Inkjet & Digital Printing
Xerox Provides the Right Prescription to Print Tamper-Proof Pads for the University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System
Wednesday 25. June 2008 - When the University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System needed to comply with a federal law to make it harder to create fake prescriptions, it was Xerox Corporation (NYSE: XRX) that helped provide the right antidote.
The new regulations require doctors, pharmacists, dentists and others who write prescriptions for Medicaid patients to use pads with various security features in the form. The university’s Printing and Mailing Services was able to print its tamper-resistant prescription pads using Xerox specialty paper on the Xerox iGen3 110 Digital Production Press.
“We’re setting a new standard for security and innovation and proving to our customers that we can help them solve their print and business challenges,” said Stephen Murray, director, Business Auxiliary Services, UAB Printing and Mailing Services.
According to Murray, this security solution could also be used beyond prescriptions, including jobs such as transcripts, checks, parking permits and event tickets. The specialty paper is more expensive than regular paper, but UAB was able to reduce the overall costs by producing the pads digitally on the iGen3 press, Murray said.
Secure features in the UAB Health System prescription pads include:
Thermochromic ink – “Rx” mark on back of document fades from red to clear when heat is applied and changes back to its original color when cooled.
Reactive stains – will appear when someone attempts to chemically alter the document.
Invisible fluorescent fibers – fibers in paper are invisible under normal viewing conditions and can only be checked for authenticity using a black light.
Microprinting – under magnification, the border on the back of the pad should read “Original Document.”
Security screen pattern – appears on front if document is copied.
“Secure prescription” – watermark printed on the back of the pad, which appears if copied. When the front of the pad is copied, the word “void” appears repeatedly across the entire prescription.
In addition to prescription pads, UAB Printing and Mailing Services uses the 110 page-per-minute Xerox iGen3 press to handle a variety of jobs including business cards, university letterhead, media guides and 32-page, 5′ x 3′ “pocket art edition” books used to publicize student art exhibit openings. The university’s athletics department also uses the Xerox iGen3 to produce programs and tickets that can be printed at the last minute.
“The iGen3 press offers the offset image quality our customers have come to demand, with quicker turnarounds and a broader set of job options, from various paper stocks to smaller run quantities to personalization,” said Murray.
UAB Printing and Mailing Services also has a Xerox Nuvera 120 EA Digital Production System and Xerox DocuColor 242 Digital Color Printer/Copier. Each of the Xerox digital presses use Xerox FreeFlow Printer Servers and workflow tools such as Xerox FreeFlow Process Manager to automate the flow of print jobs across the entire Xerox fleet. Jobs are electronically received, prepared and sent to print, saving UAB press operators from time-consuming prepress activities and improving overall print shop productivity.