subject: Getting Medical Freight Prepared For Shipping When It Is Hot [print this page] Medical deliveries have some challenges associated with them which are not as much a concern with other types of courier shipments. A California delivery service that wants to move medical deliveries not only needs to have the right type of equipment and licenses for moving such cargo, but they also need to be prepared to deal with the challenges that arise surrounding medical deliveries. One of these that prove to be an extremely large obstacle can be the heat during the summer months.
Heat is extremely damaging to medical material. Most of the materials that are being discussed are biological in nature; for instance, organs, tissue samples, and blood. All of these have a short half life, and need to be kept cool or refrigerated in order to survive. Any exposure to warm air can drastically shorten their viable period. Medical deliveries can also include pharmaceutical products though, which are also very sensitive to temperature. These complicated compounds can spoil quickly if they become overly warm.
The first step in preparing medical freight for shipment is always in the packaging. Once cargo is on board a vehicle, or delivered to a hospital, it is going to be stored appropriately. This typically means that it will be held in a refrigerated unit or freezer and kept at the exact correct temperature to provide it with the longest life span possible. It is during the time when cargo is being moved between those points that it is most vulnerable.
That is why medical material needs to be packed in extremely well insulated containers. By packaging it in containers that will preserve their internal temperature, the goods can be safely moved through the hot air without the cargo itself warming to quickly. This gives courier companies the time the need to get the goods from the hospital to the courier vehicle and vice versa.
In certain situations there are other things which can be done to help ensure medical deliveries are as successful as possible. For instance, some facilities are equipped with temperature controlled areas where cargo can be unloaded and loaded. This completely eliminates the need for exposure to outside air at all, which can be very helpful for protecting this type of cargo. The important thing is to always try and think of everything which will keep the goods at the right temperature, as some patient's care may depend on the success of that control.
