Healthcare Archives - RŰÎŰ´ŤĂ˝ On Time Every Time Thu, 02 Mar 2023 17:02:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.1 /wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cropped-reliable-couriers-favicon-5-32x32.png Healthcare Archives - RŰÎŰ´ŤĂ˝ 32 32 What are HIPAAs guidelines and regulations for same day STAT deliveries? /blog/hipaa-guidelines-regulations-same-day-stat-delivery?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hipaa-guidelines-regulations-same-day-stat-delivery Fri, 17 Feb 2023 14:50:26 +0000 /?p=12351 Items under the protection of HIPAA require any courier hired to handle such items must also be HIPAA protocol trained and compliant.

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What is HIPAA

 

HIPAA is an acronym that stands for the Health Insurance and Accountability Act. This act requires that all healthcare providers, and those who provide to them, handle Protected health information (PHI) safely and keep the information confidential and secure. Some items under this protection are medical documents, medical specimens, and any other personal work about a patient or healthcare provider. Because of this, any courier hired to handle such items must also be HIPAA compliant.

HIPAA Compliance

 

In 1996, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued the HIPAA privacy rule, implementing the requirements that the security rule will protect a subset of information, creating national standards to protect sensitive patient information. This means that healthcare providers, workers, and any involved with patient information, may not disclose the patient’s health information without consent or knowledge. In addition, the addresses “the use and disclosure of individuals’ health information (known as protected health information or PHI) by entities subject to the Privacy Rule. These individuals and organizations are called “covered entities.”

Covered entities include:

  • Benefit eligibility inquiries
  • Referral authorization requests
  • Claims
  • Claims processing
  • Data analysis
  • Utilization review
  • Billing
  • Other transactions for which HHS has established standards under the HIPAA Transactions Rule.
  • Health, dental, vision, and prescription drug insurers
  • Health maintenance organizations (HMOs)
  • Medicare, Medicaid, Medicare+Choice, and Medicare supplement insurers
  • Long-term care insurers (excluding nursing home fixed-indemnity policies)
  • Employer-sponsored group health plans
  • Government- and church-sponsored health plans
  • Multi-employer health plans

Why do couriers need it?

 

Stat medical couriers must be compliant for a couple of reasons. The most important reason being is that it is required by law. If a courier is not HIPAA compliant, the courier service and the medical delivery driver can face significant penalties from the government.

The second most important reason medical couriers need to be HIPAA compliant is that it protects the business’s liability should a PHI be lost or stolen while in transit. It is also just as important that the courier is compliant; if they are not and a break occurs, the business would be liable.

The last reason why compliance of a courier is essential is that it gives clients confidence and trust in the company. As a result, clients and patients are more likely to do business with a reliable provider in the future.

A courier can maintain HIPAA compliance by knowing the rules and regulations, implementing technical and physical safeguards, and regularly auditing and self-audit all compliance efforts.

Repercussions for non-compliance

 

Should a medical courier be found to not be in compliance with the rules and regulations of HIPAA, there can be civil and criminal charges brought against them and their company. In addition, damages resulting in a breach of PHI could also cause heavy fines brought on by the government.

Civil penalties are enforced by The Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil rights. If they find someone at fault for violating HIPAA, their penalty fees can range between $100 – $50,000 per violation. In addition, each violation made is processed separately and treated individually, which can add up for many companies.

Criminal penalties are violations determined to be so egregious and done willfully that they receive greater repercussions than a civil penalty. These criminal penalties can range between $50,000 and $250,000 and between 1 and 10 years of prison. These repercussions are severe, so it is crucial to ensure all medical couriers are HIPAA compliant.

What is a medical courier?

 

A medical courier is a trained professional delivery driver responsible for transporting items between or from medical facilities. These couriers handle the transport of medical equipment, specimens, patient charts, and more. Many items require special care and handling pertaining to temperature or stability while maintaining HIPAA compliance and regulation. Therefore, a medical courier is expected to have above-average communication and interpersonal skills, perform the tasks required safely, securely, and timely, have exceptional navigation and directional skills, stay organized and keep detailed records of deliveries under tight deadlines, and have a passion for delivering critical medical items punctually.
Want to know more about our medical couriers? Read our blog on “

What are the requirements to be a medical courier?

 

A medical courier has high expectations, but they must also meet many requirements before getting the job. It is required that the medical couriers’ highest level of education is a high school diploma or GED (some employers will prefer the completion of an associate’s, bachelor’s, or higher), a valid driver’s license, a clean driving record, being over the age of 21, if you are not being given a company vehicle, then a registered, inspected, and insured vehicle less than ten years old, capable of lifting packages over 20 pounds, having solid knowledge about the city you will be working in, and having basic tech skills.

Steps to handle a medical delivery

  • Handle the delivery as instructed by the medical professional
  • Follow all HIPAA guidelines and regulations.
  • Handle all deliveries with care
  • Transport in necessary conditions (vehicle size, temperature control, etc.).
  • Confirm contents of the shipment
  • Keep necessary samples separate from one another (i.e., Blood and plasma or serum).
  • DO NOT ship to residences unless their specific consent is granted.

Steps to take for medical transports:

  • Confirm shipping method (type of vehicle)
  • Clear labels of addresses/ content if necessary
  • Get insurance/ coverage/ liability.
  • Know the schedule (pick-up and delivery dates/times)
  • Fill out a chain of custody.
  • Confirm recipient, get signatures and names at pickup and drop off
  • Double-check all information, including addresses
  • Know the type of transportation necessary (temperature controlled, vehicle size, etc.)
  • Electronic medical data being transported should be done so in encryption.

Protect yourself and your business from liability and educate yourself on HIPAA compliance. Knowing HIPAA compliance basics will ensure the courier will protect your PHI while complying with the law and building trust with your business. Nobody should have to worry about whether or not a courier is HIPAA compliant. All medical courier businesses should be HIPAA compliant and trained. Take the guesswork out of choosing a medical delivery service and call us for a free quote today at (888)415-1781.

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What is a STAT Medical Delivery? /blog/what-is-stat-medical-delivery?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-is-stat-medical-delivery Wed, 14 Dec 2022 15:05:34 +0000 /?p=11925 STAT delivery couriers are becoming increasingly in demand, even since before the COVID-19 pandemic. STAT medical deliveries are a much-needed service and have only received more awareness since the pandemic. As a result, many medical facilities now prefer these services over regular courier systems, and here's why.

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STAT delivery couriers are becoming increasingly in demand, even since before the COVID-19 pandemic. STAT medical deliveries are a much-needed service and have only received more awareness since the pandemic. As a result, many medical facilities now prefer these services over regular courier systems, and here’s why.

What is a STAT medical delivery?

A STAT medical delivery can also be a same day, rush, or emergency delivery. However, most courier services have it, frequently known as STAT deliveries. The main difference between STAT delivery and emergency delivery is that the term emergency delivery is typically used for corporate businesses, whereas STAT deliveries specify the medical industry.

The reason STAT is used most of the time for medical deliveries is because hospitals use the term STAT to indicate something is needed or needs to be done as quickly as possible. Like many medical terms, the word STAT is no different; stemming from the root word “statim” meaning “immediately” in Latin, medical facilities everywhere have adopted the phrase STAT. The word STAT gives whatever is required the highest priority of need. This is why couriers have adopted STAT medical deliveries as one of their services.

STAT deliveries are used most of the time because a patient’s treatment depends upon them being delivered as quickly as possible. Many situations can include organs, antidotes (for venom), and specimens, as they all require quick and secure transport for the item’s integrity. Another reason someone may need a STAT medical delivery is for medical equipment to be transported to an emergency or disaster zone where treatments are required on location. Many times cargo vans and box trucks will need to be used to get the large amounts of equipment needed to the zone.

While ground transportation is used, air transport is the primary mode of delivery in many cases; air transport is quicker than ground transportation, which is why many STAT medical delivery couriers offer Next-flight-out (NFO) services. Ground transport is still used in some cases as it may be quicker between two hospitals in a city. Whichever option results in a faster delivery will be used.

Who would need a STAT delivery?

  • Hospitals are the primary clients for using STAT deliveries. Doctors will utilize this service to get equipment or items needed in a procedure.
  • Medical labs will also utilize a medical courier to transport specimens to their final destinations.
  • Individuals can also utilize this service if they require medication or a prescription and cannot pick it up themselves physically.
  • In many cases, STAT deliveries are used by hospice. Hospice prefers using STAT medical couriers to get the medical treatments they need for their patients and to make them as comfortable as possible as soon as possible. Hospice could be located at a long-term care facility or inside a patient’s home; either way, same day medical couriers make it possible for nurses to give their patients quality care as quickly as possible. With STAT delivery services, patients can choose between remaining in their homes or a long-term care facility.

What goes into a STAT delivery

  • 1. Secure – State couriers are trained in medical deliveries and know how fragile they can be. Relying on the average third-party courier service means you risk having your shipment lost, damaged, stolen, or late. STAT delivery drivers are equipt to transport all medical deliveries promptly no matter the time of day.
  • 2. Temperature-controlled cargo – A lot of times, STAT medical deliveries require transportation with climate control to keep the integrity of a parcel. Standard courier services do not offer this. Our fleet of vehicles can handle your shipping needs in a rush delivery 24/7.
  • 3. Urgent deliveries – Urgent deliveries are not uncommon in the medical field and require medical supplies, records, or specimens to be delivered as quickly as possible. When an emergency happens, medical professionals must have access to the supplies and tools they require to perform life-saving and changing surgeries. Our team of trained professionals is local to their areas and can get these urgent deliveries wherever.
  • 4. Time-Sensitive Deliveries – Some medical deliveries are not urgent but still need to be completed on time. We offer same day and rush delivery services to cater to this specific need. In addition, any medical reports, X-rays, or exams that need to be physically delivered to and from hospitals, labs, or family practices, can be delivered by us.
  • 5. Confidentiality – Regarding confidentiality, you can trust our team of STAT medical couriers. Our medical delivery drivers are trained in OSHA and HIPAA guidelines and regulations and will keep your sensitive documents safe and secure at all times.

What we offer

We at reliable couriers handle all of our delivery requests with urgency, care, and confidentiality. We understand your delivery’s importance and can ensure your package is in the best Hands with our trained and experienced delivery professionals. They are dedicated to providing all your STAT delivery needs are met.

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Los Angeles sees a Covid Drop just before the holidays /blog/los-angeles-covid-drop-before-holidays?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=los-angeles-covid-drop-before-holidays Wed, 14 Dec 2022 15:05:09 +0000 /?p=12015 For anyone who is stuck at home with covid this year, Reliable couriers are here to help you at any time, 24/7. No matter what your delivery needs are, from medical deliveries of prescriptions to a legal document that must be filed before a deadline, but you cannot leave due to covid, our team has you covered. Our delivery drivers are experienced in every industry and have access to a vast fleet of vehicles capable of delivering anything from an envelope to 10,000 lbs of freight. Call or visit us online today and see how we can help you with your delivery needs.

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The past few years have been hard on us In Los Angeles, dealing with the constant rollercoaster of covid cases. Luckily this week, according to L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer, we are starting to see the number of Covid-19 cases drop, but are they going to last? According to the , “For the week to Tuesday, L.A. County’s case rate was 3,148 a day, down 18% from last week. Per capita, that’s 218 cases per week for every 100,000 residents. A rate of 100 or more is considered high.”

Unfortunately, we do not know if these metrics are reliable due to the proliferation of at-home tests that cannot be reliably reported, giving us a possible significant undercount. L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer stated during a recent briefing, “We’ve seen that even during the worst of surges, cases will start to come down after a few weeks. It would be dangerous, however, for us to feel that we no longer need to try to minimize the impact of these surges by taking some practical steps that can reduce transmission and illness severity.”

With the uncertainty of Covid still being a prolific thing in today’s world, our couriers take no chances regarding covid protocols. At Reliable couriers, our Los Angeles delivery drivers are trained on covid prevention tactics and know the procedures of safely delivering a package regardless of any party having covid. Sanitization during these uncertain times is of the utmost importance to our staff and us, keeping everyone safe and healthy.

For anyone who is stuck at home with covid this year, Reliable couriers are here to help you at any time, 24/7. No matter what your delivery needs are, from medical deliveries of prescriptions to a legal document that must be filed before a deadline, but you cannot leave due to covid, our team has you covered. Our delivery drivers are experienced in every industry and have access to a vast fleet of vehicles capable of delivering anything from an envelope to 10,000 lbs of freight. Call or visit us online today and see how we can help you with your delivery needs.

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How to Become a Medical Courier /blog/how-to-become-a-medical-courier?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-become-a-medical-courier Tue, 22 Nov 2022 16:04:28 +0000 /?p=11800 If you’ve landed here, you’re probably wondering what it takes to become a medical courier. Reliable couriers have trained hundreds of successful medical curious and have years of experience in the industry.

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If you’ve landed here, you’re probably wondering what it takes to become a Medical Courier. Reliable couriers have trained hundreds of successful medical couriers and have years of experience in the industry. Here, we will walk you through how to become a medical courier.

In the last year alone, the field of medical couriers has expanded by over 26%. It’s no surprise that this is happening and continues to happen. Medical couriers are one of the fastest growing jobs in the world, providing the flexibility and freedom of self-employment, or providing a wide array of companies to work for.

Before becoming a medical courier, there are a few things many companies will require of you on your application. Some of those things may include;

  • A valid driver’s license with a clean driving record
  • Must be over the age of 21
  • Familiarity with the city you will be working in
  • A registered/inspected vehicle under 10 years old
  • Knowledge of HIPAA and OSHA rules and regulations
  • Passing a pre-employment screening/ Identity verification/ background check

Some other skills a company may be looking for when hiring a medical courier are:

  • Ability to stay organized and efficient
  • Basic customer service skills
  • Flexibility driving in new environments

Is it worth meeting these requirements and having all these skills?

According to Glassdoor, medical couriers are primarily paid per delivery, but depending on the number of deliveries, they earn anywhere between $30,000-$45,000 a year. Of course, the amount you make depends on the number of deliveries you make and the distance you travel. Reliable couriers are now hiring medical couriers across the country.

Benefits of being a medical courier:

  • Ability to choose hours
  • Work independently
  • Choose the clients you work for
  • Career Fulfillment- helping others in need

What Is A Medical Courier?

Medical couriers are mostly independent contractors. Being independent contractors, they can manage their own schedules and keep a good work-life balance. While working, medical couriers can expect to deliver many things, including; Medications and prescriptions, medical supplies, lab specimens, test results, medical documents, and more. This requires excellent focus and knowledge in the medical industry and familiarity with their local and surrounding hospitals, labs, and medical facilities. In addition, many of these items are confidential medical records and will require a medical courier to deliver them to their destination in a timely manner.

How Can I Become A Certified Medical Courier?

To become a certified medical courier, you will need to be trained and hired by a reputable courier company. Once you have completed your training with the company, you must pass any required examinations. Once you are certified with the courier company, you can make medical deliveries. Many clients with RŰÎŰ´ŤĂ˝ may require our drivers to be HIPAA, OSHA, and Bloodborne Pathogen certified. We will be able to provide you with all of the training you need to obtain these certifications.

What will I be asked at a Medical Courier interview?

  • How would you handle a situation where a package was damaged?
    While this is a rare instance, it is important that you are capable of handling the situation calmly and professionally, as this reflects the performance of your courier company.
  • Are you capable of carrying and lifting up to 50 lbs?
    This is a common question for many positions requiring these physical demands and capabilities.
  • If you were late for delivery due to traffic, how would you handle this situation?
    This common dilemma can occur for any courier and is a perfect opportunity to differentiate yourself from other potential candidates.
  • If a pick-up is not ready, what would you do?
    Just as being late can hinder a company’s performance, it is always important to have a plan in place in case a roadblock like this should happen.

How to apply for a medical courier job

Applying for a medical courier job requires time and research into local medical courier companies. Many medical courier jobs will allow online applications and require you to submit forms and documents online before even having an interview. Here are some steps to take when applying for your medical courier job:

  1. Research the medical courier company.
    Review how others who have held the medical courier job at the company feel about their position. Does the medical courier job have pay and benefits that meet your criteria? What does the company provide as equipment to its medical couriers? What areas does the company service?
  2. Apply for the medical courier job
    Gather any forms and paperwork you may need, including your resume, certifications like HIPAA or OSHA, your ID, references, vehicle information if utilizing your own, and anything else their application may have requested of you. Some companies may require you to apply in person, through the mail, or apply online for the medical courier job.
  3. Follow up
    Once you have submitted your application for the medical courier job, it is important to follow up right away to ensure your application was received. You should also follow up the week after with the company to find out the next steps in the application process and if there is anything else you must do at that point in time.
  4. Interview
    Although you may have submitted your medical courier job application with all your documents before the interview, bringing your own physical copies to the interview to reference can be helpful to you and the interviewer throughout the process.
  5. Onboarding
    Once hired into your medical courier job, it is important to maintain professionalism and medical certifications while serving as a medical courier in your city.

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Most Interesting Same Day Courier Deliveries Of 2022 /blog/medical-emergency-same-day-delivery-2022?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=medical-emergency-same-day-delivery-2022 Mon, 04 Apr 2022 19:57:45 +0000 /?p=11721 We provide the usual medical deliveries including medical specimen deliveries, blood samples, covid tests, prescription drugs, medical equipment, etc. But sometimes we get a request for a stat medical delivery which is a bit more unusual. In this case it would have been a client that contacted us to request a delivery from Toledo to Milwaukee.

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We do many deliveries here at RŰÎŰ´ŤĂ˝, and thought it would be fun to start a blog series on some of our most interesting same day deliveries that we have done. In this situation we wanted to give you one of our most memorable, rewarding and interesting deliveries we have done in 2022.

We provide the usual medical deliveries including medical specimen deliveries, blood samples, covid tests, prescription drugs, medical equipment, etc. But sometimes we get a request for a stat medical delivery which is a bit more unusual. In this case it would have been a client that contacted us to request a delivery from Toledo to Milwaukee. The client did not exactly specify why this delivery was so urgent until the very end of the conversation. They requested that we deliver some venom from a snake at the zoo to a hospital.

Our customer let us know that this was an emergency delivery, and that it needed to be in Milwaukee as fast as possible. Unfortunately flying out this venom would not have been possible because it was windy (so no helicopter could fly it) and commercial flights for a hand carry courier would not have been available because it was already 5pm and the flight schedules would not match up. They desperately needed to get this driven so we dispatched our courier who arrived within 20 minutes to pick up the newly milked snake venom. The customer also revealed that their patient had been bitten by an Indonesian Pit Viper. Now maybe you have not heard of an Indonesian Pit Viper, but they are extremely dangerous as their bites more often than not prove to be fatal. Also these snakes can be either blue or a bright green and are not native to the united states.

Snake Vile Same Day Medical Delivery

What’s more is most of the time these snakes are not in the United States and are illegal to own as pets. From what our driver was told the individual had possibly obtained this snake in a not so legal way and was playing with it and got bit by it. The patient was in the hospital and desperately needed anti venom from this particular species of snake, and since these snakes are not indigenous to the United States the only place to get the venom was the zoo.

The snake bitten patient’s life depended on this anti venom, and we were extremely proud to have a rush medical courier available that picked it up within 20 minutes and drove for 6 and a half hours straight to get this patient this life saving venom so the hospital could make anti venom from it. We managed to get it delivered before 10pm CST and the patient eventually made a recovery.

We are extremely proud of this delivery and find it to be one of our most interesting courier deliveries of this year so far. Not only was our medical courier extremely satisfied to be able to save someone’s life by delivering this treatment quickly, she also got a standing ovation when she managed to deliver it in time at the hospital.

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How Couriers Support COVID Labs /blog/how-couriers-support-covid-labs?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-couriers-support-covid-labs Tue, 08 Feb 2022 18:12:06 +0000 /?p=11700 A good courier helps labs maintain their own relationships with their patients, partners, and vendors, establishing their own brand as one of professionalism and dependability.

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It is no secret that the medical profession has been brave and effective in its fight against COVID, and also no secret that, alas, it has been placed under enormous strain. Its resources and manpower are spread thin, and its intrepid and knowledgeable personnel have endured long hours and serious personal risks.

No one would deny that our medical professionals are the heroes of the hour. Nevertheless, there are some unsung behind-the-scenes players whose support has been indispensable to the medical profession during its time of need.

What Labs Need

Professional medical couriers are vital to the ordinary daily operations of a medical laboratory, and triply so during a pandemic. Labs rely on couriers to make STAT deliveries of crucial supplies and samples, including urine and blood tests, biopsies, and diagnostic specimens.

Labs also need safe and efficient transportation of medicines and chemicals, specialized equipment, and organs and tissues. These things are all fairly urgent under normal circumstances, but during the pandemic, COVID-specific deliveries added to the normal strain on the laboratories’ supply chains.

What Couriers Give Labs

As mentioned, couriers make routine STAT deliveries for labs. We’ve all heard the term ‘STAT’ from TV. Coming from the Latin ‘statim’ for ‘immediate’, it means that an action has been given the highest priority possible since lives and health are at stake.

In addition to speed, professional couriers offer proper training and certification. Each driver is fully OSHA and HIPAA certified and DOT compliant. Drivers are well-versed in medical terminology and understand the complex packing and handling requirements of delicate medical deliveries. They are also well equipped with and trained in the complex equipment needed to stabilize and secure medical specimens.

Service and Dependability

Professional couriers are fully bonded and insured. They build established relationships with labs built on a solid reputation of reliability and trust. They move safely as well as quickly twenty-four hours a day, ensuring that deliveries are handed off carefully through an established and fully documented chain of custody.

A good courier helps labs maintain their own relationships with their patients, partners, and vendors, establishing their own brand as one of professionalism and dependability. This foundation of mutual reliability is enhanced by real-time tracking software and signing confirmation, a necessity for peace of mind and efficiency in the 21st century.

Conclusion

Professional courier services like RŰÎŰ´ŤĂ˝ are honored to support the work of medical laboratories in this trying time. We take our responsibilities very seriously. The training and certification, licensing and bonding, the high-tech equipment and carefully built professional relationships are all crucial to supporting the work of our laboratory partners. We are proud to offer labs our professionalism, knowledgeability, efficiency, and integrity.

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Couriers in the Age of COVID /blog/couriers-in-the-age-of-covid?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=couriers-in-the-age-of-covid Fri, 04 Feb 2022 15:46:08 +0000 /?p=11696 Couriers have played a crucial role in connecting Americans to the testing facilities, picking up samples on site or at a testing center and delivering it promptly to the lab for same-day results.

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It is no secret that the past two years have seen great hardships. We have all watched in anguish as a deadly new illness washed over the planet’s surface, killing and hospitalizing millions and throwing economies into disarray.

Yet in these dark times, new heroes have stepped forward to protect us. Medical professionals are, of course, the most prominent of our defenders, but hitherto overlooked essential workers in more ordinary lines of work are receiving recognition too – warehouse workers, grocery and convenience store personnel, and transportation workers.

Lockdown

Drivers first gained public recognition during the early days of the pandemic when lockdowns were declared by governments throughout the world. Severe shortages of basic necessities, notably toilet paper, were experienced. Delivery drivers were crucial to the delivery of food, toiletries, and medicine during this period.

This period also witnessed severe disruptions to the medical system and businesses. Professional couriers, operating at enormous personal risk, were crucial to the delivery of key documents and packages that helped businesses adjust to the new reality. With physical meetings and interactions severely hampered, these deliveries helped businesses keep their organizations in place and their operations moving forward.

Medical Deliveries

Testing is at the heart of the battle against COVID. Yet the lockdowns and post-lockdown restrictions made it difficult for people to venture out to testing sites. Services like Reliable

Couriers have played a crucial role in connecting Americans to the testing facilities, picking up samples on site or at a testing center and delivering it promptly to the lab for same-day results.

The training and certification required of professional couriers was essential to this work. Drivers had to wear PPE properly and follow procedures to the letter to minimize the risk of infection and keep themselves and their clients safe. The deliveries had to be completed swiftly and the tests protected from damage or corruption.

Speed and safety are the courier’s watchwords, but they have proven even more essential to the fight against the pandemic. In addition, professional couriers afforded people the peace of mind that comes from being able to track their packages easily. Couriers are available 24 hours a day for these critical deliveries.

Even beyond COVID testing, courier services have connected citizens to a health care system taxed to its limit by the pandemic. Tests, samples, and specimens, medications and equipment had to be transported to and from citizens with great care and haste. Diabetics still needed their insulin, and elders still needed pills and walking aids. Couriers provided them with a lifeline to these vital products and services.

Going Forward

We would like to think that the worst days of the pandemic are behind us and that a brighter day is dawning. Here at RŰÎŰ´ŤĂ˝, we are proud to have been part of the solution. With COVID contained, the world can get fully back in business, and we will be there working with them as we always have, building a new and better world.

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CDC Recommends Immunocompromised Individuals Receive Third Vaccine Dose /blog/cdc-recommends-immunocompromised-individuals-receive-third-vaccine-dose?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=cdc-recommends-immunocompromised-individuals-receive-third-vaccine-dose Thu, 12 Aug 2021 14:02:29 +0000 /?p=11501 The purpose of the third shot is to provide the immunocompromised the boost they need to have as much protection as individuals who exhibited proper responses to their two shots. This is especially important with the likes of the Delta variant lurking about now. Unfortunately, all of this only involves the Pfizer or the Moderna vaccine recipients. Those who received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine shot have not yet been cleared for an additional shot as additional research is needed.

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In the United States, there are roughly 7 million individuals who may be categorized as immunocompromised. For those who were moderately or severely immunocompromised, their immune systems may not have exhibited a sufficient reaction to the original two doses of Pfizer or Moderna when they received it. In reaction to this concern, the Director of the CDC, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, had signed a recommendation for a third vaccine shot for these qualifying individuals.

The purpose of the third shot is to provide the immunocompromised the boost they need to have as much protection as individuals who exhibited proper responses to their two shots. This is especially important with the likes of the Delta variant lurking about now. Unfortunately, all of this only involves the Pfizer or the Moderna vaccine recipients. Those who received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine shot have not yet been cleared for an additional shot as additional research is needed. But let’s take a closer look into why the immunocompromised may need this crucial third shot…

Low Immune Response Means Less Defense

According to the CDC, while most people are enjoying protection of 90% or higher, immunocompromised individuals have been exhibiting a protection range of 59% to 72%, significantly lower than they should have. That isn’t all, though. Some immunocompromised individuals even exhibited zero immune response after receiving the vaccine, leaving them far more vulnerable to COVID-19 considering their heightened likelihood of getting sick in general.

Looking at the Breakthrough Cases

You may have been noticing the phrase “breakthrough cases” as the COVID-19 pandemic is continually covered—cases that occur to people, even though they were vaccinated. Of this affected group, one study in the US found that 44% of breakthrough cases involved an immunocompromised individual. That’s almost half of those affected, which shows the alarming vulnerability that these individuals are experiencing, even with a vaccine flowing through their veins.

CDC Recommendations for Moving Forward

The CDC has recommended that the additional third shot be received at least 28 days after getting your initial two doses of Pfizer or Moderna. Focus was placed on the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines because it is assumed that the majority of vaccine recipients have received either Pfizer or Moderna vaccinations.

It should be made clear that these additional shots are not the same as the booster shots that everyone else will be getting. For now, booster shots are still being researched and investigated, but it is expected that they will be needed as vaccine protection begins to wear off. However, so far both the FDA and CDC have not found evidence that the booster shot is necessary, but they are keeping a close eye on the numbers to see if this changes as the situation evolves.

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The Pandemic’s Impact on Organ Donations and Transplants /blog/pandemic-impact-on-organ-donations-and-transplants?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pandemic-impact-on-organ-donations-and-transplants Thu, 22 Jul 2021 13:04:35 +0000 /?p=11326 While the pandemic has certainly caused large waves of change across our news media, most of the talk has revolves around the catching of COVID-19, being placed in a hospital bed, and being put on a breathing apparatus, or people dying from COVID-19. But behind all of that, there is also another struggle going on—keeping up with organ donations.

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While the pandemic has certainly caused large waves of change across our news media, most of the talk has revolves around the catching of COVID-19, being placed in a hospital bed, and being put on a breathing apparatus, or people dying from COVID-19. But behind all of that, there is also another struggle going on—keeping up with organ donations.

Organ Donations and Transplants Took a Hit on Multiple Fronts

Several factors were at work the moment COVID-19 rocked the world that quickly hurt the world of organ donations and transplants. When the pandemic struck, PPE swiftly became short in supply. This in turn impacted the number of patients that could be tended to, and the staff that could work with those patients, and with COVID-19 being the absolute top worry, the whole process of organ transplants had to be paused because of how many people were dying and the unknowns of the danger that was causing these deaths.

This chaos also led to a reduction of available organ donors. Fear of catching and dying from COVID-19 led many who died of other causes to die at home—there is a specific window of time for when organs must be harvested for transplant. This impacted the number of organs readily available for transplant. However, enough people were still dying in hospitals to cushion the impact. What would eventually tip the number of organ transplants into the negative was donations from living donors. Fears from COVID-19 and the stresses of dying relatives from COVID-19 all contributed to a reduction of living donors, which resulted in almost 2000 less living donors from 2019 to 2020. This translated into over 700 more deaths during that time span as people waited for an organ transplant but never received it in time.

Solutions to the Organ Transplant Troubles

This situation could’ve been a lot worse, if not for the efforts of many medical professionals across the nation and the sheer logistics they had to go through to ensure that most patients were still getting their much-needed transplants. For areas where certain organs may have been short, hospitals were communicating with neighboring areas to have the needed organs transplanted as fast as possible. This helped mitigate the potential loss of life that we could’ve suffered versus the losses that we did experience. However, the fact remains that we need more donors, and COVID-19 has certainly left its mark on the world of organ transplants.

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The Hope to Save Lives with the FDA’s New Shortage Prevention Program /blog/fda-new-shortage-prevention-program?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fda-new-shortage-prevention-program Mon, 19 Jul 2021 14:21:56 +0000 /?p=11325 Since COVID-19 first struck the world, supply lines became strained to the breaking point as shelves were running empty at stores and hospitals were struggling to have enough PPE and equipment to handle the sudden surge of patients as people became sick or were dying from the effects of COVID-19. It wasn’t too long before the FDA began putting a plan together to try countering the shortages that shocked the nation as healthcare workers struggled to find the means to protect themselves as well as save the lives of others. Enter the CARES Act, or the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

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Since COVID-19 first struck the world, supply lines became strained to the breaking point as shelves were running empty at stores and hospitals were struggling to have enough PPE and equipment to handle the sudden surge of patients as people became sick or were dying from the effects of COVID-19. It wasn’t too long before the FDA began putting a plan together to try countering the shortages that shocked the nation as healthcare workers struggled to find the means to protect themselves as well as save the lives of others. Enter the CARES Act, or the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

What Does the CARES Act Do?

Signed into law back on March 27, 2020, the CARES Act was the FDA’s move to assume the authority of preventing the shortage of medical equipment in the case of a public health emergency, or even in anticipation of a possible public health emergency. This is crucial because of how the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed that even with knowledge of a possible pandemic, our public health emergency response was nowhere near sufficient and hundreds of thousands have died for it. The main weakness that the CARES Act is meant to address is in our medical supply chain. There were not enough materials and equipment before to meet the rising demand when the pandemic had struck—and there was a need for establishing where the decision-making really needed to be. Now, the FDA can have the power to make those decisions quickly and decisively.

How Will the CARES Act Be Carried Out?

The FDA already has its 2022 budget outlined with $21.6 million to be invested into their new Resilient Supply Chain and Shortages Prevention Program (RSCSPP). This funding will be for the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) and will be dedicated to establishing the first permanent program in the US for supply chain resilience regarding medical devices—it is but a first step, but a crucial one towards building a stronger nation in the face of future public health emergencies. It is a somber thought that the science community is already predicting that there will be more public health emergencies to follow in the wake of sweeping changes to our climate, but the CARES Act and consequent funding for the FDA will aid in the necessary steps to preparing us all.

What is the Ultimate Goal of the RSCSPP?

The RSCSPP is designed to ultimately provide the CDRH with the means to provide fast and well-backed intervention for when possible supply shortages may occur or when supply chains may possibly be disrupted regarding medical supplies and equipment. Here are just some of the ways that this will be made possible:

  • Regulatory measures may be made, and valuable partnerships can be forged with the medical industry, healthcare providers, and patients.
  • The development and improvement of supply chain intelligence through predictive modeling.
  • Develop the means for early signal detection and constant surveillance.
  • Invest in preventative measures that can help ensure that shortages don’t occur in the first place when domestic supply chains become stressed.

All of this goes into more than just preparing for emergencies, it will also benefit everyday operations—the health of all in the United States will benefit in the end.

Get STAT Delivery for Your Medical Equipment and Supplies

Being short on any medical supply can be detrimental to the health of your patients. With RŰÎŰ´ŤĂ˝ and our same day medical courier services, you can help make sure that you’re never short on any medical item for long. Our medical courier services can help transport and ship medical supplies not just from anywhere in your state, but also from your neighboring states—what’s more, we can get the job done within the same day, so that you can get those invaluable supplies faster and save more lives. Our medical courier services can be used for both one-time shipments as well as for regular supply lines—stay supplied with RŰÎŰ´ŤĂ˝ on your side!

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