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Medi-Ops Patient Safety
Author Medi-Ops Team Categories Hospitals

Medical Logistics and Patient Safety

The success of medical and healthcare companies in providing the highest levels of care to their patients relies on medical logistics. The logistics network is vital in maintaining efficiency as well as meeting top industry standards. Obviously, a well-run medical program and an established logistics plan are the only way to create an environment in which patients can be put first and their safety can be a number one priority.

At Medi-Ops we use technology and a patient-first outlook on the logistics industry to provide innovative and revolutionary approaches to the medical supply chain. Specializing in medical transportation, Medi-Ops is able to bring incredible services and specialized software to best serve patients and the medical logistics industry as a whole. 

What is Patient Safety?

The World Health Organization tells us that, “The occurrence of adverse events due to unsafe care is likely one of the 10 leading causes of death and disability in the world.” If healthcare companies put more time, effort, and funds into logistics plans, think of the number of patient deaths and disabilities that can be prevented. Thinking through adverse events and their effects on patients and the medical industry can save so many lives. This in itself should be a leading reason why healthcare companies are investing in logistics. WHO also informs us that 50% of adverse events are preventable. If that many people can be saved through well-thought-out transportation and supply chain programs, that’s a leap worth taking.

Patients are in the hands of medical providers. These medical professionals work in high-stress situations 24/7, and errors occur. To expect no one to make any mistakes in these fields is unrealistic. However, with the knowledge that mistakes will occur, many of these situations are preventable and the system can be treated. 

What is Medical Logistics?

The term ‘medical logistics’ can be a broad one, and encompasses many different aspects of the medical industry and patient care. In simple terms, medical logistics is the management of the supply chain pertaining to medical and healthcare needs. This includes pharmaceuticals, supplies, transportation, equipment… The list goes on. Essentially, medical logistics are what keep a quality and consistent supply chain within the medical industry. Only when established logistics programs are put in place can efficiency, cost, and quality of products and services be present in this industry.

In an ever-changing world full of unexpected events and occurrences, having poor logistics plans can be detrimental to the medical supply chain. Events like the COVID-19 pandemic can’t be predicted, but having a logistics plan in place can help to minimize the effects of events like these. Utilizing logistics companies and professionals in this industry contributes to positive patient safety and ultimately saves lives.

At Medi-Ops specifically, we specialize in medical transportation and logistics. Minimizing hassle, stress, and inefficiency in patient and courier transportation alike is what we do. The transportation side of healthcare and logistics can make tremendous differences in how patients are treated and can minimize the adverse effects that can be so detrimental. Medi-Ops ensures consistent and quality service, approaching any situation with a patient-first mentality. We love taking leaps into technological innovations and new solutions to medical transportation. In looking at all of those adverse effects that do so much harm in patient safety around the world, Medi-Ops create solutions to those problems, and in turn, create the best environments possible for patients and providers alike.

4 Tips To Establishing Your Medical Logistics Plan

  1. Ask Yourself The Right Questions: Asking the right questions in the medical world is essential to find the root of the problem. This is no different in understanding logistic needs and your medical logistics plan. Get to the root of the problem – what are you looking for, and what do you really need when it comes to the medical logistics world?
  1. Identify Your Needs: Once you understand what you want from a logistics provider and establish a plan, identify what areas you need help in and the services you should be looking for. Where do you need support and established processes in order to create the best medical services and environment possible?
  1. Align with Stakeholders: Now it’s time to find those industry professionals that are patient-forward, focusing on a balance of care and innovation, and are aligned with your values and goals as a healthcare professional. Companies that work with you and for you are important to seek out and find those that will get the job done while also holding true to your same values and goals. 
  1. Execute Your Plan: Put into practice what you need with the providers and people you want. The important part here is to constantly reevaluate your needs and goals to ensure that you are putting in place the highest quality logistics plans possible.

All in all, the medical world throws things at us that you can’t prepare for; that’s just the reality. Knowing this and taking all the steps possible to avoid everything from tiny mistakes to giant disasters is essential in ensuring the highest levels of patient safety and care possible. Clearly, there is still so much that we can do with patient care to increase safety and minimize risks and harm. If we can take those steps, shouldn’t we?

Ambulance On-Scene of an Emergency
Author Medi-Ops Team Categories Ambulance Services

Ambulance Services: Explained

Picture the ambulances you see racing down the street today and where you think these innovative patient transport systems may have come from. The first ambulance ever is traced back to the 1400s in Spain. In the midst of the war, Spanish forces began using horses and a creatively constructed lightweight wagon to move injured forces from the battleground. America caught on to this idea during the Civil War and ambulance technology has skyrocketed from there. Not only are ambulances specifically designed for patients, supplies, and fast transportation, but specialized ambulatory services have the ability to serve patients better than ever before.

While many people think of ambulances, or even patient transport, as a one size fits all situation, that isn’t necessarily the case. Many different kinds of vehicles, staff, and services cater to a patient’s exact needs. This makes a big difference when time is of the essence in an emergency or scheduled transportation situation.

Emergency Ambulance Services

The fastest, most efficient transportation while paramedics give urgent medical care to the passenger. That is standard emergency ambulance services. Typically utilized in extremely high-profile injuries or accidents where patients need care immediately, this service can involve ALS (critical condition patients and life-threatening cases) and BLS (non-advanced procedures required during transportation) transport.

ICU Transportation

The ICU (Intensive Care Unit) is staffed and stocked with highly qualified medical professionals and specific equipment to treat patients who are critically ill. These patients sometimes need to be transported between medical care facilities; however, any transportation here comes with a great deal of risk to the patient due to their condition. ICU transportation, therefore, requires a great deal of risk assessment, leading to confirmation of proper staff and specialties, all the necessary equipment specific to the patient’s case and condition, detailed and carefully-chosen routes, and intricate handover processes. Since these patients aren’t necessarily stable, this extra level of thought and care in every detail of transportation is required to reduce transport risk as much as possible.

NICU Transportation

NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) transportation requires advanced capabilities. Families with a child in the NICU already have enough to worry about, and transportation shouldn’t be one of them. NICU transports include extensively trained professionals and a transportation environment designed to protect and serve newborn patients. Newborns have extremely different needs than adult patients, so the staff, environment, equipment, and services provided to the patient during transport are radically different from typical emergency transportation. Learn more about an example of what NICU transportation can look like here! 

Pediatric Transportation

Similar to NICU transport, pediatric transportation teams require specialized staff with specific training and practice in pediatrics. Pediatric medical equipment also varies from standard adult treatment. The staff of pediatric transportation teams are detail oriented and sure to speak with providers, creating high levels of communication from start to finish. 

Stretcher Transportation

Stretcher transportation falls under cases when a patient’s condition isn’t necessarily critical. This falls under NEMT (non-emergency transportation), and these transports are typically scheduled in advance. Moving patients to and from hospitals and care facilities or doctor’s offices and private residences is a prevalent need. Time is still an important factor as punctuality in any medical transportation process is essential. Knowledgeable staff, safe and reliable drivers, and vehicles designed to transport stretchers efficiently and safely are all factors in stretcher transportation.

Bariatric Transport

With patients that need extra help and assistance getting to and from various locations and facilities, bariatric transportation is specifically designed for patients weighing over four hundred pounds. With specialized staff, specifically-designed stretchers, and appropriate vehicles, these types of transport can accommodate several kinds of patients. In these cases, moving in and out of vehicles, sensitive heart and skin conditions, and the need to monitor vitals are typical patient needs. Similar to other forms of transportation, bariatric service providers ensure that the right staff and equipment, as well as appropriately sized vehicles, are readily available and present to assist bariatric patients. 

Long Distance Transport

If a patient requires long-distance transport between care facilities, long-distance ground transportation may be an option. If in non-critical conditions, ground transportation between long distances can be an alternative for patients to flight services and air medical transportation. This can save money and is also an option for patients unwilling or unable to fly. Typically more than 200 miles, transporting patients this way requires the service to consider comfort, medical professionals, and in most cases, accommodation for a family member or friend to accompany the patient. Patients that need to be transported that distance and who are in critical condition, however, may need to resort to air transportation instead.

Flight Services

Air medical transportation is essential in treating patients in rural areas with extreme injuries and those that are in critical condition and require long-distance transport. Planes with proper staffing and equipment for these extreme conditions and injuries are utilized to get the patient to the medical care they need in the safest, most time-efficient way possible.
All ambulatory transportation needs are unique and require different services in order to best treat patients. Understanding these different services is important in the medical transportation world. In an emergency, it can be hard to think through who to call and what you need, which is why transportation logistics partners can be extremely helpful in these situations. Here at Medi-Ops, we offer many ambulatory services, and with a centralized dispatch center get every client connected to the proper service. We, as a company, have connections with all of these services and can connect clients and transport in one call with time and efficiency as a top priority. Time is valuable in emergencies, so client knowledge of which services best fit the emergency is important; however, transportation providers like Medi-Ops can also help to identify the best service possible and move forward in the transportation process.

Author Medi-Ops Team Categories Ambulance Services

What is Behavioral Health Transportation?

Patient transport is critical to executing well in the medical field. Whether that be emergency transportation or non-emergency transportation, medicine should be approached with a patient-first mindset and transportation is not excluded from that. Every patient case requires careful consideration of what type of transport best fits their medical needs. This includes NICU and pediatric transportation, ALS and BLS, emergent and non-emergent, and more. Another form of patient transportation that doesn’t always come to mind when one thinks of medical and patient transportation is behavioral health transport. So exactly what is behavioral health transportation and how can it be done well? Let’s dive in…

Types of Patient Transport

To revisit patient transportation, there are a few noteworthy types of transport to keep in mind, specifically those that Medi-Ops provides.

Ambulance Transportation: Time is essential in emergencies and ambulance transportation takes patients to the medical care they need in the fastest way possible. Different emergencies require different medical professionals, skills, equipment, and services all in regard to transportation. Medi-Ops uses a centralized dispatch center to connect clients and patients with the exact ambulance service needed in just one phone call, whether this is a need for ICU Critical Care in addition to NICU and pediatric services and ALS and BLS companies. Locating the closest service to the patient’s location, Medi-Ops coordinates among all of these services and connections to take care of everything and provide live tracking for ambulance services. Time is of the essence in these situations and is an extremely high priority to transportation services and medical care centers alike. 

Air Medical Transportation: Similar to ambulance transportation, air medical transports are also used in emergencies and are typically for patients requiring attention for burns, traumatic brain or spinal cord injuries, status post trauma, organ transplant recipients, head injuries, and respiratory illnesses. Getting a patient to the medical attention they require, near or far, is the key here. Air Medical transport is almost always used in extremely critical cases, so there is a high need for urgency, efficiency, and safety every time. Utilizing Medi-Ops as your air medical transportation service allows for a patient-first focus and gives patients and clients the freedom to focus on what is important rather than the scheduling, staffing, and timing of air medical transport.

NEMT (Non-Emergency Medical Transportation): When patients have hospital discharges, office visits, or other non-emergent appointments, NEMT is the way to go. This can look different depending on the situation and client, however, these services can include rideshare, ambulatory, wheelchair, or stretcher transport. At Medi-Ops, personalized operations coordinators can match the client to the correct service for medical, personal, and financial needs. NEMT transportation is often utilized when patients don’t have the means to get themselves to medically related appointments. Medical facilities can greatly benefit from having specific NEMT plans or even designated vehicles in order to cater to their patient’s needs in the best ways possible. The demand for NEMT continuously grows, and behavioral health transportation can fall under this category with the need for transportation of patients between medical care facilities.

What Is Behavioral Health Transport?

Behavioral health transport involves specifically designed, equipped, and staffed transportation utilizing secure vehicles in order to ensure the safety and well-being of patients with behavioral and psychological conditions. Secure site transfer for those under specific watch for mental health and behavioral conditions allows for extra supervision and security for these patients.

At Medi-Ops, secure vehicles are used for behavioral health transfers or transports instead of needing an ambulance. Not only does this save on cost, but also allows for quicker, more efficient transportation. The use of secure vehicles and trained personnel ensures patient safety and discretion while also offering the most cost-effective and orderly transport. 

Another note on behavioral health transportation is that laws and restrictions vary from state to state. Specific transportation providers are needed in these situations for legal compliance, patient safety, and well-being. Medi-Ops follows all of these standards and as always works from a patient-first perspective to make sure patient comfort and well-being stay on the top of the priority list.

Why Behavioral Health Transportation Matters

Medical needs and transportation can be scary and unnerving for many patients. Serving patients with various psychological needs is important to ensure the proper care and well-being of these patients. Utilizing secure vehicles and trained personnel ensures high levels of care and discretion for those patients with behavioral health needs. 

All in all, patient transportation is one of the most essential pieces in the medical care process. Different kinds of transportation serve different patients better, and behavioral health transport is no exception. With the multitude of transportation options, Medi-Ops is able to cater to the needs of every patient with our secure options, connections, security, and technology. Patient transportation, including behavioral health transport, should always be a top priority in the medical transportation industry.

Cold Chain Dry Ice
Author Medi-Ops Team Categories Courier Services

What are Cold Chain Logistics and Why are They Important?

Many medical products are susceptible to the elements – temperature, humidity, etc. That’s where cold chain logistics come in – a process managing the temperature and validity of sensitive products to maintain the product’s quality and safety from the point of origin to the final destination. The inability to transport products correctly can render them ineffective or even harmful to patients. Over $35 Billion in losses due to the mishandling of medical products occur every year. This shocking number can be reduced by implementing improved cold chain logistics and management.

Cold Chain Management – What Is It?

Vaccines, pharmaceuticals, medical specimens, and products typically have temperature requirements in storage and transportation processes. Temperature-controlled storage and distribution must be managed to uphold the integrity of these products. Generally, products either need to be frozen (5 degrees Fahrenheit or below) or chilled (35 to 47 degrees Fahrenheit). For example, plasma needs to be frozen in both storage and transportation while blood needs to be chilled. This is the same for many pharmaceuticals and other medical goods. While the specific requirements vary depending on the product, standards must be met to ensure preservation and effectiveness. The food industry has been utilizing temperature-controlled transportation options for years with refrigerated vehicles and containers, it’s the same for the medical industry. Specific vehicles, containers, and transportation practices are utilized depending on the requirements and needs of the product.

Another consideration in cold chain management is geographic guidelines and regulations. Depending on the country, state, or region of transportation, different requirements are issued by governmental organizations. These requirements affect containers, handling, vehicles, and shipment of medical products and must be followed in order to ensure safety measures and legal compliance.

The healthcare logistics industry is rapidly increasing, so cold chain management and logistics will continue to become a top priority for everyone involved in the medical industry – labs, medical product development organizations, healthcare providers, transportation and logistics services, and more. 

The Cold Chain Dilemma

All of these goods can be life-saving products, making their storage and transportation vital in creating efficient healthcare systems. Not only are there financial and environmental consequences in mishandling all of these products, but there are also real implications to a medical provider’s ability to provide effective patient care. Since ineffective cold chain logistics cost time and resources, investing time and energy into developing the highest levels of care and attention in cold chain systems is vital to the healthcare industry. If any disruption in temperature and handling occurs, the product could be damaged or spoiled permanently. This leads to a multitude of issues – financial and environmental impacts, reputation risk, ineffective or harmful products, loss of data, or regulatory action to name a few. 

Common factors that lead to damage to these products are…

  • Improper temperature environments for the product (too cold, too hot, allowing a product to freeze, etc.)
  • Light-exposure
  • Lack of attention to humidity and climate requirements
  • Shocks, vibrations, or dropping of packaging throughout any step of the handling, transportation, or storage process
  • Transportation delays

Challenges in medical transportation like delays, packaging failure, or incorrect handling are the main causes of product losses due to cold chain slip-ups. Extremely cold or hot days, humidity, or even the intensity of sunlight during transportation harm products and goods. Temperature and shelf-life are incredibly important in the storage and transportation process, creating no room for error. When transportation providers aren’t paying attention to these details, goods are damaged and everyone must deal with the consequences.

Solutions to Cold Chain Logistics Issues

Companies that deal with transporting medical products on a regular basis should have dedicated logistics providers in order to avoid all of these issues. In addition to a variety of ground and air transportation options, Medi-Ops deals with these issues through tracking software, a 24/7 dispatch center, an extensive team of operators, and an owned and managed fleet of ground vehicles staffed by medically qualified personnel. The key to cold chain logistics is time and temperature efficiency as well as consistent monitoring and tracking of products. No product should be lost or damaged due to mishandling. Combatting this dilemma of cold chain management issues, all of Medi-Ops operators are state background-checked, HIPAA-compliant, and uniformed to provide the highest level of security and to ensure each product is delivered on time and in perfect condition. In addition to properly vetted and reliable operators, the ability to utilize lights-and-sirens emergency transportation calls can also cut down time concerns for product transportation. The reliability and speed of Medi-Ops transportation with a specialty in time-sensitive and climate-controlled delivery can’t be beat and ensures quality, consistent care.

There is no doubt that cold chain logistics are important in the medical industry. In fact, that is an incredible understatement. Cold chain logistics are absolutely essential in the medical industry. The losses currently seen due to the mismanagement of products that require specific time and temperature regulations are unacceptable. With a growing medical industry and more products than ever having temperature requirements, having cold chain logistics partners such as Medi-Ops is increasingly essential to medical organizations and providers.

Blood Forward Square Logo
Author Medi-Ops Team Categories Blood Bank

Medi-Ops Announces BloodForward – an Algorithm to Strengthen the U.S. Blood Supply

Medi-Ops, a technology-enabled medical logistics organization, is proud to announce the release of BloodForward, an algorithm specifically designed for the blood banking industry. BloodForward will be integrated into the Medi-Ops software platform, allowing organizations a new level of control over blood product distribution. BloodForward assists in the routing of ground and air transportation for human blood products while taking into consideration the unique circumstances surrounding blood shipments and the urgency based on patient condition.

For many years, the medical logistics industry has been taking a reactive approach to shipments; we believe this needs to change to a proactive approach. Organizations need to utilize data to learn how predictive models can strengthen the blood supply while reducing costs. BloodForward, in combination with the Medi-Ops software platform, facilitates this transition.

Organizations utilizing BloodForward will be able to ensure KPIs such as speed, reliability, and cost are optimized for and constantly evaluated. This prioritization of key KPIs will ensure the highest success rates while considering the blood products, patient requirements, and organization preferences.

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