times on the patient's wristband. This ensures that a bar code is always visible and ready to be scanned by medical staff regardless of the wristband's position."

Zebra is a leading manufacturer of specialty thermal printing solutions including wireless, mobile and high-volume label and wristband printers designed to meet the needs of the healthcare industry. Zebra's Z-Band(R) Direct and Z-Band QuickClip(TM) patient identification wristbands enable healthcare providers to meet patient safety and privacy standards, such as those set by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). In addition, Zebra's antimicrobial wristband coating further improves the safety and quality of care by inhibiting the spread of dangerous and costly hospital infections.

For more information about Zebra's healthcare solutions please call +1 800 423 0442 or visit Zebra's Web site at www.zebra.com/ .

About Zebra Technologies

Zebra Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ:ZBRA) delivers innovative and reliable on-demand printing solutions for business improvement and security applications in 100 countries around the world. More than 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies use Zebra(R)-brand printers. A broad range of applications benefit from Zebra-brand thermal bar code, "smart" label and receipt printers, and plastic card printers, resulting in enhanced security, increased productivity, improved quality, lower costs, and better customer service. The company has sold more than five million printers, including RFID printer/encoders and wireless mobile solutions, as well as software, connectivity solutions, and printing supplies. Information about Zebra specialty printing solutions can be found at www.zebra.com/.

Source: Zebra Technologies Corporation

Web site: www.zebra.com/

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