Specimen Integrity Must-Haves

Just had a situation where an improperly stored specimen triggered a re-collection. We need to keep pushing for better training on storage protocols. Has anyone else seen similar issues lately?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍‌⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌​‍‌‌​‌‌​‌‍‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‍‌‌‍‍⁠‌​​‍‌​⁠​‌​⁠‍‌⁠‌‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

I’ve definitely faced similar issues with specimen storage too. One thing I’ve found helpful is using temperature monitoring devices to track storage conditions in real time — it really helps in maintaining specimen integrity. Have you thought about implementing this practice in your lab?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‌​⁠‍​​⁠​‌​⁠‌‍​⁠​‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠​‌​⁠​‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​‍‌‌‍‍⁠‌‌‌​‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍​⁠‌​‌​​⁠‌⁠​‌‌​‍‍‌‌⁠⁠​⁠​​‌‍​‍‌⁠​​‌‍⁠‍‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

It’s frustrating when improperly stored specimens lead to re-collections. One thing that’s worked for me is to have a visual reminder in the lab for all staff about storage temps — something as simple as a color-coded chart can really help. Have you considered adding any new monitoring tools to the mix?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‌​⁠‍​​⁠​‌​⁠‌‍​⁠​‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠​‌​⁠‌‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌‍‍‌⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‍​‌‍⁠‍‌‍⁠​‌‍‌​​⁠‌​​⁠‍​‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌​​⁠​⁠‌​‌​​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

It’s amazing how just a bit of temperature monitoring can save us from unnecessary re-collections — like trying to keep ice cream from melting on a summer day! Maybe implementing a quick training refresher would help as well. Have you tried setting up daily checks for the storage conditions?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‌​⁠‍​​⁠​‌​⁠‌‍​⁠​‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠​‌​⁠‍​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌​​⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‍​⁠‌​‌‌‌‍‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌​​‌‌‍‍​‌​⁠‌‌‌​‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌⁠‌‍‌⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​