Cold chain in healthcare is defined as the temperat ure-controlled supply chai n involving a system of transporting and storing vaccines and pharmaceutical drugs. It consists of three major components
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transport and storage equipment, trained personnel, and effi cient management procedures. The majority of the vaccines in the cold chain are typically maintained at a temperature of 35-46 degrees Fahrenheit [2-8 degrees Centigrade]. Maintaining cold chain integrity is extremel y important for healthcare product manufacturers. Especially for the vaccines, improper storage and ha ndling practices that compromise vaccine viability prove a costly, time-consuming affair. Vaccines must be stored properly from manufacture until they are available for use. Any extreme temperatures of heat or cold will reduce vaccine potency; such vaccines, if administered, might not yield effective re sults or could cause adverse effects. Effectively maintaining the temperatures of storage units throughout the he althcare supply chain in real time
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i.e.
, beginning from the gathering of the resources, manufacturing, distribu tion, and dispensing of the products
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is the most effective solution desired in the cold chain. Also, the location-tagged real-time environmental data about the storage units helps in monitoring the cold chain for spoiled products. The chain of custody can be easily id entified to assign product liability. A study conducted by the Centers for Disease Contro l and Prevention (CDC) looked at the handling of cold chain vaccines by 45 healthcare providers around Un ited States and reported th at three-quarters of the providers experienced serious cold chain violations.
A WAY TOWARD A POSSIBLE SOLUTION
Magpie Sensing, a start-up project under Ebers Smith and Douglas Associated
LLC,