Pharmacies, hospitals and laboratories rely on medical cold stores to preserve medicines and vaccines. These apparatuses create optimal conditions that extend the shelf life of drugs. Manufacturers design medical freezers and chillers to preserve biological products. So, what are the advantages of medical freezers? In this article, we will look for answers to this question.
Although medical freezers require higher upfront costs, they provide a better investment over time than household refrigerators. Medical freezers use better quality materials and have longer periods between failures and temperature changes. Manufacturers have produced these pharmaceutical-grade devices for storing biological materials. These machines have many advantages over typical household refrigeration units.
Unlike household refrigerators, medical-grade appliances have a microprocessor-based system that precisely measures temperatures. They use digital sensors (such as thermocouples, resistive temperature detectors [RTD], and thermistors) to monitor the internal temperature. The units also have fast temperature recovery apparatuses that respond to out-of-range temperature readings.
When it comes to medical units, it is best to avoid solutions other than medical freezers. Medicine storage cabinets with self-contained refrigerators and freezer compressors are suitable for offices with limited space. These products, which can reach up to 225 liters, also have a programmable feature via the LCD touchscreen. Let’s look at the advantages and importance of medical freezers under separate headings.
Stable Coldness
Medical-grade devices are critical because they help providers maintain a reliable cold chain. This supply system uses temperature-controlled storage areas and distribution methods that protect vaccines, blood transfusions and biological material. This stable coldness also extends the shelf life of living organisms.
According to a study conducted in the USA, health clinics lose $20 million each year due to cold chain breaks. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization states that facilities discard 35 percent of vaccines due to improper refrigeration. These products may lose their potency due to poor storage conditions such as excessive exposure to heat, cold or light.
Liquid vaccines may lose their effectiveness after exposure to temperatures below 0° C [32° F]. Once damaged, their power cannot be restored. Therefore, solutions such as drug storage cabinets provide much more reliable conditions.
The advantages of the medical freezers you can find at Coolermed include a touch monitor where you can control the cold. This equipment provides a tighter and more consistent range than household units. They keep vaccines under appropriate storage conditions. Medical refrigerators also have compressors that can reach and maintain target temperatures faster. The unit’s doors also provide tighter and better sealing than their local counterparts.
Temperature Monitoring and Alarm Systems
Among the advantages of medical freezers, it should be counted that they can warn the user about possible temperature fluctuations. Temperature fluctuations cause unsuitable storage conditions that require immediate action. These events damage biological materials and cause vaccines to lose their effectiveness. For this reason, medicine and blood storage cabinet models should have temperature monitoring and alarm systems.
This feature allows you to monitor internal temperatures without the need to open the refrigerator door. Coolermed also has a system that saves data via the internal SD card. This way, it is possible to follow the retrospective temperature data and keep a fault record when necessary. You can also print out the data you saved on the thermal printer.
You can ensure ideal use by fixing the refrigerator or freezer thermostats at the factory-set temperature or at the midpoint temperature. This setting will reduce the possibility of deviation in temperature. Appropriate medical refrigerator or freezer storage systems should include the following:
- Refrigerators should maintain temperatures between +/-2°C and 5°C despite changing ambient temperatures.
- Medical freezers should maintain internal temperatures between -50° C and -15° C (-58° F to +5° F).
- Ability to create vaccine storage areas that do not exceed +2°C to 8°C (+36°F to 46°F) temperature range.
- Ability to create a digital thermostat preset to 5°C (preferably 4°C).
Healthcare providers should monitor temperatures in their medical freezers and refrigerators twice a day.
Increased Air Flow
Home refrigerators have glass shelves that can block air circulation. Their design preserves the food, but does not keep the internal temperature even. These unstable conditions can put vaccines and biological materials at risk.
Among the advantages of medical freezers a superior air flow capability should be counted. Pharmaceutical units rely on powerful, fan-driven air circulation systems with air cooling vents. Internal shelving systems also circulate air efficiently and maintain stable temperatures. They use wire shelves with perforated vents.
Preventing Unauthorized Access
Medical refrigerators provide another benefit for pharmacies and hospitals. Home refrigerators used in a hospital setting can encourage employees to use them for personal use. Healthcare workers may turn on the unit continuously, causing temperature fluctuations throughout the day. These devices need a better temperature recovery system, so vaccines and other biological agents can lose their effectiveness.
Additionally, some purpose-built units have digital locks that restrict access to authorized personnel only. These devices may also include warnings to label equipment for its intended use and to avoid mixed storage.
Improved Inventory Management
Once you have a safe and secure place to store your materials, you can focus on creating a complete and organized inventory management system. Your workers need to be able to quickly find and get the supplies they need without keeping the cabinet door open and risking the interior temperature. For this, it is important to keep your products and materials organised in the unit. You can keep ingredients labeled, sorted, and easily accessible in the refrigerator.
Longer shelf life and reduced risk of contamination or spoilage in your materials also simplifies inventory tracking as you don’t have to account for multiple material losses or changes. Installing a pharmaceutical-grade refrigerator or freezer in your medical facility ensures best practices for handling, storing, and using your inventory.
Power Failure Protection
Even if users use appropriate equipment and consistent temperature monitoring practices, power outages can damage the drug supply. These interruptions can destroy the entire drug supply. Most facilities should have a generator, which avoids the need to move their drug supply to an alternative storage facility during a power outage. In addition, the facility should have enough fuel to run the generator for 72 hours.
However, even if you do not have a generator, medical freezers can help you at this point. Because most of them have backup batteries to avoid temperature fluctuations. Thus, we can add to the advantages of medical refrigerators and medical freezers that they have backup battery power sources that they can use instead of generators. In the event of a power outage, simply keep the appliance doors closed to maintain the internal temperature.
Medical freezers require more upfront investment in refrigeration but also offer unique benefits to healthcare providers. At Coolermed, we offer reliable and long-lasting solutions for health clinics, hospitals, practices and individual users. You can examine our products for medical freezers, medicine and blood storage cabinet models, and contact us for detailed information.
You can reach our previous article from https://coolermed.com/en/energy-efficiency-in-medical-freezers/