People Sweat, Flowers Wilt and Wax Melts by Michelle Paster

A lot of things come to mind when you hear heat wave , but does it ever trigger the thoughts glass slides or wax blocks ? Probably not. For laboratories across the US, excessive temperature fluctuations are causing big problems, especially when it comes to the long term preservation of these valuable assets. Why? I'll give you three good reasons: People sweat, flowers wilt, and wax melts.

Too much heat is not good for anyone or anything especially wax. People sweat, flowers wilt, and wax melts and that's exactly why temperature is such a critical consideration when storing pathology samples. As the weather patterns seem to get increasingly hotter and heat waves become more frequent, it's important to keep in mind that wax blocks start softening at just a little over 90 degrees. Don't assume your glass slides are immune. According to an article published in CAP Today, High temperature may lead to premature fading of the stain. In today's highly litigious, strictly regulated environment, laboratories simply cannot risk the degradation of these irreplaceable assets and the only way you can feel confident they are properly preserved is by maintaining a controlled temperature in your storage environment at all times. That means no more fingers crossed that the basement will stay consistently cool enough, and no more assuming that room temperature is adequate.. Though this was historically a highly common and generally accepted approach, more and more savvy laboratories have come to realize that the risks taken with this approach are tipping the scales on these decisions, and, as a result, lab directors are beginning to search for alternative temperature-controlled storage solutions.

As you can imagine, offsite storage has become increasingly popular. From the lab's perspective, offsite storage facilities immediately provide the space and environment needed. That said, it's important to understand that not all offsite storage is created equal, and you'll need to do your homework. Be sure to confirm the vendor you select understands the nuances of the laboratory industry. For example, an effective pathology storage solution should account for the three T's temperature, transit, and tracking. Ensure your vendor offers the environmental, security, and process controls your lab needs to maintain chain-of-custody and properly preserve your slides and blocks whether in storage or in transit.

Find more best practices for the storage of glass slides and paraffin blocks.

LINK:	http://blogs.ironmountain.com/2013/industry/healthcare-information-man...
	See more stories from ironmountain

Most recent headlines