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- Capability for FR to include all facilities that can hold stock (warehouses, not just health service delivery points).
Discussion: It's important to consider that different facility types may have different governance or master data management, such as different stakeholders who assign ID numbers or manage the official lists. Also, some different facility types may have different optional fields of data. There is no known global standard list of categories/types at this time. - Capability for FR to include a GLN (GS1 Global Location Number) with any facility.
Discussion: The timeline and approach for adoption of GLNs depends on country context. Use of GLNs may come as a result of barcoding products and barcoding shipments. Alternatively, adoption benefit of using GLNs with health facilities is that it allows the existing commercial supply chain (specific to any country context) to participate and interoperate with deliveries to health facilities. Assigning GLN codes for facilities requires a cost to register in the GS1 network. Adoption may be driven by suppliers or 3PL ( third-party logistics providers ). Or it may be adopted (3PLs) or to support ASNs (Advanced Shipment Notices), barcoding and other advanced GS1 practices. In total, it is important to consider the context as well as the costs for using GLNs (there is a cost to assign GLNs in the GS1 system). Overall, product barcoding is a more immediate need with higher benefits compared to location/GLN barcoding. Once barcoding practices are introduced, the use of GLNs unlocks additional value. For more details about the GLN field (data type, length, and identifying authority URL), see the 2018-11-16 notes.
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