Today, central pharmacy verification are being implemented by many hospitals and healthcare organizations. This is so that resources can be devoted to other tasks and initiatives. Centralizing drug distribution can help lower costs and increase efficiency. As a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available and needs to be quickly distributed to hotspots and vulnerable populations, it can also help ensure that sites receive the appropriate amount of medication they need to serve their patients.
Keeping medication within the proper temperature range to maintain its efficacy is crucial to providing high-quality patient care. On-site typically refers to a 24/7 electronic monitoring system that records the temperature in the environment where medications are stored. However, whether it’s for an hour or a day, keeping an eye on temperatures while medicine is in transit is equally crucial.
Moving Medications
After leaving the central pharmacy, the average travel time for a prescription is between one and eight hours. Prescriptions could spend 12 or more hours in an insulated box with frozen gel packs if they are filled during a typical workday and distributed overnight, which is frequently the case. In either case, central pharmacies have two methods for ensuring that the temperature of the drugs remains within the right range.
- Option 1: Single-Use Visual Indication
TransTracker® temperature indicators are single-use gadgets that track heat or freeze exposures and give a clear visual cue if medication has gotten too hot or too cold while in transit. The item is a tiny, thin card that can be read once and then thrown away. It fits into almost any kind of package.
- Option 2: Wireless surveillance
The S-400 is a reusable wireless sensor with a small enough profile to fit into most shipping containers and coolers. It continuously logs temperature data throughout shipping. Data is transmitted via Bluetooth® to our mobile app, enabling couriers and healthcare professionals to access temperature data through packaging, assisting in the complete monitoring of the cold chain without having to open a box. Using mobile GPS devices, you can share and store data in the cloud as well as track routes and location.
The best solution for you will entirely depend on the size, scope, and operational model of your organization. The TransTracker might be a better choice for large central pharmacies that send out thousands of prescriptions to locations across the nation because it is simple to read and disposable.
