FAQ's & ApplicationsSentry Temperature Monitoring

 

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monitoring questions

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Sentry - FAQ Lists

  • What are the typical Applications? +

    Sentry offers solutions to help hospitals, pharmacies, laboratories, clinics, blood banks, food and nutritional services, drug warehouses, bio-repositories, preparedness stockpiles, and health care facilities to apply a tool for comprehensive oversight, management, and regulatory compliance.

  • Is Sentry Only for Temperature Monitoring? +

    No, the Sentry Monitoring Asset Resource Terminal (SMART) can display anything that you wish to measure or capture as a data value. All monitoring is the acquisition of a measurement and the conversion into an electronic data value. This value, in the SMART interface, is displayed with the label you choose to give. Humidity, Amperage, Video, Door Sensors, Temperature, or Liquid Levels are some examples of our client configurations.

  • What Does "Web or Cloud Based" Mean? +

    Cloud based means that the data from the acquisition device is continuously provided to the Sentry software platform (don't worry, the acquisition device keeps a continuous record local for up to 2 years) where we compare real-time values to alert settings and maintain a client data archive. Sentry is Web Based since your application, consolidating all of your points, values, and user activity is accessible via a java driven desktop shortcut to our secure redundant servers.

  • What If My Network Is Down? +

    We all know that networks will experience down time. The Sentry hardware is a fully functional local monitoring device. It will capture and log data, provide an audible alert, and display current temperatures even if your network is down. We consult as science advisors and know that products do not degrade instantaneously nor does a network outage mean that a temperature excursion constituting an out of range event occurred.

  • What About Regulatory Compliance? +

    If someone says, "Our system is validated" we encourage you to ask, "To what standard is it validated?"

    We are experts in Quality Assurance. Having worked for and advised government agencies, private clients, and industry groups regarding the compliance of data acquisition and the use of the electronic data record as our best indicator regarding events with potentially negative impact on product quality. Temperature monitoring, when combined with your inventory control records, correlates a data point as evidence of a product's storage environment. There is no way for a monitoring system to know where the product is located. So by default, there is no such thing as a pre-approved "out of the box" compliant system and the CDC's VFC program does not endorse or approve commercial products.

    CTS receives and distributes vaccines every day & have been audited by some of the biggest names in the BioPharma industry. Our acceptance standards are GAMP and cGMP; regarded as the "Gold Standard" for regulatory compliance allowing us to meet or exceed all other standards. A monitoring system must be designed to be integrated into your quality program and meet your acceptance standards as determined by appropriate regulatory or accreditation standards. As part of the Gold Standard, we supply you with a detailed User Acceptance Document and Installation/Operation/Performance Qualification (IOPQ) Document. This set of documents, once completed, will get your monitoring system equipment file started as proof that your monitoring system was selected and installed based on detailed specifications crosswalked to your compliance/accreditation needs. Your Calibration, Maintenance, Data Mangement, and Alarm Resolution programs combine with the User Acceptance & IOPQ to project comprehensive system of oversight needed to meet your particular regulatory compliance requirements.

  • Wired or Wireless? +

    Wireless was a popular buzzword for many years and we offer wireless technology.  But reliability is paramount and we prefer wired systems over wireless (except for highly mobile devices)
    1. 1. The wired system is more secure and provides more reliable communications than wireless
    2. 2. Wireless is prone to interference which results in false values or gaps (if readings are continuous)
    3. 3. Wireless is difficult verify the exact receipt & error free transcription of data transmitted
    4. 4. Non Micro-Server Wireless requires an adapter/coordinator or data forwarding device (base-station)
    5. 5. Most IT Departments prefer wired to keep wireless networks free of unessary traffic
    6. 6. Most wireless does not meet FDA CFR part 11 Subpart B for Electronic Records & validation is complicated
    7. 7. Wireless requires expensive calibration of the local output, coordinator, software, & HMI display value

  • What if I am audited? +

    Requirements and qualification documents outline the operational parameters and verification of system operation. Calibration documentation ensures the accuracy of the readings. We encourage you to perform, document, and archive the requirements and qualification documentation so that it will be available when needed. Archived readings and alarm notifications are available through the customer interface.

  • Can I Create Reports and Trends from Sentry? +

    Yes. Users can choose to export their data to a spreadsheet program or print/save Adobe PDF files from the user interface. Single or multiple probe reports are available. For VFC Providers, we have created simple reports similar to the paper logs that VFC Program provides.

  • Do I Need To Update Software or Hardware? +

    No Never. The Sentry Software Platform is updated by us and you are a user continuously updating without the need to purchase proprietary releases over time. If you take advantage of our monthly pay-as-you-go service, you will never need to own, update, calibrate, or decommission your hardware. Just like a cell phone contract, our Sentry service comes with the hardware and everything you need to deploy a world class monitoring system right away.

  • Can I Install & Calibrate The Sentry System? +

    Hardware is sent to you pre-programmed, labeled, and calibrated for easy installation. A hardware installation guide is included with the shipment. Sofware exists in the Cloud and is available for download to any computer with internet access through a Java applet interface. A calibration certificate is supplied for each sensing point. A calibration sticker is also attached to the sensing unit for quick reference. Calibrations are good for a year from the test date. A newly calibrated sensing unit will be shipped to exchange an expiring calibration, if the monitoring term extends past the concluding year.
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