Tracking assets in a laboratory has never been more important as numerous high profile lapses involving the handing of drug testing and forensic evidence has show. RFID tracking systems have the potentially to dramatically reduce human errors and increase confidence the results will stand up legally and in the court of public opinion.
With a network of readers setup at different work shops, RFID tracking system can track samples and specimens as they pass through various laboratory tests. RFID tags can be applied to vials containing blood samples, or the cages of mice so every time a technician carries out work on a specimen, details of the work can automatically be captured like who did the work, the materials or processes used, when the work was begun and when it ended.
RFID tracking systems specimens can prove the chain of custody wasn’t comprised in sensitive areas of work such as drug testing. After a sample has been received it is immediately tagged so any movement can be recorded by readers placed at the entrance and exit points of storage and work areas. Any specimen leaving a room is logged into the database and the location updated. Alerts can be triggered when a specimen leaves a specific location.
Risk of tampering is further diminished by employing an RFID access control system where readers positioned outside a door pick up the RFID badge and only those with clearance are allowed into a room with high value specimens. Movement into the controlled area is monitored and recorded automatically.
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