In medical logistics, the technological advances that have made GPS tracking and monitoring of equipment possible will be forever praised. From maintaining shipment integrity to improving transportation systems, tracking and monitoring technology prove invaluable to the medical industry.
Is tracking necessary?
Short answer? Yes. Tracking and monitoring of medical shipments (blood, organs, equipment, supplies, etc.) significantly increases transparency, efficiency, and reliability of shipments and medical facilities alike. While the medical field already has a stigma of being precise and efficient, there is always a possibility of human error. Hospitals can use tracking to avoid accidental losses, misplacement, or theft of items. These mistakes happen, and the use of devices with the capabilities to track and monitor shipments helps to reduce and mitigate issues when they arise. Knowing the geographical location can help with the planning and preparation of procedures as well as provide assurance and affirmation that shipments are coming when they are supposed to from where they are supposed to. This increase in visibility can provide peace of mind for patients, clients, and the facilities receiving and sending shipments.
At Medi-Ops, we are able to ensure fast and efficient movement of shipments due to our incredible tracking, monitoring, and software capabilities. Logistics should bring the best possible experience to both sender and receiver when it comes to sending and receiving anything that relates to the medical industry. Patients’ lives are often on the line when it comes down to it. Due to this fact, the efficiency and integrity of every aspect of the supply chain and medical processes and procedures should be as smooth as possible. To achieve that level of industry excellence, proper tracking and monitoring is essential.
The reporting and data analytics that come from using tracking systems are also extraordinarily helpful in supply chain evaluation. With the ability to see how shipments and supply chain logistics play out in terms of numbers, organizations can easily figure out where holes are and what improvements need to be made. The ability to recognize and improve supply chain performance is an invaluable tool in maintaining a constant state of analytics and improvement for organizations, facilities, and other clientele.
What does tracking and monitoring look like?
Using trackers allows the location and the condition of an order to be shared in real time. The reduction of risk, efficient operation, and assurance of on-time and in-full deliveries that trackers provide proves to be worth the effort of acquisition and use. Trackers in these cases can use RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology. A tracking system with this technology uses tags and readers, with the tags powered by the reader and don’t need a battery. Readers rely on radio waves and signals to communicate with one another and transmit valuable data and tracking information. Besides this kind of technology, GPS trackers are also used. With air travel, non-lithium options are essential as well.
Monitoring of temperature, orientation, shocks, light, and humidity is important when dealing with sensitive products and shipments. Parcels containing pharmaceuticals or things like organs, blood, or tissues require close monitoring to ensure the integrity of the product. When a package containing items such as these has an issue with conditions like or similar to those above, they need to be solved immediately to maintain product viability. With sensors and trackers similar to the technology listed above, alerts can be sent in real-time and any issues with product conditions can be solved upon alert and in time to save the shipment from potential spoil. This information can prove extraordinarily valuable and save time, products, and ultimately patients’ lives.
Where do we go from here?
Integrating tracking and monitoring as a priority in medical logistics is an integral part of planning well when it comes to the transportation of supplies and products. With the added information and transparency that this technology provides, there is no doubt that it is an essential piece of the medical logistics puzzle.
At Medi-Ops, the use of tracking technology and software is a large priority. The transparency and efficiency that come to fruition here can’t go unappreciated and holds so much value. With the expansion of logistical capital that comes with tracking and monitoring comes better relationships with clients, higher integrity of products, and time-efficient practices in shipments (which can’t go unnoticed or unvalued in the medical field). Tracking and monitoring are already advanced in technology, but as always, Medi-Ops will continue to look to the future and adjust course as necessary to provide the best, most efficient, and technologically advanced systems to continue to provide the best medical logistics options out there.