NHS Grampian, UK, Installs Roche cobas b 221 Point-of-Care Analyzers

NHS Grampian has installed 13 new Roche cobas^® b 221 blood gas analyzers, standardizing point-of-care analysis throughout its hospitals. The move will allow NHS Grampian to meet important clinical governance standards by providing a full audit trail of results while ensuring patient safety and high quality patient care.

The cobas b^® 221 blood gas analyzers require minimal maintenance and perform reliably and consistently in a variety of POC settings. The analyzers are located in the laboratory, emergency department, intensive therapy unit (ITU), respiratory ward, high dependency units, acute medical assessment units, labor wards and neonatal units throughout NHS Grampian.

“We required a blood gas service that would not only provide rapid and accurate blood gas results, but that would also perform reliably in busy wards for 24 hours a day, while requiring minimal maintenance and intervention from a laboratory perspective,” explains Dr Elaine Davidson, Clinical Scientist responsible for Clinical Biochemistry POC testing in NHS Grampian. “The Roche solution has allowed NHS Grampian to standardise blood gas equipment across its sites. This aids stock control and deliveries, in addition to simplifying user training and maintenance by the laboratory team.”

“The cobas bge link software has been vital to this installation,” she adds. “The status of each analyser can be viewed, and basic maintenance performed, from a central location. This allows the laboratory team to provide remote support 24 hours a day. Operator identification, authorisation and certification is also controlled using the cobas bge link software, which provides a full audit trail of results and allows us to address many aspects of clinical governance.”