firstbase is much more than a technical solution – it is the heart of a unique Swiss data ecosystem.
firstbase is the central platform for the standardised exchange of product master data – according to the principles of “from the source” and “once only”. Data is entered once and seamlessly transferred to all relevant systems.
The ecosystem thrives on the participation of all stakeholders: members work together in specialist groups to define the basis and further development of the solution. Associations such as H+, Swiss MedTech and the Refdata Foundation support the steering committee in strategically anchoring the solution in the market.
Solution providers, ERP developers, data refiners and app providers complement this with services. Service providers and health insurance companies benefit from consistent data flows. Manufacturers, importers and representatives provide their data centrally, while hospitals, marketplaces and retailers can reliably access it – via trustbox or via GDSN directly in firstbase.
The added value comes from the interaction of all stakeholders: data quality increases, processes are digitised, costs are reduced and companies gain future security in international competition.
Recipient groups
Recipient groups – our recommendation for efficient publication
GS1 Switzerland groups all relevant data recipients in the market – such as those in the healthcare sector or the consumer goods/FMCG sector – into recipient groups. Using these recipient groups, suppliers can reach all relevant partners in the Swiss market in a consolidated manner via a GLN – without the hassle of managing individual recipients.
Our recommendation: Use the recipient groups whenever possible for your publications.
Why? Because this allows you to distribute your data more easily, quickly and sustainably.
Your benefits at a glance:
Publish once – reach many
Instead of selecting several individual GLNs, publish to all relevant partners via a recipient group GLN.Less administrative effort
No need to maintain long recipient lists and significantly fewer manual adjustments.Automatic reach
New firstbase participants are automatically assigned to the appropriate recipient groups – meaning your items also reach new market participants without any extra effort.Fewer queries and data traffic
The clear structure results in fewer unnecessary data messages and fewer confirmations (CIC).
Available recipient groups:
GLN 7612345000374 - Swiss Healthcare Sector: the entire Swiss healthcare sector in firstbase (hospitals, purchasers, wholesalers, service providers, insurance companies)
GLN 7612345000381 - Swiss Healthcare Insurances: only for “custom-made” medical devices - Publication to individual hospital GLNs plus for invoicing to these recipient group GLNs for insurance companies and claims processors in firstbase
GLN 7612345000398 - GS1 Switzerland FMCG: bundles all FMCG recipients in firstbase
GLN 7612345003368 - trustbox®: all recipients of GS1 Switzerland trustbox®
Through this structure, GS1 Switzerland coordinates the community: the ecosystem grows continuously whilst remaining efficient and clear.
Note for external GDSN suppliers: Please provide us with your GLN via the contact form so that we can set up your subscription in the relevant recipient groups.
Open Basic Data from firstbase
GS1 Switzerland provides the basic attributes from firstbase healthcare and firstbase consumer goods free of charge. This initiative supports open data exchange in the Swiss market and promotes transparency across the ecosystem. The data can be obtained as a CSV/JSON file via a fixed link, updated in real time. The datasets contain a compact set of central product master data (basic attributes) from the recipient groups Swiss Healthcare Sector – GLN 7612345000374 and GS1 Switzerland FMCG – GLN 7612345000398.
Disclaimer: The provided data originates from the GS1 GDSN data pool firstbase and is intended for informational purposes. GS1 Switzerland assumes no liability for completeness or suitability for specific applications.
Data Provider - data from the source - firstbase - by GS1 Switzerland
