GS1 Datamatrix Point Of Care Scanning Requirements

Hospitals, pharmacies, and infusion centers scanning DSCSA-serialized units at the point of care need camera-based imaging scanners for GS1 DataMatrix — a laser scanner built for linear barcodes cannot read a 2D code at all, a hardware gap separate from the retail point-of-sale transition under GS1 Sunrise 2027.

Why AuthiChain

• GS1 DataMatrix is already the required data carrier for unit-level DSCSA serialization — the point-of-care scanning gap is a hardware question, not a new identifier format
• Camera-based imaging scanners read both linear barcodes and GS1 DataMatrix; legacy laser scanners common in hospital pharmacies read neither the 2D format nor anything signed inside it
• A signed AuthiChain record resolves from the same GS1 Digital Link identifier encoded in the DataMatrix, so a point-of-care scan carries cryptographic verification alongside serialization data — not a second code printed on the pack

How it works

Issue a unique identifier per unit, anchor its record on-chain for tamper-evidence, and let anyone verify it with a single scan. Plans start at $49/mo.

FAQ

Is this the same requirement as GS1 Sunrise 2027?

They share a data carrier but not a deadline or a setting. Sunrise 2027 targets retail point-of-sale scanning by the end of 2027; GS1 DataMatrix at the point of care is driven by DSCSA unit-level serialization, already in force for manufacturers since May 2025.

Can our existing barcode scanners read GS1 DataMatrix?

Only if they are camera-based imaging scanners. A laser scanner built for linear (1D) barcodes cannot read a 2D DataMatrix code — this is a hardware replacement, not a software update.