Introducing Zebra's Temperature Monitoring and Sensing Devices
For more than 30 years, Temptime, now a part of Zebra Technologies, has been innovating cost-effective temperature monitoring solutions for a wide range of environmentally sensitive medications, biologics, medical devices, and other products. Deeply committed to improving public health, both now strive together to ensure supply chain integrity to protect patients and benefit communities globally. Since the beginning, Zebra’s temperature monitoring devices, manufactured by Temptime, have helped healthcare workers immunise millions of children around the world and extend care to regions previously thought to be unreachable. With products that have FDA 510(k) medical device clearances, they are regularly audited by the US-FDA.
Today, Zebra continues to innovate with solutions that provide end-to-end visibility via the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud-based services. That is why pharmaceutical corporations, biotechnology companies, specialty pharmacies, emergency medical service organisations, blood banks and hospitals use Zebra devices and solutions, manufactured by Temptime, to help assure compliance to the storage, handling, and shipment requirements of hundreds of millions of temperature sensitive products each year.
Financial benefits of using temperature monitoring devices and systems
Distribution models are developed with the expectation that pharmaceuticals and biologics will be delivered efficiently and effectively with consistency. Every time the process fails and a return or reship is required, this negatively affects the patient experience while costing your company money. Many organisations have found that through Zebra’s unique solutions it is possible to significantly reduce returns of pharmaceuticals or biologics and realise a competitive advantage in the market by enhancing patient confidence. For instance, by including inexpensive and easy-to-read chemically-based indicators in each medication package – patients can see at-a-glance whether biologics or pharmaceuticals have not become too hot or too cold during shipping.
Purpose-Built Design
Zebra’s portfolio of electronic temperature sensors stand out from other temperature-sensing devices because of their unique, purpose-built design. With mobile connectivity and data-sharing capabilities, Zebra devices deliver exceptionally versatile and effective monitoring of temperature-sensitive products throughout production, storage and cold-chain shipping. They give users greater control and visibility to capture temperature readings and help protect temperature-sensitive products from damaging exposure. By increasing automation and speeding processes, Zebra devices help ensure greater reliability in end-to-end, cold-chain monitoring.
Connectivity
While other devices require USB connections to access data, Zebra’s portable, wireless temperature sensors are Bluetooth-enabled, allowing data to be retrieved and recorded through packing materials, containers, vehicles, cold-chain equipment and temperature-controlled rooms. This convenience makes it easier for users to quickly view temperature data without opening containers, thereby helping to reduce potential for human errors and limiting products’ exposure, which can cause product loss, deterioration of efficacy, and harmful effects to consumers.
In addition, Zebra’s EDGEVue app and EDGECloud™ services provide immediate, remote access to device data via the cloud. EDGEVue app enables easy setup, monitoring and tracking of sensors using Android or iOS mobile devices. EDGECloud™ services provide wireless, cloud-based data-sharing, storage, and reporting for compliance or analysis.
Unique to Your Business
Zebra’s electronic temperature sensors are also among the most customisable in the market. Other devices which are preconfigured with monitoring settings require users to purchase different devices for different needs. Zebra devices, however, can be configured for each cold-chain shipment or storage environment, giving users a wide range of options and controls over settings, including start time, reading intervals and alarm limits.
The future of temperature monitoring – innovations
To support the Controlled Temperature Chain (CTC) initiative, Zebra developed HEATmarker® VVM+ to monitor heat stable vaccines. The new VVM+ combines traditional VVM cumulative heat indication with innovative peak temperature indication technology, successfully extending vaccine delivery while reducing the requirement for heavy gel packs in the last mile of delivery. This gives healthcare workers in the field a new level of assurance – showing them whether there has been either a cumulative heat or a peak heat threshold exposure – and allows more vaccine into the vaccine carriers making each healthcare worker more efficient.
A new sensor barcode combines traditional barcode technology with a temperature sensor for an extra dimension of information on environmentally-sensitive biologics and pharmaceuticals. Two different sensor modes are available – with one that changes colour when a particular heat threshold is exceeded and the other changing colour gradually over a specific time period and heat exposure. When these barcodes are scanned, the status of the temperature sensor is
included with all the other barcode data, which can then be uploaded to the cloud. Zebra’s range of solutions includes long-range wireless temperature and humidity sensors. Using LoRaTM – long range wireless technology to limit the number of data gateways required in an installation – these sensors offer the low cost connectivity, long battery life and advanced security with low-energy Bluetooth Smart technology and ease-of-use for expanded installations.
Conclusion
Zebra Technologies and Temptime have been leaders in providing innovative and affordable temperature monitoring solutions, benefiting the healthcare industry and communities worldwide. Their purpose-built design, wireless connectivity, and customisation options set them apart from other devices on the market, providing end-to-end visibility solutions for pharmaceutical corporations, biotechnology firms, specialty pharmacies, emergency medical service organisations, blood banks, and hospitals.
Zebra's continuous innovation in temperature monitoring technology, provides healthcare workers with a new level of assurance and greater efficiency in their work. With Zebra's temperature monitoring solutions, healthcare professionals can ensure the safe and effective delivery of temperature-sensitive products, safeguarding patient health and improving their experience while reducing costs and improving supply chain integrity.
Why Choose Bar Code Data?
Bar Code Data can guide you painlessly to the right solution for your business. We offer a complete range of after sales technical support, sales technical support and service so you’re never left in the dark. We appreciate that each business is individual, and no two have the exact same requirements, so we will talk you through the entire process, helping you to understand exactly how your business can benefit from temperature monitoring and sensing devices.
Call our Sales Team on 0808 109 9858 for a free consultation to answer any questions you may have and provide expert advice. Bar Code Data also has an expert team of after-sales service professionals, ready to help with technical or support and maintenance enquiries, we provide solutions tailored to the needs of the client.