Three approaches for automating clinical supply chains

Our North America VP Evan Hahn, recently presented a webinar where he outlined three different approaches for automating clinical supply chains.
Here are the highlights:

Supply Chain transformation

Although they can often be confused, digitisation and automation are fundamentally different. Digitisation involves making previously paper-based processes digital. While this doesn’t automatically lead to efficiencies, in many instances, it makes organising, retrieving and visualising data simpler and faster for people.  

Automation, on the other hand, is all about taking previously manual processes and enabling them to be completed without the need for human intervention. It removes human error and can massively speed up the pace and accuracy of tasks in every part of the clinical supply chain.  

Both digitisation and automation are transforming the way that the life science industry operates. But there are a lot of options for companies to choose from, from harnessing different technologies to focusing on different parts of the supply chain.  

Here are three of the routes Evan identified as great ways for clinical professionals to begin unleashing the transformative power of automation onto their supply chains.  

Automating temperature excursion management

Temperature excursion management is a prime example of how automation can streamline processes. Current workflows can often mean that if an excursion occurs, it can take days to discover, evaluate, quarantine and confirm whether a resupply is necessary. In addition, it involves several manual interactions between different parts of the site and sponsor QA teams, prolonging quarantines and causing many unnecessary resupplying of drugs.

“There are a lot of opportunities to streamline this through automation,” says Evan. “By using technology, we can remove the need for manual intervention in the data ingestion, review and exchange processes. This hugely reduces site burden because the technology is taking care of monitoring temperature and acting when deviations occur.”

Removing stakeholder burden by combining IoT and eClinical infrastructure

Utilising solutions like Bluetooth and GPS/cellular loggers with cloud and IoT technologies makes it relatively simple to create seamless ingestion of temperature data with no gaps. For clinical operators, this means a huge reduction in site burden with a simultaneous increase in data collection, even from parts of the clinical supply chain that have historically proved challenging.

“Over and over again, we hear about the challenges of getting data from site storage,” says Evan. “As an example, by using TSS TempMonitor BLE, you are able to wirelessly connect to refrigerators, freezers and ambient room temperature storage and get a live, continuous data feed. So, if a fridge door gets left open, that live feed will trigger an alert in real-time, allowing for a quick intervention.”  

Enabling End-to-End clinical supply management with interoperability

Modern systems are built using APIs that allow for bi-directional exchange of data through a range of web services. This has several benefits for clinical supply chains. For example, it allows for the automatic quarantine or release of drugs after a deviation is detected.  

“Our system knows what’s in individual shipments. It knows individual kit identifiers and stability budgets,” says Evan.
“That’s the real magic that enables automation and reduces all this wasted time for sites and QA teams and ultimately ensures safer treatments being delivered to patients.”  

Watch the webinar  

We are in a very exciting period of innovation for the life sciences industry. Automation, IoT and a range of digital solutions are removing ingrained inefficiencies and opening new opportunities to create better outcomes for patients. We are proud to be able to play a role in transforming clinical supply chains by automating temperature excursion management.

We have only scratched the surface of what Evan covered in the webinar here. So if you want to explore this area in more detail, make sure to download  the webinar by completing the form below:


You may also be interested in

Automation is making temperature excursion management simpler and more efficient for clinical sites

Are healthcare professionals working at clinical sites across the world satisfied? It might seem like a strange question to ask, but the way we feel can impact our professional performance in important ways. Perhaps the question is not how satisfied Clinical Operations professionals are, but whether they feel their performance is impacted by lots of time-consuming manual processes that could benefit from automation? Are these processes hampering clinical trial performance?
Read moreDownload Whitepaper
A collage illustrating three steps for clinical trials: vaccine vials, data analysis, and a healthcare professional.

3 steps to accelerate Decentralized trials & Release to patients

Seamless monitoring of direct-to-patient shipments within an end-to-end calculation engine enables a digital release in patient's homes. Site centric technology also allows for a decentralized and proactive approach, reducing waste. Furthermore, digitalizing temperature management end-to-end enables a faster release of products for all types of trials and creates a foundation for successful decentralized drives.
Read moreDownload Whitepaper
A graphic celebrating the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

Celebrating Women in Tech

February 11 marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a day dedicated to recognizing the invaluable contributions of women in STEM fields and inspiring future generations to follow in their footsteps.
Read moreDownload Whitepaper

You may also be interested in

A map of Europe with flags marking the different countries, representing the international audience of LogiPharma Europe 2025.

Join Us at LogiPharma Europe 2025

Reactive Excursion Intervention with Real-Time Temperature Data: From reactive crisis management to proactive supply chain optimization
Read more

TSS launches innovative Bluetooth powered temperature monitoring solutions

TSS introduces a new era of efficiency, with next-generation Bluetooth Low Energy temperature monitoring solutions that help life science supply chain professionals automate their processes for time and cost savings while securing patient safety.
Read more

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up for our newsletter to receive all the latest TSS news and insights in temperature management solutions.