WITS Analysis: When two packages containing radioactive materials for medical use recently went missing after delivery to the nations premier Army Medical Center, the administrators faced big problems- The policies the NRC requires hospitals to have for receiving deliveries of radioactive materials had been breached. The packages were a rush delivery during a critical time when the Icelandic Volcano had created havoc in the supply chain for mission critical isotopes used for diagnostics in the medical center’s nuclear medicine program.
A special delivery was made on Saturday May 1st, but unfortunately it was accepted at the “concierge desk” of the main lobby. For the next 44 hours, the chain of custody was broken and the Nuclear Medicine Administrative officers performed a “Stop, drop and LOOK” drill to locate who received the packages and where they were stored.
A typical “search” of a paper based receiving process typically takes over 20 minutes to perform, instead of the 20 seconds typical using a WITS Item Tracking System. While the packages were located and deemed “safely stored” under the counter in the hospitals main lobby, the concierge’s on duty for the next 44 hours were unknowingly exposed to radiation.
The NRC decided against issuing a notice of violation against the WRMC, with its fine amounts between $3500 and $7000; however, the incident was picked up in national media coverage and the disruption caused buy not having a simple inbound tracking system in place at every location where packages are entered into the facility is a safety and security risk.
The WITS Item Tracking System can be used to track not only inbound packages, but also many other items and processes found in a healthcare environment, with nothing more required from you IT staff other than broadband for a couple hundred dollars a month.
Call Dave Flora today at 847.513.3787 to set up a “GoToMeeting” to discuss some of these unique applications
