All Hospital departments including the department of clinical pathology work in sync towards fulfilling the vision of the 57357 Institution, which is the achievement of a childhood free of cancer. As such, 57357’s laboratories have translated this commitment into the objective of increasing the accuracy and speed of their performance. For that purpose, they sought to expand their capacity through the installation of a totally automated lab. The new lab with increased capacity is fully equipped with hematology analyzers, chemistry lab equipment, viruses’ testing equipment, and coagulation analyzers.
In a track- based high –throughput automated sample handling system, the Power Express by Beckman Coulter, all collected patients samples are put on the first step of the track to be distributed according to the bar-code and moving in an automatic manner in the lanes without any human intervention. Thanks to its four-lane track and smart sample handling, the Power Express system helps decrease turnaround time (TAT) and errors and improve lab productivity:
The track can be fed with all sample varieties at the same time including routine priority, STAT and samples to be collected and stored in refrigerator as well as samples which do not need centrifugation.
-The automated disposal unit of this equipment is able to deliver 5 samples at a time on the track.
-The immunology DXI unit of the system effects only one drawing from the sample no matter the number of required tests which decreases congestion of samples.
-The chemistry unit of the system is equipped with a rack builder which transfers sample tubes from sample tube carriers and places them into a spiral buffer capable of storing up to 400 samples.
-The track enables connecting the system to immunology and coagulation units from a third party. It also enables it to be connected to 4 stock yard units which could be opened and closed manually or automatically. The system provides long-term online storage of sample tubes using the Remisol middle ware digital system
The new automated system offers 57357 labs the ability to deliver speedy TATs and reliable, accurate results to clinicians, which has a direct positive effect on proper patient management. This will be translated as a higher cure rate, to move a step forward in achieving our hospital vision. Moreover thanks to the fully automated labs, which help to simplify operations –reducing manual reliance and expenses and maximizing patient safety-57357 lab scientists will find more time for research and will be capable to serve the adult population, bringing in revenue to the Hospital.