State-of-the-art analytical platforms and track systems have been installed in the new automated blood sciences laboratory at the recently-opened Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.
The University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust has purchased two Roche cobas 8000 platforms - one with two cobas c 701 chemistry modules and two cobas e 602 immunoassay modules and the other with one cobas c 701 and two cobas e 602 modules. It has also installed a MODULAR PRE-ANALYTICS module and a cobas p 501/701 post-analytical unit for automated sample storage and retrieval.
“The fully-automated track system with pre and post analytics has eliminated the need for manual transfer and storage of samples once they are loaded on the system”, said laboratory manager, Chris Gaskin. “The cobas 8000 platforms are designed for high throughput and the whole Roche solution has helped us to be more LEAN in our processes and is much more efficient for our high workloads.”
The laboratory also has a standalone cobas p 512 module for automated sample receipt.
“In the next few months, we aim to introduce a pneumatic sample delivery system and ward order communications throughout the hospital”, said Gaskin. “When a test is requested on the ward, a barcode label will be printed automatically. Then, when samples arrive in the laboratory, they will be loaded directly onto the cobas p 512. The system will register receipt on the Laboratory Information Management System and then sort the samples into appropriate racks, depending on their destination. This will eliminate the need for paperwork, allowing the process to be entirely electronic from request to result for the very first time. It will streamline sample reception significantly and will further reduce turnaround times.”