Pharmacies play a key role in the supply of medicines in Germany. Schnell können Apotheken Ware im Wert von mehreren Zehntausend Euro gelagert sein. Pharmazeutische Ware, die aufgrund einer falschen Lagerung nicht mehr verwendet werden kann, hat somit neben pharmazeutischen auch schmerzhafte ökonomische Folgen. Ob Krankenhausapotheke oder Stadtapotheke, ob im Offizin oder im Warenlager, ob im Kühl-/Gefrierschrank oder im Kommissionierungsautomaten (Apothekenroboter):
Temperature monitoring & temperature documentation in pharmacies
- an elementary link in quality control
Medicines, vaccines, serums and much more are required to stay within the manufacturers’ specified temperature ranges, as they can otherwise lose their effectiveness, without this being apparent from visual inspection.
The Pharmacy Operating Regulations (ApBetrO §4, §29) prescribe that storage facilities with temperatures below 25°C must be available. Of special significance is cold storage of certain products requiring an environment between +2°C and +8°C. A refrigerator is not explicitly stated in the ApBetrO, but its requirement can be derived from §16 ApBetrO ("...pharmaceuticals, raw materials, medical products and general pharmacy-sold commercial goods … are to be stored in such a way that their quality is not adversely affected"), combined with manufacturers’ storage instructions. The European Pharmacopoeia states that vaccines are to be stored at +5°C ±3°C unless otherwise specified.
Anytime temperatures exceed or go below these thresholds, the stored goods can be negatively affected. Exposing refrigerated goods to temperatures below the freezing point is particularly precarious, especially when adsorbate vaccines are involved.
Here you will find temperature monitoring for pharmacy errands and drug transport.
Temperature in pharmacy operating rooms and refrigerators
| Description | Temperature range | Beispiele |
| Deep frozen | below -15 °C | |
| Refrigerator (chilled goods) | between 2 °C and 8 °C | |
| Cold or cool | between 8 °C and 15 °C | |
| Room temperature | between 15 °C and 25 °C |
Storage temperatures according to European Pharmacopoeia, Table 1
How can temperatures be monitored in the pharmacy?
The minimum requirement for temperature control in the pharmacy is the use of a Min-Max thermometer. It displays the respective lowest and highest temperature value between two readings.
However, a Min-Max thermometer also involves inconveniences and risks: For one thing, the thermometer must be consistently read daily and the results entered into a list that must be maintained and archived. For another, the person assigned should be reliable and trustworthy. The decisive disadvantage of a min-max thermometer, however, is the lack of a reliable alarm in the event of a limit value being exceeded. And this, if possible, before damage has occurred!
Temperature logger for pharmacies
So how do I check as simply and reliably as possible that the required temperatures are being maintained?
For this purpose, there is technical equipment for temperature monitoring - from individual measuring devices such as temperature loggers or entire systems consisting of temperature loggers with radio transmission. A temperature logger is a mobile, battery-powered measuring device that measures the temperature in the air or in another medium at specific time intervals. The data is either stored on the measuring device itself or transmitted via a transmitter to a data storage device.
We offer temperature loggers of the LogTag series for temperature measurement in the pharmacy. The data is stored directly on the device. The LogTag data loggers can be read out manually. Alarms you receive directly when you are on site.
- Automatic recording of the temperature
- Manual readout of the measured values
- Audible alarm when limit value is exceeded or not reached
Automated temperature monitoring in pharmacies
Fully automatic, continuous and reliable temperature controls: With the SenseAnywhere monitoring system, you have the temperature in pharmacy operating rooms and refrigerators firmly under control.
After the temperature loggers are placed, they measure the temperature at the appropriate locations. The temperature loggers record the data and transmit it fully automatically to the web-based software. If limit values are exceeded or not reached, you will receive a message on your smartphone, tablet or PC.
Alarm settings can be easily adjusted to meet the requirements of different types of medications and provide instant alerts via email or SMS. Reliable temperature recording is guaranteed, so you can ensure that your medications are stored correctly. Avert damage even before it occurs!
- Automatic recording of the temperature
- Location-independent access to measured values in real time
- Alarm via e-mail, SMS or phone call when limit value is exceeded or not reached
Test our system for temperature monitoring free of charge!
Test the demo kit free of charge and without obligation within one week. Check the advantages and possibilities that SenseAnywhere offers you, relaxed and at your leisure. Directly at your location with your conditions and your data. Measure the temperatures in your pharmacy, provoke alarms, create documentation and thus familiarize yourself with the system.
The demo kit includes two data loggers, an AccessPoint (access point) and everything you need to get the system up and running at your site and record your own temperature and humidity data.
With our temperature monitoring solutions, the temperatures in your pharmacy can be documented electronically and error-free.
Whether manual readout of a data logger or fully automatic transfer of the recorded measurement data to the cloud. The documentation of temperatures of your pharmacy can be viewed at any time and historical data can be easily accessed.
Are you required to maintain a record? For documentation purposes or as proof, you can create and save a report with all relevant data at any time or have a report sent to you by e-mail fully automatically.
SenseAnywhere Clients
Case study: Documentation of temperatures in the pharmacy
Even if the heat waves this year will hopefully soon be over: The cold chain is and remains a hot topic. Pharmacist Markus Kerckhoff gives practical tips on how officers can optimize their storage conditions - and appeals to colleagues to take their supply mandate seriously on this point as well.
Automated temperature controls with SenseAnywhere
Kerckhoff recommends a web-based measurement system certified by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Digital sensors provide a temperature value every five minutes and display the result on a web page. Separate limits can be set for each sensor within which the measured temperature should fall. In the event of deviations, the user can set to receive a message via SMS or e-mail, for example, so that he can react accordingly. Another advantage is that those who use such a system receive automated reports on the temperature trend. "This saves on personnel costs because no employee has to measure, document and archive any more," Kerckhoff emphasizes. The SenseAnywhere system has proven itself in practice.Read the complete case study in the Pharmazeutische Zeitung online! (German)
