Over the past 10 years, DX has become a leading provider of specimen delivery services to laboratories nationwide. In response to changes in regulations, recent high-profile disease outbreaks and an increasing focus on patient confidentiality, it continues to invest in its service portfolio to cater for the needs of health professionals. With a long history of delivering highly important and sensitive documents for the legal and government sectors, DX launched its specimen delivery service in 1999 – recognising a gap in the NHS market for an all-inclusive packaging and transportation service that fulfilled regulatory requirements for compliant packaging and the need for a cost-effective, yet highly secure service.
Microbiology’s choice
Many years on, DX Tracked Specimen is the service of choice for Category B samples for hundreds of laboratory professionals. Using a network of collection and delivery points – located usually at the laboratory itself – the DX Tracked Specimen service collects after 5.00 pm and delivers nationwide before 9.00 am the next working day. Not only does this avoid potential delays in the internal transfer of specimens to and from the hospital post room, but it also means that samples typically are delivered to the laboratory before the start of the working day.
Pandemics, outbreaks and Olympic challenges
As a key supplier to hospitals and government agencies, DX recognises the importance of the role it plays in the diagnostic process. “DX has had its tender renewed for supplying the Health Protection Agency (HPA) with the transfer of Category B samples between its laboratories. This service has been used throughout the swine influenza pandemic, the Escherichia coli 0104 outbreak, and is ready for the Olympics,” says the HPA’s Paul Laidler.”
Furthermore, to ensure it continues to meet the needs of health professionals, DX has made significant investment in its service portfolio.
Category A and temperature-controlled samples
Following a change in the Dangerous Goods Regulations in 2005, which included the reclassification of some pathogens from diagnostic to infectious, DX reacted promptly to set up a solution for its customers. Working in partnership with specialist dangerous goods carriers, DX’s Category A Specimen service offers same-day collection and delivery – using trained drivers – including the provision of IATA 620-compliant packaging. The service also includes assistance with the completion of all necessary paperwork. To meet the demand for larger primary receptacles and temperature-controlled units, DX has invested in a range of alternative packaging, which is already used by many of its customers to complement the DX Tracked Specimen (Cat B) service.
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