The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance has acquired a new piece of technology to help out staff and patients.
It's called VitrosXT7600, and it will allow blood tests to be done more quickly.
The 3-in-1 machine will allow the Chatham hospital to give faster diagnosis and improved accuracy. The analyzer can check for everything from liver and kidney function to infections, pregnancy, and cancer.
Mary Poulin, Manager of Lab Services at CKHA, said 85 per cent of all patient diagnosis is based on the lab results provided daily.
"Prior to the automation line being installed, our team was manually uncapping and recapping 300-500 samples every single day. Part of the tracking installation, as well, helps locate samples that need to be retested. Our technologists are now focused more on quality and patient safety," said Poulin.
The lab renovations cost around $1 million, with the new Vitros machine costing around $800,000.
"By streamlining our laboratory operations, we are not only improving efficiency, we are also ensuring that our team has the best tools available to support the health and well-being of the Chatham-Kent community," said Adam Topp, President and CEO of CKHA.
The new machines will also allow for remote repairs. If there was an issue with the machine that could be fixed from another location, they would be able to do that a lot more efficiently and quickly.
Poulin also said that the next renovation will be in the hematology platform, which is 10 years old and parts are becoming obsolete.
