In facilities where medical research is pioneering new treatments and cures, the viewLinc system safeguards crucial samples, processes and products.
Pediatrics departments in hospitals often work in collaboration with research institutions to create new therapies and treatments for childhood diseases. Typically research is separated into areas that address specific types of disorders, for instance: Cancer, blood disorders, infectious disease, vaccination, clinical and translational research, endocrinology, cardiology and specific diseases like Cystic Fibrosis or Autism. These can fall under the larger categories of physiology, therapeutics and disease pathogenesis.
Despite divisions of disciplines and research goals, investigators and staff share many facilities and resources in order to ensure continuity of practices like drug compounding and sample or medication storage methods. Good methods for storing and handling research samples and drugs reduces contamination risks, decreases the risk of damage or loss of valuable samples, and ensures the integrity of study data.
In one leading US research university that generates more than $574 million in annual research funding, research is conducted in over 40 specialties combining research from schools of medicine, nursing, and healthcare. IN 2009, the Vaisala viewLinc monitoring system was installed in several ultralow freezers and biorepositories. Several years later, the department has over one hundred cold storage chambers monitored by the viewLinc system with Vaisala temperature data loggers. The system ensures that the storage chambers containing invaluable research materials are safeguarded around the clock, sending alarms to designated personnel if temperature thresholds are ever breached.
The data loggers are connected to the viewLinc monitoring, alarming and reporting software over the facility’s network. Most of the data loggers connect via a Power over Ethernet (PoE) or Wi-Fi. The data logger used in most chambers is the DL1016-1416, which can monitor temperatures in up to four separate applications simultaneously. These wide-range temperature data loggers are used in a variety of chambers, ranging from ultra-low temperature freezers, freezer/refrigerator units, to incubators.
Of the monitoring system, Facilities Manager for the Department of Pediatrics said:
“The Vaisala viewLinc monitoring system has been a fantastic addition to our facility. The hardware is robust and the software is user-friendly and intuitive. The functionality of the system has allowed for different levels of use, from simply monitoring the health of our cold storage systems to pulling temperature reports for clinical trials.”
Having used and expanded the monitoring system many times over six years, this manager is familiar with how difficult it can be to train a wide range of users on a new system. But viewLinc is designed to be easy to use, so the training is quick and simple.
“The accessibility of the interface is a must-have with a research institute as large as ours,” said the facilities manager. “We have also been pleased with the support Vaisala has provided during the rollout of software updates, as well as any questions on viewLinc.”
“The Vaisala viewLinc monitoring system has been a fantastic addition to our facility. The hardware is robust and the software is user-friendly and intuitive.”
Facility Manager
