Hayat Pharmacy

In this case study, learn how Hayat Pharmacy staff gained peace of mind by replacing their old digital data logging process that featured cumbersome manual data extraction with automated, around-the-clock temperature monitoring OneVue Sense technology. Staff now enjoy easily accessible storage unit temperature data and on-demand report generation on the web-based OneVue software, in addition to mobile alerts via text, email, or phone call for any storage unit temperature excursion.

Whether inside a hospital or a free-standing location, pharmacies play an integral role in healthcare delivery. Usually working long hours, pharmacists review prescription orders, check for drug interactions, educate patients on their medications, and provide vaccinations. They also rely on storage units to keep those medications and vaccines safe and effective.

But what happens if there’s a power outage? Or if a refrigerator or freezer door is left open on accident for an extended period of time? Those medications and vaccines could go to waste, impacting both patient care and a pharmacy’s bottom line. And when everything appears normal, pharmacy staff still have to check temperatures and document them to ensure compliance with regulations and guidelines. This constant concern and manual logging documentation process add to an already heavy workload for pharmacists, one that staff at Hayat Pharmacy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, know well.

“We had a variety of different digital data loggers in place to monitor the temperature of pharmacy refrigerators, but that was a very manual process,” said Dimmy Sokhal, director of clinical services at Hayat Pharmacy. “We had to extract the data, put it on a flash drive, and then into an excel sheet and visually look for any temperature excursions. It was time-consuming and cumbersome.”

Enter Primex OneVue Sense Temperature Monitoring Technology

Due to the heavily involved nature of the digital data logger process, ownership at Hayat Pharmacy’s flagship location looked for a better solution. One that would:

• Go above and beyond the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s digital data logger guidelines by showing responsive temperature measurements
• Provide pharmacy staff, regardless of where they may be, with real-time alerts in the event of a temperature excursion
• Help to eliminate the risk of dispensing unsafe medications or administering ineffective vaccines
• Give staff more time to continue the pharmacy’s mission of serving the underserved That solution turned out to be Primex OneVue Sense temperature monitoring technology.

“Before we implemented the OneVue temperature monitoring solution, we used a paper-based system and a simple thermometer to check temperatures,” said Hashim Zaibak, doctor of pharmacy and owner of Hayat Pharmacy. “We had Post-it notes on the doors to remind us to check the temperature before we left and first thing in the morning, so it wasn’t a very technologically advanced system. Today, we have the more advanced system with OneVue.”

This more advanced system provides Hayat Pharmacy with around-the-clock temperature monitoring technology thanks to Primex OneVue Sense Temperature Sensors and NIST-compliant probes inside its refrigerators and freezers. These sensors automatically record temperature data and send it to the cloud-based OneVue software platform. The platform and data are easily accessible on a web browser and come with the option to run customized reports — perfect for auditing situations. In addition, the platform provides real-time alerts via text, email, or phone call if storage temperatures ever rise above or fall below a specified range, giving pharmacy staff much-needed time and assurance.

“The old system was taking a toll on us, so it was important to have something to take that monitoring job away from us,” Sokhal said. “Something where we would have that peace of mind and not sticky note reminders on our desks. I don’t have to worry about pulling out that excel sheet and saving it in a folder. Now, I can look at the real-time data on my phone, and I feel more relaxed about any temperature excursions.”Meeting Regulatory Requirements and Improving Lives

Since installation, staff at Hayat Pharmacy have been extremely pleased with their new temperature monitoring system. It has provided staff with peace of mind, knowing that their storage units are being continuously monitored. It has also given them more time to tend to their patients, as they no longer have to manually log temperature data. They also appreciate the report generation aspect, as it makes complying with guidelines and regulations easy.

“Since we have started using the OneVue temperature monitoring solution, my life actually got much easier,” said Kevin Xing, district manager and head pharmacist at Hayat Pharmacy. “If I have to check anything temperature-related, I just take out my cell phone, log into the portal, and then I know if everything is good or not. Plus, whenever someone comes in for an audit or site visit to check in on our compliance, we can definitely show them that everything is under control.”

As COVID-19 vaccines become available, Hayat Pharmacy staff are doing their part to solidify their namesake. As Hayat means “Life” in the Arabic language, another part of the pharmacy’s mission is to give their patients a better life. To improve the lives of the community it serves, the pharmacy is providing no-appointment-necessary COVID-19 vaccines to eligible populations in Wisconsin with the added assurance that their vaccine supply is safe and effective — now that it’s being monitored by Primex OneVue.

“Knowing that the vaccine is safe is very crucial,” Zaibak said. “When you think about it, the COVID-19 vaccine is liquid gold. It’s very hard to get, and once you have it, you have to make sure you use every single drop to make it into people’s arms in order to vaccinate them. We have to make sure that we don’t waste a single dose.”

Ensuring After-Hours Asset Safety, Even at Multiple Locations

Although instances of wasted doses and medications rarely happened prior to installing Primex OneVue technology, they are now virtually eliminated for Hayat Pharmacy. Staff routinely open early and stay late, but there usually is a period of time at night and on Sundays where the pharmacy is vacant. Staff take comfort in knowing their valuable assets — including COVID-19 vaccines — remain safely stored during those times.

“We once walked into one of our pharmacies Monday morning and found that one refrigerator did not function the whole day on Sunday,” Zaibak said. “We had tens of thousands of dollars of insulin, vaccines, and other medications in that refrigerator. We panicked and called the wholesaler and insurance company and ended up losing a lot of money, all because we were not informed and alerted of that issue when it first happened. If we would’ve had the OneVue system at that point, we would have prevented that problem, and it would have saved us a lot of headache, phone calls, and money.”

To ensure that these types of events remain limited, Hayat Pharmacy plans to implement Primex OneVue temperature sensors at each one of their locations, beyond just their flagship store. Not only will this give pharmacy leaders the ability to view temperature data from all locations on one device, but it will also give more pharmacy staff peace of mind and more time to better do their jobs.

“Pharmacy workflow can be very, very busy at times,” Sokhal said. “We have taken that monitoring workload off the pharmacy store staff so they can focus on their real job, which is to support patients and be engaged in patient care — all while knowing the logistical pieces of monitoring temperature can be done by the OneVue temperature monitoring system.”