Temperature control in food process manufacturing
Chilly and Billy’s ULTimate guide to ultra-cold storage solutions
Medical refrigerator temperature management, maintenance and monitoring are essential components of the cold chain. Often overshadowed by more glamorous medical equipment and innovations, these appliances hold within them a vital responsibility that can quite literally mean the difference between life and death.
Although the indispensable realm of medical refrigeration management is slightly underappreciated, it plays a critical role in preserving the cold chain, an uninterrupted temperature-controlled supply of various medications. Accounting for production, storage and distribution of many biologics including vaccines and insulin, the cold chain relies on medical refrigerators to support low temperature ranges.
In the intricate world of healthcare, temperature management of medical refrigerators maintains an unbroken journey from the manufacturer to patient. A fluctuation of just a few degrees can have catastrophic consequences.
To manage the potency and efficacy of their biological contents, the medical refrigerator requires maintenance, monitoring and routine management to ensure temperature control. In this instance, temperature isn’t just a number, it is essentially a lifeline:
Who manages medical refrigerator temperatures?
There’s a seemingly endless catalogue of medications required for our public health, each with their unique storage requirements, one such factor which is always paramount is temperature conditions.
Preserving efficacy and preventing degradation, the list of such medications and biologics can vary depending on the setting of the medical refrigerator. The cold chain facilitates the supply, distribution and storage between various healthcare and medical locations:
- Hospitals and clinics
- Pharmacies
- Laboratories
- Blood banks
- Vaccine distribution centres
- Pharmaceutical manufacturers
- Biotechnology storage
- Biorepositories
- Forensic facilities
- Long term care facilities
Temperature mapping for medication refrigerator
In the standard fridge that we all have in our kitchen, temperature variations aren’t a major cause for concern. With medication refrigerator temperature, however, conformity remains an indisputable requirement. Temperature mapping is an essential procedure in ensuring temperature remains consistent throughout the entirety of the unit.
Temperature mapping identifies any hot or cold areas that require further validation or calibration within a unit. This procedure should be conducted periodically, in alignment with seasonal temperature variations for example, and is an essential practice within a range of environments, from warehouses, and cold rooms to, of course, refrigeration.
Temperature mapping for medication refrigerators varies depending on the environment in which it is assessed. All procedures do however require equipment such as data loggers and sensors. These must be fully calibrated to meet precise and exact functionality specifications, with full documentation and reporting necessary to qualify the medicinal unit as suitable for storage use.
As experts in the field, Withnell Sensors specialises in fulfilling temperature mapping requirements, offering a range of solutions to assist you on your next project.
From our ability to conduct routine temperature mapping services using UKAS-accredited calibration equipment, to our equipment rental service for a highly cost-effective and efficient alternative to in-house purchasing.
Should you wish to conduct your ongoing and future temperature mapping, in-house, we also provide an extensive range of market leading data loggers, with our rental service functioning as a try before you buy opportunity!
Temperature monitoring
Once a medication refrigerator temperature mapping report has been completed, and the refrigerator qualified for long term storage use, they must be monitored closely.
In accordance with storage requirements, medication refrigerator temperatures should remain between 2°-8°C to successfully maintain pharmaceutical efficacy. Fluctuations or deviations outside of the set parameters captured during validation and mapping, will leave products susceptible to degradation and spoilage, resulting in medicinal wastage.
To ensure temperature remains within the expected range, monitoring efforts must includes routine temperature logging at a minimum frequency of once per day, documenting the minimum, maximum and current temperatures throughout the unit.
Best practice in medication refrigerator temperature monitoring is to place sensors or temperature readers in identified areas that are most susceptible to fluctuations – this intel is gather during the temperature mapping procedure.
With new advances in digital processes, online monitoring and reporting are advocated within the temperature monitoring space. This is due to digitalisation improving not only temperature reading accuracy but also innovating the medical sector through remote monitoring ability.
The most important factor with medication refrigerator temperature monitoring however, is real-time monitoring. Systems that can track and trace fluctuations as they happen offer the most protection to valuable medication products and components.
Given that cold-chain medication is particularly fluctuation-sensitive, it’s essential for a monitoring system to include an inbuilt alarm system. This serves as a failsafe measure to notify stakeholders of any temperature deviations as they happen.
Withnell Sensors provides the ultimate real-time cloud-based monitoring solution for automated, real-time temperature monitoring: the AiroSensor. This wireless temperature monitoring solution operates as a supreme safeguarding measure, providing instant temperature monitoring and automated in-depth reporting remotely for up to ten years. Better yet, this solution comes with a swap-out feature for calibration periods, leaving your medication protected at all times.
The most important factor with medication refrigerator temperature monitoring however, is real-time monitoring. Systems that can track and trace fluctuations as they happen offer the most protection to valuable medication products and components.
Given that cold-chain medication is particularly fluctuation-sensitive, it’s essential for a monitoring system to include an inbuilt alarm system. This serves as a failsafe measure to notify stakeholders of any temperature deviations as they happen.
Withnell Sensors provides the ultimate real-time cloud-based monitoring solution for automated, real-time temperature monitoring: the AiroSensor. This wireless temperature monitoring solution operates as a supreme safeguarding measure, providing instant temperature monitoring and automated in-depth reporting remotely for up to ten years. Better yet, this solution comes with a swap-out feature for calibration periods, leaving your medication protected at all times.
Medication refrigeration replacements and upgrades
Routine maintenance and regular monitoring are predominantly essential in ensuring that every unit is performing to its optimum standard, however these methods also uncover consistent testing failures or temperature fluctuations.
As the most noticeable signs of wear and tear in the medical sector, if fluctuations become too often of an occurrence, its always worth considering replacement of medication refrigerators too.
Additional signs to for include:
Additional signs to for include:
- Condensation or water collection at the bottom
- Overheating
- Premature product spoilage
- Excessive noise
- Increased energy usage
As technology advances, new models are now available with sophisticated features, maximum protection and state-of-the-art infrastructure. The unique product line we have available at Withnell Sensors, bears no exception, providing a series of top-level, pharmaceutical-grade equipment, such as the ALS x-cold series refrigerator.
With enhanced security, real-time control function and built-in remote monitoring technology, the ALS series further serves as an environmentally friendly, energy-efficient solution, combining top-level technology with sustainability ambitions within the facility.
For medicinal fridge maintenance, think Withnell Sensors
Our abilities go beyond providing temperature mapping equipment, monitoring solutions and refrigeration units; our expert engineers are on hand for continuous advice and support with your medication refrigerator management needs.
Speak with us today to discuss your requirements.
