Blood, plasma, and platelets are typically packed in ice packs inside coolers before being sent to Emergency Rooms (ER), Operating Rooms (OR), or other locations. However, these areas are often too chaotic to properly monitor. This can lead to blood and plasma being left out where it is able to warm up. This renders it useless to patients.
While most physicians and anesthesiologists would like better access, blood banks fear that blood and plasma will not be managed properly, leading to waste and the loss of potentially life-saving substances.
Current solutions for blood bank storage include battery-powered refrigeration units. These units are designed to keep blood and plasma cold for up to 48 hours. Unfortunately, there is no way to monitor temperatures or to ensure that unauthorized individuals do not have access to blood.
It’s crucial that blood banks are able to monitor and track blood at all times. Blood banks need real-time access to vital information such as when blood is removed, as well as which patient received it. They need to know whether temperature fluctuations occur, and when refrigeration equipment requires maintenance.
Refrigeration units carrying blood and plasma are often moved from room to room. It’s crucial that blood banks are able to locate units quickly and easily. In order to track access, blood bankers need to know when doors are opened and when blood is removed.
Tracking individual blood bags allows blood bankers to ensure that blood removed reaches the right patient. This makes it possible to accurately prepare invoices and prevent adverse reactions to blood transfusions. Accurate tracking and monitoring of refrigeration units and access to blood is crucial to the health and safety of patients.
Although the needs are clear, a reliable solution has not been available to blood bankers until now. Connection to the IoT enables blood bankers to accurately monitor and track refrigeration equipment and inventory at all times. Real-time alerts provide notification when temperature changes occur, blood bags are removed, equipment requires maintenance, and more. Mint Controls’ solution provides more value and better service than any other monitoring solution available today.