Faster lab results mean earlier diagnosis, treatment for patients

At first glance, it looks like a really long photocopier, but for a Hospital Laboratory Department, this machine’s capabilities in diagnosing patients’ conditions by testing blood and other specimens are state-of-the-art.

Niagara Health System is the first hospital system in Canada to use the Vitros 5600. This new technology allows the Laboratory to speed up the testing process, meaning faster diagnosis of patient conditions. Another benefit, especially for those patients who don’t like needles, is that the latest technology requires smaller blood samples.

This innovative medical equipment is located at the St. Catharines, Welland and Niagara Falls sites and serves the entire region. The three instruments were a no-cost upgrade to existing equipment, so Niagara Health System did not incur any additional capital costs for the upgrades.

“Medical technology is evolving at a rapid pace and changing the way healthcare providers care for patients and diagnose patient conditions,” says Albert Lee, Manager of Laboratory Medicine Program at St. Catharines General Site. “The Vitros 5600 now does the work of two separate instruments, and does the testing with greater speed and accuracy.”

Today’s health concerns range from the threat of new infectious diseases to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Whether it is a blood test, a throat swab or a biopsy, tests performed by medical laboratory professionals provide vital information about a patient’s health. Up to 85% of decisions about diagnosis and treatment are based on laboratory test results.

The new equipment performs 90% of tests typically needed in a hospital laboratory, including glucose, hepatitis and therapeutic drugs. It is capable of holding over 100 samples at a time, working on a Sample-Centred Processing System described as “one tube in – one tube out.” This process eliminates the need to split or move samples manually between instruments. This increases efficiency and quality of testing.

“Requiring a smaller size biological sample means less time and discomfort for patients, particularly those needing multiple tests,” says Joanne Guzda, Manager of Laboratory Medicine Programs at the Welland and Niagara Falls sites. “The Vitros 5600 runs twice as fast as its predecessor, providing results much sooner, meaning patients can receive earlier diagnosis and treatment.”