Most lab managers aren’t thinking about key performance indicators when evaluating cold storage options, but choosing the right refrigerator or freezer plays a critical role in meeting lab performance KPIs.
Here are five lab KPIs that can be impacted directly or indirectly by cold storage decisions.
Specimen Rejection Rate
Specimen rejection rate is the percentage of samples that are rejected. Errors that result in sample rejection can occur at any phase of the testing process. While many quality initiatives have focused on the analytical phase, the majority of errors occur in the pre-analytical phase and are failures at some point in the process of specimen collection, handling, transportation, preparation, or storage.
High rates of specimen rejection have been linked to increased need for specimen recollection, median delay in result availability of 65 minutes, and high rate of specimen/test abandonment, all of which deteriorate patient outcomes and experiences.
The room temperature storage allowances for patient whole blood samples alone can vary widely, anywhere from 15 minutes to a year depending on the tests, so understanding what tests will be conducted and the storage and preparation requirements for those tests is critical for test accuracy and patient results.
For samples that must be stored at refrigerated temperatures to retain viability, professional medical-grade cold storage is required. Medical-grade cold storage should use forced air-cooling technology and a variable capacity compressor to ensure the temperature within the cooling compartment remains stable and uniform, protecting the viability of the samples and reducing the specimen rejection rate.
Test Accuracy and Precision
Because of the natural instability of biological material, patient samples begin to deteriorate rapidly when removed from the body. Outside the body, blood continues to metabolize and key components for testing begin to degrade.
Sufficient degradation of these components can result in inaccurate or non-repeatable test results. Inaccurate test results provide inaccurate data to providers, which can result in improper treatment decisions and have an adverse effect on patient outcomes.
Proper sample storage is critical when refrigeration is recommended to ensure patient samples are quickly placed in a medical-grade refrigerator to minimize the potential for blood components to degrade and produce incorrect sample results.
Ensuring proper storage in a medical-grade cold refrigerator when applicable will reduce sample degradation, which will reduce the number inaccurate test results which will also lead to the third important KPI.
Reagent and Supplies Usage Efficiency
Most laboratory tests utilize some form of consumable. While these are not always expensive (they can be), inefficiencies in usage, repeated re-testing, and failures in proper storage can result in substantial waste and create unnecessary cost.
Keep reagents and other cold-stored supplies properly stored in a reliable medical-grade refrigerator to ensure usability and reduce the inaccurate test results.
Choosing the Lab Refrigerator that’s Right for You
Choosing the best cold storage option can result in cost savings and operational improvements for your lab. Here’s what to look for when considering options.
Recovery
The refrigerators in your lab will be opened and closed many times throughout the day. Every time a door is opened, cold air flows out of the refrigerator and warm air rushes in. This results in an increase in the temperature within the cabinet that must be corrected to return the refrigerator to proper storage temperature.
For lab refrigerators that require frequent access, ensure the refrigerator has a strong recovery time so it can return to proper storage temperature quickly between door openings and reduce risk to stored reagents and samples.
Uniformity
With tight tolerances for storage temperatures, temperature uniformity is a critical metric for a lab refrigerator. Uniformity ensures each location within the refrigerator cabinet is within an acceptable temperature band.
Proper uniformity ensures any reagent or sample placed at any location will maintain temperature as close to the temperature set point as possible.
Refrigerators without proper temperature uniformity can have warm or cold spots where materials are at risk of freezing or warming.
Stability
Stability is the measurement of fluctuations in temperature over time excluding door openings. A good measure of stability is +/-1°C for medical grade cold storage equipment.
Having a refrigerator that maintains a stable temperature helps reduce energy consumption and risk of temperature excursions that could cause damage to samples and reagents.
Reliability
By nature of standard laboratory operating procedures, laboratory refrigerators endure frequent rough handling. Constant door openings and closings, 24-hour use cycles, harsh cleaning chemicals, spills, and general physical wear cause laboratory refrigerators to wear out quickly.
To prevent the need for replacement every few years, choose a refrigerator that can stand up to the harsh requirements of day-to-day lab operations.
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Helmer Scientific GX Solutions Laboratory Refrigerators and Freezers
Helmer GX Solutions laboratory cold-storage units are designed specifically to meet the rigorous demands of the clinical lab setting. With superior temperature uniformity, recovery, and stability, you can be sure that your reagents, samples, and other cold-stored materials are properly stored and remain viable.
All GX Solutions refrigerators and freezers undergo a rigorous testing and design process called Accelerated Life Testing (ALT) to simulate the demands and physical strains of a 10-year service life in a clinical laboratory so you can be sure your refrigerators keep up with the demands placed on your lab.
To learn more about GX Solutions Laboratory Refrigerators from Helmer Scientific or to request a quote, visit our website or contact your Helmer Sales representative.
