An essential aspect of successful vaccine logistics lies in a healthy and functioning cold chain. Vaccines are completely reliant on properly functioning cold chain equipment (refrigerators, cold rooms, coolers, and their associated support equipment) in order to remain potent and safe to use. In order to support these needs, the OpenLMIS vaccine module will include a section (domain) on cold chain equipment (CCE) monitoring and management.
CCE Management functionality will cover a number of workflows in support of the cold chain. The features slated for inclusion in the first version of the vaccine module (within OpenLMIS v3.3 release) were discussed and prioritized at the May 2017 prioritization workshop in Copenhagen. Within scope for the features that will be included in the OpenLMIS version 3.3 software includes:
A. Manage CCE Catalog | B. Manage CCE Inventory | C. Capture Temperature & Functionality Status | D. Remote Temperature Monitoring (RTM) | E. Notifications & Alerts | F. Available CCE Storage Capacity | G. Maintenance & Repair |
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A.1 CCE Catalog rights (configuration) | B.1 CCE Inventory rights (configuration) | C.1 Input functionality status | D.1 Sync facility and device information |
Not needed | View snapshot of CCE devices & functionality at facility (for decision making during resupply) | G.1 Replacement plan report |
A.2 Create CCE catalog via CSV | B.2 Add facility CCE inventory | C.2 Record "needs attention" status (next) | D.2 Parse RTM temp output | E.2 Nonfunctional CCE alert | F.1 View max available CCE storage capacity by facility | G.2 Input reason for failure or nonfunctional status Votes: 7 |
A.3 Add CCE to catalog (download & upload CSV) | B.3 Add specific equipment info to facility CCE inventory | C.3 View CCE functionality status per facility | D.3 Automatically trigger "needs attention" status | E.3 Maintenance downtime alert Votes: 2 | F.2 View CCE available storage capacity by device Vote:1 | G.4 Specify spare part needed |
A.4 Archive catalog items | B.5 Include warranty date info Votes: 8 | C.4 Timestamp for functionality status | D.5 Generate temperature alert Votes: 4 | E.5 Nearing max capacity alert | ||
A.6 Add voltage stabilizers to catalog Votes: 2 | B.6 Include warranty contact info Votes: 3 | C.5 View CCE functionality summary Votes: 7 | D.6 View average hours of power | E.6 Advanced notifications options | ||
A.7 Add user manuals to catalog Votes: 1 | B.7 Indicate related CCE device (voltage stabilizer, temp monitor) Votes: 2 | C.7 Capture temperature excursions Votes: 2 | ||||
A.8 Include manual request instructions for additions of CCE model to catalog | B.8 Make certain fields required | C.8 View CCE temperature status | ||||
A.9 Suggest CCE for catalog | B. 9 Configuration page for "Edit Equipment Info" | |||||
A.10 Add non-catalog CCE to facility inventory (for non-central users) | B.10 Bulk additions/deletions of CCE | |||||
B.11 Query CCE lists by type (model) |
Out of scope for the vaccine module within OpenLMIS v3.3 includes:
Question | Outcome |
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Are there standardized fields that need to be included for the CCE Catalog and CCE Inventory List? | Yes, PATH & UW have put together a number of standard fields that need to be included in CCE inventory management |
How often does CCE equipment need to be moved between facilities? (This is not counting "floater" coolers/equipment that is not ever tied to a specific facility.) This would affect the process for re-registering an existing device to the new facility that it has been moved to. | |
Is it necessary to include features for "floater" equipment in the inventory? Does this need to be tracked to the same degree as facility-housed CCE, or is it appropriate that for the MVP this type of CCE is not addressed in the CCE inventory lists? |
Vaccines are completely reliant on a properly functioning CCE in order to remain potent and safe to use.
OpenLMIS should be able to capture the functionality status of CCE – working, working intermittently, not working at all, as well as record information for what could be causing the failure.
This information is then used to: 1) determine which locations can store vaccines and which cannot; 2) plan for which locations need maintenance work; 3) plan for which locations need replacement of equipment; and 4) if the data allows for disaggregation by reason for non-functioning or by equipment type, the indicator and trend can also be used to assess performance of particular types of models of CCE in the field to figure out which ones to purchase in the future.
In settings where possible (RTM, see those reqs here) the system should be able to receive notifications/updates about CCE functionality (via interoperability considerations with RTM platforms)
Finally, based on the data that gets entered into the system, notifications/updates to specific personas (upstream store managers, maintenance technicians and managers, facility staff) should be possible when functionality is affected.