How to Optimize Your Healthcare Product Storage With Warehousing Services

If you have experience working in a healthcare setting, you are likely well aware that product storage challenges are commonplace. 

Proper warehousing is vital to healthcare product storage. Medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, and other healthcare-related items must be stored in conditions that maintain efficacy and safety.

Climate-controlled storage is especially crucial for products like vaccines and biologics, as they require specific conditions to maintain their effectiveness.

A warehouse with storage practices that cater to the specific requirements of healthcare products will preserve their  integrity and quality.

Strict regulatory requirements are in place to ensure best practices are maintained. These best practices guarantee that products are properly handled, stored, packed, shipped, and tracked.

What is the best way to enhance healthcare product storage through warehousing services?

To optimize the storage of your healthcare products, it is necessary to partner with a reputable warehouse. One that takes various measures to maintain both the quality and effectiveness of the products without compromising efficiency.

There are certain areas that require more specialized focus when it comes to healthcare product storage. Finding a warehousing provider who dedicates sufficient attention and resources to these areas is key to achieving the best outcomes. The following are some of the primary areas to focus on for optimized healthcare product storage:

Infection control

It is crucial that hospitals know with 100% certainty their supplies they are clean and safe to use on patients.

If sterile hospital supplies become contaminated it can result in higher risk of infectious pathogen transmissions. This can lead to an outbreak or another healthcare-associated infections (HCAI).

Maintaining proper storage practices is the only way to ensure that healthcare supplies remain clean.

Some of the most important practices when maintaining the cleanliness of storage areas is hand hygiene.

Other practices include:

• Having hand sanitizer pumps at storage entryways.
• Dividers to keep sterile supplies separate.
• Storing liquids on lower shelves to minimize spills.
• Disposing empty inner boxes to prevent reuse and cross-contamination.

An optimal racking/shelving system

Another critical factor is what kind of racking or shelving best maintains the optimal storage and handling of these items. Choose the method that allows for easy disinfection to reduce the risk of contamination.

Since many healthcare products have a limited shelf life, it is also essential to implement other storage solutions. Ones that minimize the risk of product expiration and provide timely access to critical medical supplies.

One example of a racking system that is proven effective when storing healthcare supplies is the First In, First Out (FIFO) method. This helps ensure product freshness and usability. Another suitable approach is the First Expiry, First Out (FEFO) method, which has the same effect.

Temperature control

When storing healthcare products, it is crucial to consider the temperature and humidity of the storage environment. Often a significant component of regulatory storage requirements.

For warehouses that handle healthcare products, it is necessary to have a state-of-the-art temperature controlled facility. Controlled temperatures ensure that the storage of supplies does not deviate from the recommended conditions. Such fluctuations can negatively impact product suitability.

In addition to having proper fridges and freezers, it is vital to record the temperatures. Then maintain the documentation of these recordings. 

To ensure the efficacy and safety of certain healthcare items, continuous monitoring of both temperature and humidity is essential.

Robust security

Ensuring security is another critical priority for warehouses that store healthcare products. Healthcare products, including pharmaceuticals and medical devices, are often targeted by thieves because of their high market value. 

Therefore, it is critical to protect these products from the risk of theft.

The theft of these items results in a reduced supply of essential products that patients rely on for their medical care. 

To provide sufficient security, warehouses must implement effective security measures such as surveillance, access control, and alarm systems.

Tracking Procedures

Tracking procedures are vital in the healthcare industry for several reasons:

• Ensuring Safety and Efficacy: Proper tracking helps maintain the integrity of healthcare products by ensuring they are stored and handled correctly. This is crucial for preserving their efficacy and safety.

• Regulatory Compliance: Many healthcare products are subject to strict regulatory requirements. Tracking ensures that these regulations are met, which helps avoid legal issues and ensures patient safety.

• Preventing Theft and Loss: By keeping detailed records of where products are at all times, tracking helps prevent theft and loss, ensuring that essential items are available when needed.

• Quality Control: Tracking allows for the monitoring of product conditions throughout the supply chain. This helps identify and address any issues that could compromise product quality.

• Efficient Inventory Management: Accurate tracking helps manage inventory levels, reducing waste and ensuring that products are available when needed without overstocking.

• Traceability: In the event of a recall or safety issue, tracking provides the ability to quickly trace and isolate affected products, minimizing risk to patients.

How Wills Transfer Limited Can Provide Optimized Healthcare Product Storage

If you need a storage solution for your healthcare products, Wills Transfer Limited can be of assistance. We can provide warehousing services to accommodate all the requirements mentioned above.

We have inventory management solutions to track your healthcare product stock levels and minimize the risk of product expiration.

At Wills Transfer Limited, we provide storage solutions tailored to the products of our valued customers. Thus, we offer various racking solutions to accommodate your products’ needs and shelf life.

In addition, we have refrigerated storage options available to maintain your products temperatures. Additionally, we ensure that storage methods comply with all regulatory requirements.

At our warehouses, our employees understand clearly the proper handling procedures that eliminate potential hazards.

Security is another focal point of our operations.

With:

• 24-hour security systems.
• Fire and water monitoring.
• Restricted access points.
• Interior/exterior video surveillance.

All of these demonstrate our commitment to keeping your products safe at all times.

For more information about our approach to storing healthcare products, call Wills Transfer Limited at 613-704-7549 or contact us here.