VHA Inc. and 12 of the nation's largest health care systems call for government to mandate GS1 data standards to improve health care

[Marketwire, January 06, 2010] VHA Inc., the national health care network, and 12 of its largest member organizations, including Allina Hospitals & Clinics, say the federal government should emphasize implementing GS1 data standards while they promote electronic medical records (EMRs), since both improve operational efficiencies and reduce health care costs; however, adopting data standards for supply chain transactions would cost far less to advance.