Introduction

From v5.1, OpenSpecimen allows you to create distribution containers such as holding tanks. These containers can be used to temporarily store the distributed specimens before they are carried away by the requester.

Steps To Create Distribution Containers

Follow the below steps to create distribution containers:

1. Go to the home page and click on 'Containers' card
2. Click on 'Create' button
3. Select the option 'Distribution' of the 'Used For' field
   

4. Enter all valid details, select distribution protocol from the drop-down and click on 'Create' button
   

   The 'Distribution Protocols' drop will appear only after selecting the 'Distribution' option of the 'Used For' field

Store Specimens In Distribution Containers

While creating a specimen order, you can store the specimens in distribution containers. Select the holding location of the specimens from the 'Specimens' page while creating order and distribute the specimens. Refer to the wiki page for distributing specimens

Retrieve distributed specimens from holding containers

Once the requestor has come to pick up the specimens, the user can retrieve all the specimens from distribution containers. Follow below steps to retrieve specimens:

1. Go to order's overview page
2. Click on 'Specimens' tab from the left side menu
3. From the order specimen's list, click on 'Retrieve' button
   
   
4. Enter the reason for retrieval of specimens and click on 'Retrieve' button
   
   

Email notifications to pick specimens

There is a system level nightly job created to remind requestors to pick distributed specimens when they don't turn up to pick specimens from the holding tank.

The reminder notification is sent to all the requestors whose requested specimens are in the holding tanks for more than 24 hours. Further, the reminder is sent every night until the specimens are either picked or moved out of the holding tanks.

The reminder notification as mentioned below is copied to the distributor, DP PI and coordinators, and the receiving site coordinators.