Feasibility and Limitations of Vaccine Two-Dimensional Barcoding Using Mobile Devices.

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Mobile Technology
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Two-dimensional (2D) barcoding offers enhanced vaccine encounter documentation at the point of care.
• Current limitations include reliance on dedicated scanners and compatible record systems.
• Mobile devices present a cost-effective solution for leveraging 2D vaccine barcodes and improving digital health records.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and performance of scanning 2D vaccine vial barcodes using mobile devices.
• To identify potential limitations and success factors for mobile 2D barcode scanning.

Main Methods:

• Developed a dedicated barcode scanning app for Android and iOS.
• Evaluated the impact of barcode size, curvature, fading, and lighting on scan success rate, data accuracy, and scan time.
• Conducted 2160 barcode scan attempts across four mobile phones.

Main Results:

• Achieved 100% data accuracy across 1832 successful scans.
• Scan success rates were high, even with up to 50% barcode fading.
• Scan success deteriorated beyond 60% fading and at vial diameters of 10 mm or more.
• Low light conditions (below 20 lux) impeded scanning.

Conclusions:

• Mobile devices are capable of successfully scanning 2D vaccine barcodes under various conditions.
• Barcode manufacturers should consider factors affecting scan success, such as fading and curvature.
• Further research should explore the impact on workflow and user acceptance.