Siemens Combats Increasing Point-of-Care Workload with Ecosystem Approach

Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics is tackling challenges faced by point-of-care (POC) coordinators in the laboratory with an innovative ecosystem approach. The Ecosystem^™ solution was recently launched as an integrated component of the RAPIDComm^® Data Management System, an informatics solution which centrally manages Siemens in vitro diagnostics analyzers and operators.

The solution encompasses eight core components including device management, operator management, quality control, compliance reporting, competency management, inventory management, remote monitoring and mobile access.

“Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics has been carefully analyzing the point-of-care market and is ready to provide a holistic approach to testing,” states Afia Boamah, Product Manager - Blood Gas, Stratus CS & POC IT S at Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics. “POC testing continues to grow at a rapid pace and there is a strong need to provide fast and reliable results in order to improve patient outcomes and optimize clinical workflow.”

“Although solutions for each of the eight core components do exist individually, efficiently managing all aspects of a POC testing program requires close collaboration among hospitals, device manufacturers and IT vendors. The Siemens POC Ecosystem helps to address this challenge by implementing an integrated solution which improves the efficiency and effectiveness of POC programs.”

The Ecosystem solution manages secure access to POC devices, oversees quality control, manages staff training plus identifies and resolves issues from any location via the remote access facility. This helps to ensure the manageability of instruments and consumables for potentially hundreds of testing devices throughout a Trust. External compliance requirements are also met while reducing costs and improving efficiencies. Ecosystem takes the core needs of a POC program into consideration with a focus on helping POC coordinators improve control, effectiveness and transparency.

Afia Boamah continues, “We are working hand-in-hand with healthcare providers to adapt to clinical environments making use of handheld IT devices such as tablets and smart phones. The Ecosystem solution allows POC data management from anywhere within a hospital using these devices which improves the ability of POC coordinators to quickly and efficiently resolve issues. This has been highlighted by customers as a critical requirement in a fast-paced laboratory environment.”

Siemens Healthcare is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry and a trendsetter in medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, medical information technology and hearing aids. Siemens offers its customers products and solutions for the entire range of patient care from a single source – from prevention and early detection to diagnosis, and on to treatment and aftercare. By optimizing clinical workflows for the most common diseases, Siemens also makes healthcare faster, better and more cost-effective. Siemens Healthcare employs some 52,000 employees worldwide and operates around the world www.siemens.co.uk/healthcare.