Patent ID: 8075210

Claim:
A patient wristband tag production apparatus for printing and producing a tag precursor, the patient wristband tag production apparatus comprising: a printing unit; a print medium web having a perforation running a length of the web and dividing the web into a first area and a second area, the print-medium web being configured to produce tag precursors, an information acquisition unit for acquiring patient identification information; a printing control unit for printing the acquired patient identification information while advancing the print medium web, the printing control unit having a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation; and a cutter for cutting across the print medium web width to sever the portion of the print medium web printed by the printing unit as the tag precursor, wherein the printing control unit is configured to print at least a portion of acquired patient identification information in the first area in the first mode of operation such that the first area is a first tag printing area and the second area is a first insertion tab area; wherein the printing control unit is configured print at least a portion of acquired patient identification information in the second area in the second mode of operation such that the second area is a second tag printing area and the first area is a second insertion tab area, patient identification information printed, in the first tag printing area being oriented approximately 180 degrees relative to patient identification information printed in the second tag printing area; and wherein the first and second tag printing areas of the tag precursors produced from the print medium web are first and second printed tag parts, respectively, on which patient identification information is printed and the first and second insertion tab areas of the tag precursors produced from the print medium web are first and second insertion tab parts, respectively, that are detachably connected to the respective first and second tag parts and are configured to be used for inserting the respective first and second printed tag parts into tag storage parts of a patient wristband.