HIBC Data Structures

HIBC Data Structures

The HIBC symbologies, HIBC Code 39, HIBC Code 128, HIBC PDF417, HIBC MicroPDF417, HIBC QR Code, HIBC Data Matrix, HIBC Codablock F and HIBC Aztec Code, carry data in the data structures of the HIBC Supplier Labeling Standard (SLS), which identifies products by the Labeler Identification Code (LIC) of their supplier, or of the HIBC Provider Applications Standard (PAS), which identifies patients, records and items within healthcare provider facilities.

The data is given without the leading + and the check character, which the encoders add. They are shown in the examples below.

Supplier Labeling Standard

Primary data identifies the product. It consists of a four-character LIC beginning with a letter, a product or catalogue number of 1 to 18 digits or capital letters, and a unit of measure digit:

+A999123457

Secondary data carries the expiry date and the lot or serial number. It begins with one of:

• A five-digit Julian date, YYJJJ, optionally followed by a lot number of up to 13 characters.
• $ followed by a lot number.
• $+ followed by a serial number.
• $$, for a lot number, or $$+, for a serial number, followed by a format digit:
  • 0 or 1 is the first digit of the date MMYY.
  • 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are followed by the date MMDDYY, YYMMDD, YYMMDDHH, YYJJJ and YYJJJHH respectively.
  • 7 indicates no date.
  • 8 and 9 are followed by a quantity of two and five digits respectively, and then optionally by one of the date formats.

A lot or serial number of up to 18 digits, capital letters, - and . follows. Secondary data in a symbol of its own ends with a link character, the check character of the primary data:

+$$3270630LOT427C

Primary and secondary data combined in one symbol are separated by /, without the + of the secondary data or the link character:

+A99912345/$$3270630LOT42B

Supplemental data fields follow the secondary data, each introduced by / and a Data Identifier:

• 16D is the date of manufacture, YYYYMMDD.
• 14D is the expiry date, YYYYMMDD.
• S is a serial number of up to 18 characters.
• Q is a quantity of up to five digits, and must be the last field.

+A99912345/$$7LOT42/16D20260115/SSN1001N

Provider Applications Standard

PAS data begins with / and a flag indicating where the data is located, A to L, or Z for a data structure that does not conform to the PAS. One or more fields follow, separated by /, each a flag indicating what the data is, A to V, X or Z, followed by 1 to 15 digits or capital letters. Fields with flag A are an LIC, fields with flag M are a date and time, YYYJJJ optionally followed by HHMM and then G for GMT, fields with flag U are a nine-character Health Industry Number, and the data of fields with flag Z is user defined:

+/AC4417PQ/V202601150

HIBC Data Structure Linting

The input is checked against the data structures of the SLS and the PAS, including the validity of dates and times, unless the dontlint option is given. Reserved flags, unknown Data Identifiers and the split data structures of the PAS are refused. The standards are provided by the Health Industry Business Communications Council.