A cold chain is a temperature-controlled supply chain that includes all vaccine-related equipment and procedures. The cold chain begins with the cold storage unit at the manufacturing plant, extends to the transport and delivery of specimen and proper storage at the provider facility, and ends with diagnosis of the patient.
Manufacturers, distributors, public health staff, health care providers, and laboratories share responsibility to ensure the specimen cold chain is maintained from the time the sample is collected, until a diagnosis is delivered to the patient.
But at what cost to the labs and physicians?
Cold Chain collection and transport is expensive and has become increasingly difficult in delivering an accurate diagnosis to the patient. Not only does this inefficiency hurt the bottom line of labs and providers, but also has the potential to hurt patient by misdiagnosis and downstream medical problems.
To mitigate the cost ($137 - $276) in cold chain transport, labs must consider optimizing the areas of sample collection and transport that are bleeding them dry:
· Refrigeration
· Ice Packs
· Temperature regulated storage bins
· Insulated shipping units
· Refrigerated ground transportation
· Refrigerated air transportation
· Rush shipping orders
To discuss cold chain costs and related topics, click here: https://www.labready.com/#modalLabs
