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Sonic Healthcare UK: Condition monitoring & tracking of sensitive samples using IoT technology

For over two decades, Sonic Healthcare UK (SHUK) has provided clinically-led diagnostic testing to both surgical practices and private clients in the UK.

From 2015, their services extended to the public sector, with the goal of offering transparency and high-end service delivery alongside the National Health Service (NHS).

With the support of four main NHS Trusts in the North London area, SHUK emerged as a key player in healthcare.

SHUK’s parent company, Sonic Healthcare, is based in Australia; however, their global repertoire spans across the UK, Europe, North America, as well as Australasia. With over 45,000 sample tests conducted every day in the UK alone, it’s estimated that a significant number of the tests in private hospital beds are processed by SHUK.

Amar Pabari is Director of Group Laboratory Services at The Doctors Laboratory, SHUK’s private arm and the largest independent provider of clinical laboratory diagnostic services in the UK. Supporting hundreds of pathologists, Amar and his colleagues are responsible for identifying when there is a need for a testing laboratory, to curate the design, and handle the construction and maintenance.
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Included in their responsibilities is the management of the logistics behind the transportation of the tissue samples and assuring that their conditions are maintained to the highest standard.

Monitoring medical samples in-transit

With a “never say no” approach to their services, Amar is proud of what his team can accomplish: “We are just as much of a logistics company as we are a pathology laboratory. We work hard to maintain short turnaround times, from the collection to delivery of the samples. Doing things the right way is critical, and we established a logistics arm of HSL to achieve this.” Realizing that they needed to maintain their high transportation standards, SHUK internalized their logistics processes within the UK and currently have more than 200 vehicles on the road, collecting samples from over 2,000 locations per day.

“We were looking for innovative ways to streamline our logistical processes, and adopting a reliable IoT tracking solution was the next step. One step further was to achieve the competitive edge of knowing exactly where each sample is and its in-transit temperature at any point in time. Such an accurate level of information has allowed us to optimize our collection and delivery routes, and optimize the number of laboratories as well.”

Optimizing sample collection routes in healthcare

The application of the Sensolus technology for the tracking and condition monitoring of tissue samples, was a journey of innovation for both companies; leading SHUK to take a new approach to their workflows as they began to unlock the potential of the partnership.

Traditionally, Amar and his team would have used a single point of collection for samples, with a single mode of transport. After introducing Sensolus, they were able to track and understand the conditions at which the samples can move from one site to another, and now with this degree of visibility, they can transport samples across country without the fear of risk or damage to their condition.

With Sensolus’ alerts feature, a driver can be immediately notified, for example, via his mobile phone, that there has been a spillage, a change in temperature or orientation. This assures SHUK of the validity of the sample while allowing them to become more flexible with the time in which they can hold and transport samples.

This flexible approach is multifaceted: workflows have been simplified, effort is reduced, and team management has become easier and more efficient.

Transforming the future of pathology

SHUK’s devotion to condition monitoring has transformed them into trailblazers, setting the course for the future of healthcare logistics. They recognize that elevating operational procedures with enriched data and analysis not only augments their own efficiency but also elevates patient care.

This holistic approach reflects their dedication to not just meeting requirements, but actively shaping the industry landscape by raising the bar and continually redefining what is possible.

In a landscape where compliance is often viewed as a box to be checked, SHUK emerges as a beacon of innovation, emphasizing that the path to excellence lies in embracing technology, data, and a steadfast commitment to operational excellence. Their journey showcases how condition monitoring can be a transformative force that not only ensures compliance but also propels an organization to lead, inspire, and revolutionize its sector.

What is condition monitoring and what are the benefits?

Condition monitoring involves using IoT sensors to track environmental factors such as temperature and humidity during transport. This automated system replaces manual logging, detects quality issues early, ensures compliance with regulatory standards, and provides real-time alerts for any deviations from set conditions. It strengthens customer relationships, improves quality control, and reduces administrative workload by offering comprehensive and reliable data on the transport conditions of assets.

For more details, visit the Sensolus condition monitoring page.

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