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medi-ops radiopharmaceuticals
Author Medi-Ops Team Categories Courier Services, Radiopharmaceuticals

Radiopharma & Transport Networks

This year brings a big happy birthday to the radiopharmaceutical industry – turning 69! The continuous development within this field brings innovative changes specifically in cancer drugs and transportation networks. The world of nuclear medicine is small in comparison to other medical specialties but is growing rapidly as light continues to be shed on the unbelievable feats that diagnostic and therapeutic pharmaceuticals achieve. The effects and benefits of what nuclear medicine can do are truly undeniable. 

While the FDA began regulating radiopharmaceuticals as drugs in the 1970s, it would be a decade later that the exploration of oncological imaging and therapy use began in the 1980s. The next decade of the 90s brought further research and rapidly growing use of nuclear medicine (specifically in PET imaging). In this century, leaps and bounds in nuclear medicine have been made – from Time Magazine’s invention of the year as the PET/CT scan machine in 2000 to progressive FDA regulations and continued development in the industry, the best of nuclear medicine is yet to come.

With the extraordinary strides in medicine that radiopharmaceuticals have brought come many challenges – specifically in the safe transport of radiopharmaceuticals with time and radiation considerations. These forms of treatment are radioactive after all, which sounds scary, but really just means that transporting these products requires an extra level of attention and care than regular medical transport. 

The Radiopharmaceutical Industry

In the nuclear medicine world, radiopharmaceuticals can be used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. While diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals contain less radiation than therapy radiopharmaceuticals, both are composed of radioisotopes. These diagnostic procedures within nuclear medicine allow closer, more detailed imaging of specific organs and parts of the body through gamma scans (A.K.A scintigraphy). Both dynamic and static images can be produced, creating optimal specificity in diagnosis. Discoveries of future uses of radiopharmaceuticals in oncology and cardiology prognosis continue to be unveiled. In addition, there is a constant stream of drug development and testing on projected uses of radiopharmaceuticals.

The production of radiopharmaceuticals requires handling large quantities of radioactive substances in addition to chemical processing. Because of this, processing facilities in compliance with manufacturing practices, quality assurance, and control systems are essential for safe production. These products require registration with relevant health authorities as well as careful radioactive material transport. 

Cancer Drugs

The incredible ability of radiopharmaceuticals to detect and treat tumor cells provides for the unearthing of new cancer treatments. Radiopharmaceutical therapy in cancer treatment allows radioactive substances to target specific diseased cells, delivering radiation directly to the tumor and affected area. In specific targeting of cancer cells through therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, side effects and harmful factors surrounding cancer treatments can be reduced. 

Transportation Networks

Now that we’ve had a refresher on the radiopharmaceutical industry and cancer drugs, let’s get into the interesting stuff. As always in medical transportation, there are imperative needs when moving products from one place to the other – Safety. Speed. Efficiency. Specifically with radiopharmaceuticals, complicated transportation networks are necessary to have in place to maintain the integrity of the product. 

Transportation processes of radioactive material are incredibly regulated. Radiopharmaceuticals are transported via Type A packaging, where extensive testing is done on the packages used to maintain and protect the product without releasing its contents. These tests are thorough! They include an hour of water spray, free fall testing onto a hard, flat surface, compression of five times the weight of the package, and penetration tests where heavy bars are dropped on the package from heights of over 3 feet. Once these packages prove themselves worthy after all of this testing, they are ready to serve their purpose in transporting these drugs all over the world. In addition to package regulations, a series of requirements for each mode of transportation (highway, rail, air, and water) are also in place through government transportation regulations.

While most radioactive materials aren’t allowed on commercial flights, radiopharmaceuticals are eligible for air carrier transportation. These products are volatile and require immediate transportation, qualifying for both ground and air transportation depending on the specific situation. Because radiopharmaceuticals have a short half-life, swift transportation efforts are imperative. Depending on the destination, a next flight out or air charter method of transport is typically preferred in these time-critical transportation cases. 

While nuclear medicine is still a relatively small field, the growth and development, particularly in radiopharmaceuticals, are skyrocketing. Transporting these products is an intricate process requiring the utmost level of safety and efficiency. With the right processes and procedures, radiopharmaceuticals are traveling around the world, changing lives and the world of medicine for the better.

Human blood in storage bags
Author Medi-Ops Team Categories Blood Bank, Courier Services

Blood Versus Plasma Storage & Transportation

Every year in the United States and Canada alone, 4.5 million people need a blood transfusion. The medical needs of these millions of people create a need for significant amounts of blood to be donated, stored, transported, and transfused on a daily basis. Each of these processes has specific requirements and standards in order to safely and effectively retrieve, store and send blood across the country. When storing and transporting blood and its components, it’s vital to understand the similarities and differences between the standards each component requires. Plasma (which makes up 55 percent of blood), as well as whole blood, are both common in types of patient transfusions, however, each has different storage and transport requirements. 

Blood V.S. Plasma

Whole blood is made up of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. Blood is stored in refrigerated environments with a shelf life of 21 to 35 days. Blood can be used in its whole form or have different components extracted after a blood draw depending on the medical need and intended use of the unit of blood. In order to acquire blood necessary for medical procedures, eligible individuals willing and ready to donate blood are essential. This donating process involves a medical professional inserting a sterile needle into the donor’s arm and completing a blood draw. An individual donating whole blood will usually give about a pint of blood, which takes 8 to 10 minutes to collect. The blood donation will be kept on ice until it is transported to a processing center where multiple tests are conducted on the donator’s blood to determine blood type and confirm that there are no diseases or irregularities within the donated unit. Once determining the donation is viable, the blood is packaged and properly stored until the time comes to distribute blood to a hospital or medical institution. Blood donations are used for surgeries, traumatic injuries, cancer treatments and so much more. In the United States, an individual is in need of blood every 2 seconds, so donating blood is an incredible act of service. One pint of blood (one donation!) can save up to three lives! Interested in donating? Learn more about the donation process and what you can do here!

In whole blood, red and white blood cells, as well as platelets, are suspended in a yellowish liquid called plasma. Plasma is essential to the body in maintaining blood pressure, supplying blood clotting proteins, and is also important for immunity and electrolyte transport. In order to extract plasma from other blood components, the liquid (plasma) and cells must be separated. When an individual chooses to donate plasma, a blood draw is conducted, similar to a whole blood donation. However, the key difference in this donation process is that the blood drawn is filtered through a high-tech machine that extracts plasma for collection and then sends red cells and platelets, along with saline, back into the donor’s body. This process takes longer than a whole blood donation, averaging about an hour and fifteen minutes. Once collected, plasma goes through a freezing process to store it properly. Plasma transfusions are conducted in cases of cancer treatment, burn victims, liver failure, and those that have experienced severe trauma.

3 Similarities in Blood and Plasma Storage

  1. Temperature Maintenance – Blood and plasma products must be stored in specific temperature conditions to properly preserve the product. This goes for storage as well as transport. When a product is in transport, extra measures must be taken to ensure that optimal temperature standards are being maintained.
  2. Time – When transporting blood and plasma, time is a huge factor. While these two products have different shelf lives, both of them should never have a transportation time of over 24 hours. Medi-Ops’s ground and air transportation services have created a standard of efficient and time-friendly transport in order to excel under these standards.
  3. Equipment – Unmonitored and ill-constructed equipment can be detrimental to the storage and transportation process of both blood and plasma. A careful eye and assurance of proper procedures are essential in cases of handling these medical products. 

3 Differences in Blood and Plasma Storage

  1. Temperature Requirement – While temperature maintenance is a similarity in both blood and plasma storage, the requirements for each are different. Blood units require refrigerated storage at 2 to 6 degrees Celsius. Plasma, once collected, must be flash frozen at -70 degrees celsius before being transferred to storage at -30 degrees celsius. These temperatures are imperative in maintaining both products.
  2. Shelf Life – In terms of shelf life, blood and plasma are drastically different. After extraction and proper storage, blood units have a shelf life of up to 35 days. In contrast, plasma can last up to a year in its frozen state. However, once thawed, plasma has a short shelf life of 5 days, depending on the plasma product.
  3. Container – Due to the difference in temperature, the type of containers used during transport is important when moving blood or plasma. Specifically designed blood transport boxes are most common for moving blood units from one location to another. Insulated containers with ice packs that can maintain the specific temperatures required to preserve blood during transport can also be used. When transporting plasma,  insulated containers that can support dry ice or a substantial amount of wet ice are necessary to keep the product in its ideal frozen state.

All in all, blood and plasma are used daily in the medical field and units are in constant need of transport. Although having their fair share of similarities and differences in the donation, storage, transportation, and transfusion processes, these products require specific attention to storage and transport details. The way Medi-Ops accommodates all of these specifics, safely transporting a variety of medical products and specimens, including plasma and blood, ensures consistent, quality service. When it comes to life-altering circumstances, the efficiency and quality of medical storage and transport are of the utmost importance.

on- board medical courier showing a white cargo plane
Author Medi-Ops Team Categories Blood Bank, Courier Services, Flight Services

On-Board Couriers in Medical Transportation

In the medical world, timing is not always predictable or within a medical professional’s control. When emergency situations arise, means of medical transport can be complicated. Due to this fact, Medi-Ops is quick to respond to calls with various services tailored specifically to meet the needs of any transport situation that may emerge. 

On July 4th of this year, a granulocyte transport for a pediatric lymphoma patient in New Orleans, Louisiana was urgently called in. Granulocytes are the most common white blood cells whose primary function is to fight infection and are used in transfusions to patients with low white blood cell counts. Donors will give granulocytes via blood separation processes and the units of donated granulocytes are only good for 24 hours from the start of the blood draw from a donor. Therefore, this independence day transport call was urgent and extremely time-sensitive. In this case, the granulocyte transport needed to move from Colorado to Louisiana within the 24-hour window. While Medi-Ops would typically handle this call with a Next Flight Out (NFO) service, many airline cargo stations were closed due to the holiday. An NFO service would require cargo stations to be utilized, as a driver drops the product at the airport with the airline, and then a pickup is scheduled on the other end of the flight to transport the product to its final destination. Due to the urgency of this call, an on-board courier method of transportation was required. This way, a Medi-Ops employee could take the product, accompany it onto and during the flight, and quickly transport it to the recipient within the narrow time window. While on-board courier methods are not as common in medical transport, utilizing this service can create ideal conditions for time-sensitive, emergency situations.

What Is On-Board Courier Transport?

The next flight out option with Medi-ops is great for so many reasons. However, sometimes cargo stations are closed on holidays or other occasions, invalidating the option of medical transport via NFO. In these cases, the on-board courier system is used to safely and efficiently transport blood, organs, and other medical specimens. With on-board couriers, a courier professional is physically present with the product throughout the duration of transport. On-board couriers ensure efficiency and safety in a time-sensitive manner. The ability to schedule these trips at the last minute makes on-board couriers ideal for certain urgent emergencies. 

When on-board courier transport is determined to be the most effective method of transportation, what exactly does the process look like? The on-board courier professional that is transporting the product will receive the cargo and accompany it through preflight procedures and onto a passenger flight. When landed, the courier brings the cargo safely through the deplaning process and transports it directly to the final destination, into the hands of medical professionals that will then take the product for its intended use.

On-Board Couriers V.S. Next Flight Out

More commonly, Medi-Ops utilizes the Next Flight Out Service when transporting products via air. An NFO service can be offered through an Indirect Air Carrier such as Medi-Ops. This kind of transport allows for the shipment of medical specimens and products over commercial airlines, providing rapid and secure transport. Through this method, a shipment is picked up and moved to the airport where it is tendered to the airline and monitored using Medi-Ops software during the flight. Post-flight, the shipment is retrieved and delivered to its final destination. The key difference between NFO and on-board couriers is that with an on-board courier there is a professional physically present on the flight and accompanying the product throughout the duration of transport. On-board courier transport tends to be more expensive, however, can be conducted on short notice and with greater flight options.

Safety

As one of the fastest modes of cargo transportation, on-board couriers ensure top-tier safety in medical transport. Because so many transport situations are extremely time-sensitive, on-board couriers are able to create a system where the product is getting exactly where it needs to be in the safest way possible. Since the courier professionals personally accompany the shipment, the product is monitored and watched at all times.

Efficiency

The efficiency of on-board couriers can not be overlooked either! Customs clearance and transport procedures during travel are quick and the products can immediately be available at their final destination. In the case of granulocyte transport previously mentioned, the short shelf life of the product can seemingly produce logistic problems. When granulocytes are extracted from a donor, the short shelf life requires the patient to receive the transfusion within hours. However, since there are rare and urgent needs in this area, granulocytes are often located out of state for certain patients. An efficient transport with an on-board courier can be the means of life or death in these cases. With Medi-Ops, the most efficient method of transport is utilized for each specific call. The option of on-board courier transport with Medi-Ops furthers the ability to address every transport need in the best way possible.

Every situation and call received by Medi-Ops requires evaluation on which means of transport creates the safest, most ideal environment for product, patients, and transportation. In the July 4th call to the pediatric patient, getting a rare and short shelf-life product transported across the United States within a small time window was an incredible accomplishment and couldn’t have been done without the use of on-board courier transport. On-board couriers therefore clearly become an essential means of medical transport when moving time-sensitive products across the country. Using this service ensures safety and efficiency simultaneously, creating the perfect means of emergency medical transport in rare and unique situations.

drone-carrying-medical-supplies
Author Medi-Ops Team Categories Courier Services, Flight Services

How Drones and UAVs are Increasingly Offering Support During Medical Emergencies

Over the years, human beings have been shown to harness technology to meet their needs and wants. This dedication to the betterment of society has defied the limits of human possibility. Technology is increasingly being applied in modern healthcare to tackle some overarching challenges people face today. Much of the attention has been on the use of drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for direct patient intervention and to meet emergency medical supply needs.

Although drone technology was initially intended for aerial and military applications, innovators have since changed the trajectory and customized these systems for healthcare delivery. Already, there have been successful cases of healthcare organizations using drone technology to move laboratory samples, pharmaceuticals, blood products, medical supplies, organs, and vaccines to deserving populations.

This article covers the growing role of drones and UAV support during medical emergencies and what this might mean for the future of healthcare delivery.

The Transportation of Blood and Blood Products

One of the most important issues during medical emergencies is the need for emergency blood supplies to help stop uncontrolled hemorrhage. Because it is one of the primary causes of trauma-induced preventable deaths, stopping uncontrolled hemorrhage on time can greatly improve patient survival.

Patients who have undergone major trauma can be saved through timely blood transfusion. This process can be enhanced by integrating swift and reliable drone transport. An example can be given in Rwanda, where drones are being used to deliver cost-effective blood transportation services during traumatic events such as postpartum hemorrhage. The government has backed the process, which has helped save thousands of lives.

In the United States, the drone delivery of blood and blood products is yet to be successfully implemented due to the high regulation of air traffic. However, given the potential that these technologies have in shaping the future of blood transportation, it is just a matter of time before plans are put into place. 

The Shipping of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs)

Another fundamental application of drone technology is the delivery of AEDs to emergency locations. Research indicates that over 350,000 people annually experience out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) in the United States. The survival rate is extremely low at ten percent.

The problem with OHCA situations is that it takes a while before EMS services arrive, leaving victims at the mercy of bystander conduct. Although bystander fibrillation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can work sometimes, inaccuracies or little delays can prove fatal. 

In many rural areas, EMS services can take long before they arrive at emergency locations due to technical and logistical challenges. An activity that would often take 8 minutes can take up to 30, depending on the setting. Still, recent studies indicate that drones can deliver AEDs swiftly and reliably to where they are needed. The aim is for the AEDs to reach a designated bystander before emergency services arrive.

Therefore, drones have the capability to save lives in OHCA scenarios. If the use of this technology is completely rolled out, then the healthcare industry can improve the survival rate from the current 10%.

The Transportation of Rescue Medications

As earlier stated, drones are being used today to haul medicines and vaccines to deserving populations. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, some drone companies used these technologies to deliver vaccines to rural locations in Africa. The uptake was immense, and the technology has since been rolled out in the United States to deliver health products to customers once they purchase them on e-commerce platforms. This ideology has also spread to Asia, where Japanese companies use drones to haul medical supplies to clinics and pharmacies within the Goto Islands. 

Although this reality has only been realized as a response to the pandemic, it can be seen that drone transportation of medical supplies has global applicability as the technology can be implemented both in rural and urban areas.

One of the potential application areas in the United States is the transportation of nasal spray naloxone to help manage opioid overdose (OD) cases. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists cutting opioid addiction rates as one of its key priorities. If drones are to be used to dispatch drones carrying nasal spray naloxone, bystanders would be better equipped to administer the antidote to opioid overdose victims on time.

Search and Rescue

It is vital to note that drones and UAVs have a role in the search and rescue of emergency victims. Because these technologies can fly remotely autonomously or non-autonomously, they can reach remote areas far quicker than humans. Drones and UAVs can also take photos and video recordings in real-time, which helps aid search and rescue (SAR) missions.

At the moment, much of this SAR drone application occurs when saving hikers and skiers in an avalanche, mountainous, and heavy snow regions. Accidents in these areas can greatly reduce survival probabilities meaning that rapid rescue missions are required.

An important point to note is that drones cannot extract victims from such topographical scenarios. However, innovators can integrate multispectral or thermal imaging cameras to identify the presence of gasses which helps locate accident victims.

Here, the aim is to efficiently locate victims and understand their conditions before EMS services can arrive at the emergency locations.

Bottom Line

Given the challenges that have come up in the pandemic era and the need for humans to harness technology for healthcare needs, it can be expected that the use of drones and UAVs will increase.

Drone technology allows healthcare stakeholders to transport blood, blood products, automated external defibrillators (AEDs), rescue medications, and perform search and rescue procedures. With global applicability and confidence increasing across all stakeholders, more utilization of drones and UAVs in healthcare can be expected.

If you are looking for a professional and technology-enabled medical logistics and transportation company to meet your organization’s needs, reach out to us. We offer our customers a unique and innovative perspective on managing their medical supply chains. 

We can manage and coordinate all your medical transportation activities for you. Our specialties include ground and air medical couriers, NEMT transportation, ambulance transportation, and unmanned aerial services.

woman-receiving-prescription-medicines-medical-delivery-concept
Author Medi-Ops Team Categories Courier Services

Ways Last-Mile Medical Delivery is Improving

Online retail sales have evolved from an oddity to the norm over the last decade. As with other sectors, it has also transformed the healthcare industry. According to the US Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), home health spending will rise from $103 billion to $173 billion by 2026. This will mark a 78 % increase in spending in less than a decade. The increase in home health spending signals an excellent investment opportunity for medical organizations. However, it comes with a unique set of challenges concerning last-mile medical delivery. 

Therefore, as organizations compete to enhance efficiency, cut costs, and increase market share, there have been some notable advancements in the area. 

Read on to learn how last-mile courier shipping in the medical sector is evolving and how you can capitalize on it. 

The Challenges of Last Mile Medical Deliveries

Before delving into the change in last-mile medical delivery, it’s first important to understand the challenges. To begin with, it’s vital to appreciate that in addition to the general last-mile delivery challenges, the medical sector has some unique ones. 

This is largely due to the time sensitivity of the deliveries, the nature of products, and potential risks. In simple terms, a delayed or failed delivery has greater ramifications for all parties. So, it comes with a lot of pressure. 

  • Special Handling – Many pharmaceutical products require special handling and specific conditions such as low temperatures to be maintained throughout. If not, they will spoil or become ineffective.
  • Additional Skill Requirements – Beyond driving, medical sector delivery drivers require additional skills. These include monitoring temperature and setting up and installing medical devices such as oxygen tanks and dialysis machines. 
  • On-Demand Deliveries – Emergencies in the medical sector are a common occurrence and must be addressed swiftly as they’re often life or death cases. However, adjusting to them when you already have a full schedule is not easy.
  • Driver Continuity – Many healthcare facilities and clients request that only one driver handles all their deliveries. While this adds to the level of customer trust and satisfaction, it makes it difficult to plan last-mile deliveries. 

How Last Mile Medical Delivery is Evolving 

While the pressure of last-mile medical deliveries is high, getting it right is very rewarding. This means that products are handled well throughout the delivery, and they arrive on time. To do this, you need to have full control of the supply chain, including minute details.

While it may sound impossible, you can leverage advanced technological solutions to enjoy greater visibility and control over last-mile deliveries. Such solutions offer:

1. Last Mile Visibility

As mentioned, medical deliveries are unique as some products require a unique set of conditions to be maintained throughout. Ordinarily, it’s not easy to ascertain whether these conditions were maintained.

However, with advanced tools, you can enjoy last-mile visibility. This allows courier companies and medical practitioners to monitor conditions in real-time. In doing so, decision-making is significantly enhanced, thus improving outcomes. 

2. Automated Route Optimization

If deliveries are scheduled long before the delivery date, fulfilling them is easy. However, that’s not always the case. In addition to the scheduled ones, there are also on-demand deliveries. These, in fairness, can be a nightmare to deal with.

First, you need to find a way to fit them into an already tight schedule. But that’s the easy part. You’ll also need to match the delivery with the best-suited driver in relation to their hours of service (HOS), location, and other factors.

As you do this, you may be forced to adjust other deliveries. An automation tool that offers route optimization can help with this. They account for all variables, including the type of vehicle needed and cold storage requirements, and create a delivery schedule instantly.

But beyond matching appropriate drivers with deliveries, they also choose the most efficient routes. This means drivers will be assigned deliveries with the minimum possible distance, thus reducing delivery times and fuel costs. 

3. Digital Proof of Delivery

Medical supplies and equipment are highly sensitive. And some of them can be used for harmful purposes if they’re in the wrong hands. Therefore, the last thing you want is uncertainty about their whereabouts.

Was the consignment delivered or not? This is a question that should never come up.

Automated platforms for managing medical deliveries can help with this. They have a feature that allows the driver to capture proof of delivery digitally. On the other hand, customers can give instant feedback. 

4. Delivery Notifications

A key part of your job is ensuring medical deliveries are done on time, and the products arrive in peak condition. However, you can achieve this but fail in the overall objective of providing medical care. 

While medical supplies are in transit during emergency deliveries, there are people on the other side waiting for them. These include the patient and caregivers. The duration they have to wait for the delivery often influences their decision-making and preparation.

This is one of the simple yet invaluable features of a digital medical delivery solution. It provides delivery notifications informing patients and caregivers of the progress. Doing this significantly enhances their decision-making and capacity to plan. 

5. Deep Insights

Using an automated solution to optimize last-mile medical deliveries helps you achieve greater efficiency. Moreover, it gives you flexibility and visibility over the supply chain. But that’s not all. 

It also collects key data on your delivery processes that would otherwise be invisible. By analyzing this data, you’ll gain crucial insights into how you can further optimize the process. This may be by resolving bottlenecks or making further improvements. 

Eliminate the Hassle of Last Mile Medical Deliveries

As a health service provider, the growth of in-health services and medical deliveries presents a huge opportunity. Along with increasing revenues, it also allows you to increase access to the necessary medical equipment and services to consumers. But, it does not have to be a painstaking process.MediOps is a technology-enabled medical logistics and transportation company. We have proprietary software that simplifies medical supply management while increasing visibility. Get in touch with us today for reliable last-mile medical courier services.

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