Urine sample collection made simple with the Safe2Pcanter
As we continue to streamline our healthcare processes in a bid to meet the ever-growing demands of consumers, patients and professionals, sample packaging remains a key focus. Introducing innovative developments in the way of sample collection.
Whether it’s reducing excess packaging waste, opting for alternative packaging materials or embedding technological advancements to meet consumer needs, the packaging industry must develop at a high rate to accommodate ongoing market requirements. Urine sample collection bears no exception.
Diagnosis can be made easy with new and improved at-home sampling kits, where inventive designs are bringing a whole range of new advantages and commercial benefits to their user.
Urine sample collection rises with the demand for at home testing
With the global in vitro diagnostic market worth USD 77.92 billion in 2023, urology assessment dominates the diagnostic arena, providing vital insight for the diagnosis of a range of medical conditions ranging from UTIs, STDs, diabetes and kidney disease to name a few.
Much like with any at-home biological sample collection, home-based urine sampling has revolutionised the diagnostic process, boasting several advantages to the end user and wider healthcare industry.
Given the sensitivity surrounding the sample providing and diagnostic process, the simplicity and anonymous nature of at-home urine sample collection, has pivoted at home or self-testing to be the preferred diagnostic method for many patients. Increasing the number of patients who are taking tests and being diagnosed for medical conditions that may have otherwise been left untreated.
Facilitating urine sample collection
The design of the sample collection kit itself is what enables the healthcare industry to conduct accurate diagnostic testing. With the rise in self-collection of urine specimens at never-before-seen heights, innovative design is needed now more than ever to ensure safe and secure collection for an accurate diagnosis.
To achieve this, not only does this packaging have to endure safe transportation to the consumer once manufactured, but it must also survive the urine sample collection process, as it continues the journey back to the lab for analysis.
Taking the above as a baseline requirement, there are a number of unnegotiable design considerations and features that can facilitate safe collection. This ranges from its safety and security features, user compatibility, overall costs, and ensuring that any collection kit aligns to a business’ wider commercial goals.
What are the design drawbacks of traditional urine collection kits?
Common at-home urine collection kits are typically comprised of bulky plastic containers, with a funnel-like feature or design. Frequently utilized, these kits are marketed for accurate and easy urine collection through their larger design.
Nevertheless, the bulky nature of these designs poses several drawbacks for at-home diagnosis. The overall design makes them an awkward testing kit to ship, resulting in a larger shipment package. This in turn leads to an increase in financial resource, which inevitably builds up at a considerable rate.
Plastic solutions are also more prone to cracks or breaking during transit, which in turn can leave processes more vulnerable to delays, initial financial costs and if you’re unlucky, a potential hit on company reputation. To combat this threat, additional investment in protective packaging is usually advised, which again, naturally increases packaging costs.
Cardboard/paper alternatives are available, however, given their structural vulnerability and moisture sensitivity, these solutions also possess a susceptibility to damage or compromission.
With these drawbacks in mind, it’s important to utilise packaging that is designed to meet various external factors, including:
The mission to minimise plastic
An ongoing issue surrounding traditional diagnostic kits stems from plastic overuse. This is especially evident with urine diagnostic kits that incorporate large plastic cups with even more additional plastic content, such as plastic outer packaging.
With an estimated 15 million tonnes of plastic used annually on a global scale from the healthcare industry alone, concerning reports of overall plastic usage have been slowly but surely acknowledged within the industry. With this, apprehensions surrounding plastic usage have been put into action, facilitating a new movement that dissuades plastic overuse and encourages more environmentally friendly material usage.
Growing carbon concerns
On par with plastic overuse concerns, carbon-reducing methods are another concern that is routinely championed within the diagnostic space.
Packaging plays an important role in helping businesses work towards wider commercial goals, particularly with carbon-neutral ambitions. With the UKs collective mission to achieve net zero status by 2050, all industries must embed emission reducing tactics within their practices in any way possible. One way to do so is by tackling excess shipping and reducing packaging.
Innovative packaging designs that advocate for efficient space usage and minimises overall redundant volume should be prioritised. This approach better maximises shipment capacity and allows for a higher volume of products to be transported with fewer materials.
Compatibility with the end user
Given that urine sampling is now essential for a large portion of the population, it has also become crucial to develop a testing kit design that accommodates a diverse user demographic, from children to the elderly.
Any solution should be comprised of a simple and easy-to-use structure, which is convenient for all potential users. This means including a testing structure that is easy to handle and manipulate, prioritising convenience above all else.
safe2Pcanter is the solution for urine sample collection
With all this in mind, it’s important for a solution to not only fulfil the basic requirements of an at-home, self-testing sample kit, but to also actively complement the wider goals of businesses and the diagnostics sector. Ultimately allowing for the streamlining of urine diagnosis processes.
Innovation meets at-home sampling with the design of safe2Pcanter. Developed in response to market demand, the safe2Pcanter is the first CE registered and flat packed collection device to market.
The safe2Pcanter diminishes any chance of damage via crushing or cracking during transit, whilst simultaneously minimising overall packaging volume, shipping costs and storage space in the lab.
It is also built with the consumer in mind, as a simple 3D design locks into place securely with simple instructions. A wide aperture allows for ease of use during the urine sample collection and reduces any chance of spillage. The box shape also acts as an easy decanter into the sample tube, ready for shipment back to the lab.
The safe2Pcanter incorporates a reduced-plastic design through cardboard casing, including a true-to-size urine sample tube for sample transportation. Utilising less material as well as providing a reduced plastic solution.
At RDi, we have the capacity to produce over 150,000 test kits per day, all of which registered, auditable and managed throughout the supply chain. Streamline your at home testing process with ease. Get in touch with RDi to discuss your requirements today.