Critical storage conditions for blood, tissues, and organs are tightly regulated. Drugs and vaccines also have strict temperature requirements. If a refrigerator or freezer malfunctions and the problem is not detected quickly, high-value items must be thrown out.

Monitoring temperature conditions is essential to patient safety, but it’s also a time-consuming task that takes time away from patient care. Manual monitoring is error-prone and can lead to time-consuming and costly investigations. Preparation for regulatory audits is time-consuming, requiring staff to sort through masses of paper-based information.

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At 4G Solutions we design environmental monitoring systems to track temperature and humidity levels throughout the hospital to provide the data needed to effectivly monitor and repair any equipment that could cost the facillity time and money. Using Stanley Healthcare RTLS as a backbone the environmental monitoring can make your facility more effenct and lower cost. 

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The Challenge

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Pharmaceuticals, organs, blood bags, vaccines, tissues, food and other items require strict temperature ranges for quality patient care and safety. The Joint Commission and other regulatory agencies regulate the temperature management processes as follows: 

• Medications must be stored under stable conditions

• Temperature must be monitored and logged, often up to four times per day

• Temperature logs must be available for a twelve-month period or more ‘In case of deviations, corrective actions must be taken         and documented

• Logs are paper based and unreliable leading to poor compliance and inefficient use of staff time

• Audits are at least every three years plus random, unannounced audits

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Environmental Monitoring Solution

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In terms of staff time spent on logging activities, ROI results are immediate in reduction of costs and increase in time available for patient care.  The solution automates environmental monitoring of critical perishables such as blood, drugs, vaccines, food, and tissue samples by providing real-time information on temperature, and immediate alerting when out-of-range conditions exists.  The solution can also be used in data centers and network closets where sensitive electronic equipment is monitored, or in blanket warmers and food delivery carts. In addition, Environmental Monitoring enables humidity monitoring of patient, storage, and Operating Rooms.  

• Automated 24/7 monitoring of temperature and humidity

• Improved regulatory compliance - compliance with temperature and humidity data collection requirements

• Labor efficiency and productivity - frees up caregivers’ time and improves staff satisfaction

• Improved quality of care - constant monitoring of safe ranges and analysis of logged

• Spoilage reduction - reduces time it takes to identify and react to a problem

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