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Hidden heat exposure in last mile delivery
Heat sensitive vaccines degrade when exposed to temperatures outside their required range. Without vial level tracking, cumulative heat exposure during last mile delivery or power outages in clinics goes undetected. Clinicians face the critical task of verifying a vaccine has not degraded from heat exposure over its lifetime. They also must accurately log that verification into the Electronic Health Record prior to administration.
When temperature excursions go unnoticed, the negative consequences are severe. The patient is not adequately vaccinated to prevent the disease. The healthcare costs associated with managing the patient’s disease can be significant. Healthcare facilities face high costs from inventory paid for and used but is ineffective. Lost revenue and institutional credibility are all on the line. Furthermore, manually recording vial data creates operational bottlenecks that slow down patient care and increase the risk of administering ineffective vaccines, ultimately leading to significant patient safety concerns and customer dissatisfaction.
The undetected cumulative heat exposure solution
Zebra addresses undetected heat exposure by combining precise monitoring with instant data capture. The Zebra HEATmarker VVM and the Zebra CS60-HC scanners work seamlessly together to tackle this pervasive challenge. Clinicians can confidently verify vaccine potency at the point of care and streamline workflows from visual check to digital health record update. This method eliminates manual data entry errors and prevents the administration of degraded vaccines while prioritising safe inventory.
Potential benefits
Implementing Zebra solutions transforms complex clinical challenges into highly measurable improvements. Healthcare facilities can eliminate data entry errors and streamline workflows while maintaining strict compliance with global health standards for vaccine monitoring.
Eliminated manual errors
reduces the administration of ineffective vaccines through precise digital tracking
Optimised vaccine inventory
allows healthcare workers to prioritise vials based on accurate exposure data
Seamless workflow integration
logs safe administration directly into the digital health record system
How the solution works
Visual potency verification at the point of care
Zebra HEATmarker VVM provides a permanent colour changing visual indicator on every single vial. This indicator tracks total cumulative heat exposure over time by aligning with the stability profile of the vaccine. It provides the most objective method to identify if a vial is safe to use. Frontline workers can easily prioritise using vials that have had some heat exposure but remain within safe limits before they expire.
Instant digital logging of safe administration
Once the visual check is complete, the Zebra CS60-HC is utilised to scan the vial 2D barcode and the patient's wristband. This purpose-built healthcare scanner seamlessly captures vital data in an instant. It acts as the critical bridge to the hospital's Electronic Health Record system by logging a safe administration or recording the vial as waste. This robust hardware provides rapid and accurate data capture to eliminate manual entry errors. This scanner features an IP65-sealed, medical-grade plastic housing that allows safe disinfection with aggressive hospital cleaners. Its single-body design, gapless inductive touch buttons, and wireless charging system remove all physical crevices, preventing germs from harbouring on the device.
Improve patient safety and increase workflow efficiency
Investing in accurate monitoring and data capture mitigate financial losses from wasted inventory, ineffective patient vaccination, and the healthcare facilities reputation. Healthcare providers can deliver optimal patient care while significantly reducing operational bottlenecks and improving overall administrative compliance across the facility.
Note:
Use case figures, savings estimates and images are illustrative only and may be derived from customer data, projections, or controlled testing. They do not represent guaranteed results, and actual outcomes will vary by application; customers should consult a Zebra sales representative to evaluate their specific environment.
