8 min.
25.5.2023
With GS1 standards, blood samples in the North Jutland Region are safer en route
Text
Lasse Jacobsen
Photo:
Internal
Blood samples sent from general practitioners across the North Denmark Region previously had to be unpacked and sorted manually to ensure they reached the right hands at the Department of Clinical Biochemistry at Aalborg University Hospital.
- It wasn't a task anyone was particularly fond of. It caused joint pain, says Annebirthe Hansen, Chief Physician at the same department.
A biomedical laboratory scientist, tired of joint pain from the sorting work, came up with the idea for a smarter solution. The idea was submitted to the Idea Clinic, an innovation unit dedicated to supporting and realizing innovative proposals within the healthcare sector in the North Denmark Region, and thus the development of the Intelligent Shipping Box began.
After eight years of innovation with the Idea Clinic and Intelligent Systems, the system is now a reality, ensuring more efficient and gentle handling of samples.
ABOUT THE SHIPPING BOX
- The development project was launched in 2012 to address the laboratories' challenges.
- The companies LT Automation and Intelligent Systems have been responsible for driving the project.
- It has been a close collaboration with Aalborg University Hospital and Odense University Hospital, utilizing their knowledge and experience within the biochemical field and laboratory workflows.
- The result is a solution that creates greater safety, quality, and a more efficient laboratory with a better working environment.
(Source: Forsendelseskassen.dk)
21 degrees is important
The shipping box is built using GS1 standards. It ensures that the blood samples taken at general practitioners' offices are also transported under the correct conditions.
Previously, doctors were responsible for tasks such as centrifuging and transporting the blood samples. However, the quality could be inconsistent. This led to a collection service for blood samples, and at the Department of Clinical Biochemistry in Aalborg, it meant 120 boxes delivered twice daily, followed by manual sorting.
General practitioners use climate-controlled cabinets with monitoring, and the vehicles transporting the blood samples are specially equipped to maintain a temperature of 21 degrees.
- Every single shipping box contains an RFID unit, which also measures the temperature continuously. We have full temperature monitoring regarding how the samples have been stored, explains Annebirthe Hansen.
Temperature is crucial for the quality of the blood samples – 21 degrees, plus or minus one degree.
- The shipping box has led to better quality assurance, but there is also improved patient safety, as we have fewer adverse events, such as entire boxes going missing.
The shipping box is built using GS1 standards. It ensures that the blood samples taken at general practitioners' offices are also transported under the correct conditions.
Previously, doctors were responsible for tasks such as centrifuging and transporting the blood samples. However, the quality could be inconsistent. This led to a collection service for blood samples, and at the Department of Clinical Biochemistry in Aalborg, it meant 120 boxes delivered twice daily, followed by manual sorting.
General practitioners use climate-controlled cabinets with monitoring, and the vehicles transporting the blood samples are specially equipped to maintain a temperature of 21 degrees.
- Every single shipping box contains an RFID unit, which also measures the temperature continuously. We have full temperature monitoring regarding how the samples have been stored, explains Annebirthe Hansen.
Temperature is crucial for the quality of the blood samples – 21 degrees, plus or minus one degree.
- The shipping box has led to better quality assurance, but there is also improved patient safety, as we have fewer adverse events, such as entire boxes going missing.
Less manual work – better patient safety
The shipping box has not only improved patient safety but also the work environment, reduced work-related injuries, and saved up to half a full-time equivalent.
Annebirthe explains that during her time at Aalborg University Hospital, there have been two cases where employees suffered long-term work-related injuries. One of them actually never returned to work.
- So now we can use our staff resources more optimally and avoid manual procedures. We have been able to save between a quarter and half a full-time equivalent, says Annebirthe.
The technology involving climate-controlled cabinets, the Intelligent Shipping Box, and robots is expected to become standard in future hospitals, according to Annebirthe, who acknowledges that there may be challenges in scaling the solution.
- It took eight years of development from the time we had the idea until the finished robot was ready. Lack of space is a common problem for many laboratories. You have to incorporate it into hospital construction from the very beginning.
However, Annebirthe Hansen is confident that this solution for handling blood samples will become a future requirement from the Danish Accreditation Fund, DANAK (the body that accredits and approves laboratories, ed.).
THE VALUE CHAIN FOR THE SHIPPING BOX
- Courier logs in. The courier scans an employee ID, and the system automatically logs in with a personal code. The user is then automatically directed to "register vehicle" so that the system can always link the courier, route, vehicle, and boxes together.
- First stop on the route. The courier drives to the first stop on the route and scans the unique location barcode, a GLN number, which uniquely identifies the location. Once the location is confirmed, the courier can begin scanning the boxes.
- Delivery and collection. The handheld scanner can scan all boxes at once via RFID. The courier simply holds the scanner over all boxes for delivery and collection, and the system can, using the GS1 GRAI standard, an identification number that can track and collect data on an asset, automatically register which boxes are full and ready for collection, and which boxes are empty and need to be delivered to the medical practice.
- Integration with third-party systems. All data is sent directly to the IntelligentID cloud solution, which facilitates integration with, for example, Webreg, so that all blood samples can be uniquely identified throughout the entire value chain. This allows for results to be sent to medical practices and increases patient safety and quality.
- The box storage system. The intelligent box storage system handles the intake and dispatch of shipping boxes, giving couriers easy access to drop off full shipping boxes and pick up empty ones for a new value chain – all in a very short time. The storage system automatically reads data from the box and then places it in a queue for emptying based on set parameters: time, content, and temperature.
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry. The shipping box is received either via the storage system or a courier, and the location is automatically scanned by the RFID scanner. The box is then placed either automatically through integration with the storage system or manually onto a conveyor belt for automated processing.
- Deviations. The robotic solution automatically reads the boxes, and if the box data does not meet the established criteria—such as temperature deviations, shock detection, transport time, and traceability—the box is automatically sorted out for manual inspection. If the box data meets all criteria, it is handled automatically by the robotic solution.
- Automatic sorting. The robotic solution automatically opens, empties, and sorts blood samples. Its modular design allows the robotic solution to be customized and integrated as needed.
