As healthcare organisations increasingly digitalise their operations and look for ways to free up staff for more patient-focused duties, an increasing number are turning to mobile label printers to help – and this provides opportunities for resellers.
The UK healthcare system remains under stress, with an ageing population presenting with more and increasingly complex healthcare issues, as well as a shortfall in the number of staff required. This means that healthcare organisations are looking for ways to help free up staff from administrative tasks to focus more on patient care – and mobile printers can help with this.
“With workforce and space at a premium in healthcare settings like hospitals, there’s a definite switch to mobile printers, as much for their ergonomics as for their capabilities in supporting patient bedside care and test result workflows,” says Benoit Charnallet, product manager for TSC Auto ID EMEA. “The healthcare industry is said to report a 25% increase in mobile printers, driven by the need for fast, accurate documentation in dynamic environments.
“As healthcare systems globally continue their journey of digitalisation and adopt smart technology like barcode scanners capable of reading linear codes as well as newer 2D variants like QR codes, it’s inevitable we’ll see a parallel rise in barcode printers too. According to GS1, healthcare regulators in more than 70 countries mandate GS1 DataMatrix codes for medical devices, accelerating upgrades enabling printers to deliver micro-barcodes on constrained labelling areas.”
Deyon Antoine, product marketing manager at Toshiba Tec UK Imaging Systems Ltd, adds that demand for mobile label printers in healthcare is becoming more predictable and structural. “Healthcare organisations are increasingly embedding bedside and point of care workflows across pharmacy, pathology and patient identification workflows to improve safety and unlock bed capacity,” he says.
“As a result, mobile label printers are no longer treated as tactical purchases but as part of standard clinical infrastructure. This creates repeatable opportunities rather than one-off hardware deals, particularly within NHS trusts and integrated care systems under pressure to improve flow, patient safety and efficiency.”
Changing expectations
But while demand is increasing in healthcare settings, users’ expectations of what they want from a mobile print device are also changing. “User demand is shifting away from raw specifications and towards workflow fit,” says Deyon. “Clinicians still expect reliability and accuracy, but they now prioritise devices that work naturally within a full shift. Lightweight, wearable or trolley mounted designs, one-handed operation and flexible media handling are becoming baseline expectations. This changes how partners should qualify opportunities: the key question is no longer ‘what printer do you need?’ but ‘where and how will it be used during the day?’
“Toshiba’s healthcare portfolio is built for bedside and pharmacy workflows, with compact, rugged mobile units and media options tuned for specimen, wristband and medication labels.”
Benoit says healthcare customers will prioritise durable, easy-to-clean devices that integrate with existing hospital information systems and electronic health records systems. “We provide practical, scalable identification solutions that support traceability, regulatory compliance and consistent data capture across the patient journey,” he adds. “Our Alpha Series, for example, supports bedside and on-the-move labelling for specimen collection, medication and patient ID, reducing transcription errors and saving clinical time. The value is immediate: fewer manual steps, faster workflows and improved patient safety.”
Innovations
Customers’ changing expectations are also helping to drive product development and innovations in this sector. “Antimicrobial casings on printers for easy clean/disinfection are becoming a prerequisite to minimise the risk of infections, as are medical grade power supplies to ensure safe and reliable use in healthcare facilities,” says Benoit.
“One thing that we introduced last year is an optional ribbon-cartridge design for hassle-free and mess-free installation. We recognised healthcare workers need clean environments, so we developed a new ribbon cartridge that allows users to replace the ribbon without coming into contact with messy wax or resin.”
Deyon agrees that disinfectant ready housings, with sealed controls to address infection prevention concerns are becoming more popular. “Wireless connectivity has also become a differentiator, with dual radio designs, fast roaming and instant wake behaviour positioned as essential for clinical reliability,” he adds. “Battery life is now framed in practical terms too, with ‘full shift’ operation and real time battery health indicators supporting 24/7 environments.”
Reseller conversations
When talking to customers in the healthcare sector about mobile printers, there are certain aspects resellers should focus on. “This is where channel partners can add real value,” says Deyon. “Successful conversations focus less on hardware and more on outcomes, such as reducing medication errors, speeding up patient discharge and minimising wasted staff time and supporting standardised IT management.
“Lead with outcomes backed by NHS references; proof points that open doors with pharmacy, pathology and ward leadership. Then widen the conversation to managed print and device strategy – Toshiba devices can sit inside a trust’s fleet with remote configuration, security alignment and lifecycle services, which can be key differentiators for MSPs. These can help turn box sales into multi‑year support and optimisation contracts.”
Benoit says that in busy healthcare settings, staff need solutions that will accelerate yet streamline workflows, while also improving point-of-care testing (POCT). “By integrating POCT capabilities into the medical carts used for patient bedside care, health professionals can quickly and efficiently conduct diagnostic tests,” he adds. “Labelling is a critical part of that POCT process to label up specimens and medication, so mobile printers are ideal for this role.
“Resellers should also be promoting the antimicrobial, easy to disinfect and robust casings of mobile printers, their fast and reliable connectivity, and their IEC 60601-1 medical grade power supplies. It’s also worth mentioning mobile printer accessories like belt clips for hands-free freedom to administer nursing care.
“In busy healthcare estates like hospitals, having dynamic remote printer management is essential to support multiple management tasks, reduce maintenance costs and avoid downtime of business-critical devices.”
Benoit also notes the benefits of linerless labelling. “In busy healthcare settings, being able to print any length of label without changing media rolls simplifies work processes,” he adds. “Having no liner to dispose of eliminates not only contamination risks from the waste but also potential slip hazards from discarded backings. But, perhaps, most importantly, being able to deliver a label at patient point of care that details the five rights of medication administration (right drug, right dose, right route, right patient, right time) means there’s less risk of human error or threat to patient health/safety.”
Future
Both commentators expect this market to continue to grow. “The portable printer market is expected to reach $21.3 billion by 2032, driven by on-the-go print functionality for operational efficiency,” notes Benoit. “The thermal segment is said to have the fastest CAGR of 8.56% over 2025-2032, because of demand for low-maintenance and effective printing. Our healthcare versions of mobile and desktop printers are designed to integrate seamlessly into existing systems without needing to change infrastructures or processes, and we’re told our remote management tools provide stronger value-add to our customers.”
Benoit adds that linerless labelling will also grow for labelling medications, patient records, laboratory samples and medical devices, enhancing accuracy and traceability. “Equally I can also see demand growing for miniaturised, more powerful RFID tags to be used in tagging such things as medical instruments and implants,” he adds.
Deyon adds that growth in healthcare barcode/mobile printing will be driven by safety, compliance and workflow decentralisation. “As healthcare providers move from pilots to embedded bedside workflows, demand is becoming structural rather than experimental,” he says. “This represents an opportunity to shift from box selling to longer-term engagements built around workflow optimisation, managed services and clinical infrastructure support.”
