Yet perioperative medication workflows are often fragmented. Preparation, administration and controlled substance waste may be handled through separate processes, with information manually entered, delayed or unavailable to those reviewing the medication event.
Nearly 20 years ago, Codonics began addressing that first critical gap: helping clinicians identify medications by barcode and produce standardized, machine-readable syringe labels at the point of preparation. The Codonics Safe Label System (SLS) created a safer foundation by connecting the source vial, prepared syringe and medication data on a Joint Commission-compliant label.
But a properly labeled syringe is only the beginning. Hospitals also need to know what was administered, what remained, how the remaining controlled substance was wasted and whether the complete medication event reconciles. Controlled substance waste itself is rarely the central problem. The larger challenge is creating a complete, timely and defensible record while the medication, syringe and provider are still together at the point of care.
That progression, from accurate medication identification to a more complete perioperative record, is central to why Codonics was named the 2026 Medication Safety Innovator of the Year. What began with safer syringe labeling has evolved into a connected medication safety platform spanning preparation, administration and, with the Safe Waste System (SWS) coming soon, waste and data for reconciliation.
At preparation, SLS scans the source vial, verifies the medication and concentration and prints a TJC-compliant, barcoded syringe label on demand. It captures preparation data, creating the first link in the digital medication record. SLS is now used in more than 17,000 operating rooms.
Preparation, administration and waste are parts of one medication event.
At administration, Codonics SLS-WAVE™ extends that record. A hands-free scan electronically passes medication data to the EHR, such as Epic or Cerner, for accurate documentation. This reduces manual documentation and provides greater visibility into what was administered. Because the NDC is captured at preparation and carried through administration documentation, the workflow can also support 340B accountability.
In many operating rooms, waste documentation is completed separately from the clinical event. Pharmacy may receive incomplete information or have to reconstruct the event later. Anesthesia providers may be asked to remember details after leaving the room and moving on to another patient. Even when everyone follows the intended process, disconnected systems make timely reconciliation difficult.
The Codonics Safe Waste System (SWS), with anticipated release in Q4 2026, is designed to operate in conjunction with SLS and bring the waste event into the same point-of-care workflow. SWS is an FDA-listed Class I Exempt clinical spectrophotometer for pharmaceutical analysis that helps standardize liquid controlled substance waste workflows in seconds at the point of care.
The workflow is intentionally straightforward
Identify. Measure. Assay. Waste. Witness. Record & Report.
The provider inserts the labeled syringe. SWS identifies the substance, measures the remaining volume and assays the contents. The liquid is automatically drawn down into a non-retrievable waste container and event data is captured to support pharmacy review and reconciliation, all before the provider leaves the room.
For anesthesia, the value is speed, consistency and completion. The waste event can be handled at the point of care without adding a lengthy process at the end of the case. The provider completes the step while the details are current, helping reduce later questions and manual reconstruction.
For pharmacy, the value is visibility. Instead of beginning with an incomplete record and working backward, pharmacy receives structured information created during the event itself. That can reduce manual follow-up, support more consistent review and create a stronger foundation for controlled substance accountability, diversion monitoring and reconciliation.
Each waste event is documented, creating a compliant record and establishing the foundation for electronic witnessing. This connects the clinical workflow with the broader controlled substance accountability requirements hospitals must support.
The larger opportunity is not simply a better waste device. It is a more complete medication data layer across the perioperative environment. Preparation, administration and waste are parts of one medication event. When those steps are connected, hospitals can improve consistency, reduce manual reconstruction and give anesthesia, pharmacy and patient-safety teams a shared view of the medication journey.
Together, these workflows create one connected platform designed for the realities of the operating room and the information needs of the hospital.
Codonics is offering Zoom demonstrations for pharmacy and anesthesia leaders who want to see how SWS fits alongside an existing SLS workflow—or how the broader platform could add value across their organization.
