If there is one word to describe the energy that surrounded the Clinical Laboratory Management Association (CLMA) this year, it’s enthusiasm. I use the term enthusiasm, rather than a bland mix of “passion” because it highlights an array of adjectives that cover the multiple personas attending the conference.
As I write this, there are over 100,000 people who are waiting for their chance to receive a life-saving transplant. Perhaps one day it will be routine for organs to be synthetically created helping reduce this staggering statistic. Researchers and Scientists have had a couple of critical breakthroughs in the past years to help increase the supply of organs and reduce the number of humans waiting for a transplant.
While 95% of adults, in the United States, support organ donation, only 54% have signed up to be an organ donor. Fear plays a big part in stopping humans from donating. Imagine an organ living on without the person? It seems silly, but it’s not an unreasonable thought.
Transporting medical shipments such as organs, tissues, and blood is a time sensitive process with no room for error. Based on a study by the Cardiothoracic Research Unit at Rayne Institute - St. Thomas Hospital in London, UK; 27% of hearts that are donated become damaged during the transportation and storage process.
Globally, we see a shift in our lifespan: millennials are expected to live longer than before. Some studies suggest that they will reach 100 or 110 years old. Many factors contribute to this longevity. Scientists and researchers are performing highly advanced technologic research and genomic testing to determine what factors are impacting the human life expectancy. These advancements in science and medicine have doubled our life expectancy in the past century.
When it comes to logistics, evolution is understanding how technology changes the expectation of both shippers and couriers. Only five years ago, the Domino's pizza mobile app was developed so that antsy consumers could track their pizza to 3 feet within their actual location. Flash forward to now, there are still no protocols or requirements on the level of visibility when transporting medical specimen: blood, tissue, or organs. How is it that we can track a pizza with more information than a kidney needed to save a life?
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