Siemens Showcases New Clinical Diagnostics Solutions at IFCC EuromedLab 2013

Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics today unveils its latest innovations designed to transform in vitro diagnostic operations and unite clinical and workflow excellence at the 20th European Congress of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine in Milan, Italy, May 19-23 (Booth #38). Visitors to the exhibit – themed “Test smarter. Run faster.“ – can explore Siemens’ portfolio of solutions, including new offerings in point-of-care (POC) testing, automation and IT and visualize their laboratory’s full potential via interactive, 3D demonstrations in the Augmented Reality (AR) Zone.

“At Siemens, we are passionate about delivering answers that help our customers thrive in today’s challenging healthcare environment,” said Michael Reitermann, CEO, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics. “This year’s IFCC EuromedLab provides an excellent platform for us to demonstrate how we help our customers fight the most threatening diseases while improving workflow efficiency and performance.”

Instruments and Assays: Driving Clinical Excellence
Recognizing the growing demand for near-patient testing, Siemens is showcasing the company’s advanced POC solutions that provide laboratory-quality, time-critical results to clinicians. Among these is a first look at the Xprecia Stride™ Coagulation Analyzer1,2, a new handheld coagulation system that performs prothrombin time testing (PT/INR), and the first product to be developed by Siemens in partner-ship with Universal BioSensors. Siemens is also previewing the Stratus® CS 200 Acute Care™ Diagnostic System1,2, an easy-to-use POC instrument featuring a full assay menu for managing patients with cardiovascular disease symptoms.

The exhibit’s hematology and hemostasis section includes the recently launched Sysmex® CS-5100 System2,3,4, a random access high-volume coagulation analyzer enabling labs to achieve first-run accuracy by identifying and managing unsuitable test specimens prior to analysis. Visitors can also view the CellaVision® DM962,5, a digital morphology system used by clinical laboratories for automated blood cell microscopy analysis, now available to customers per an agreement with Cellavision AB.

Siemens is also demonstrating its Versant® kPCR Molecular System2,3, a powerful automation solution, providing flexibility and highly accurate results for a broad range of molecular tests. Plus, one of many AR Zone presentations is a virtual representation of the Copan WASP®: Walk-Away Specimen Processor2,6, which automates core aspects of microbiology specimen processing.

Via touch screens, visitors can also access Siemens’ robust assay menu, including the ADVIA Centaur® Vitamin D Total assay, Enhanced Liver Fibrosis (ELF™) assays3 and DCA® HbA1c test kit2,7,8. The DCA HbA1c test kit is now available to aid in both diabetes diagnosis and monitoring.

Automation and IT: Achieving Workflow Excellence
With a focus on helping laboratories optimize operational workflow, Siemens is also showcasing its latest in automation and IT, including the soon to be launched VersaCell® X3 Expansion Pack2,9. The addition of the VersaCell X3 Expansion Pack enables the ability to connect up to three stand-alone Siemens’ immunoassay, clinical chemistry and integrated systems in flexible configurations. The VersaCell Solution, with its unique sample management system, incorporates pre- and post-analytical sample sorting into a single consolidated solution, offering an optimal mix of chemistry and/or immunoassay analytics with one touch sample management.

A special in-booth screening room offers visitors a cinema-style 3D movie experience to learn more about Aptio™ Automation2. This unified solution is designed to transform operations and seamlessly orchestrate sample and information flow in the clinical laboratory by combining peak performance, adaptability and intelligent technologies with Siemens' signature automation workflow expertise. New to Aptio Automaton this year are aliquotting capabilities1,2, aliquot recapping1,2 and the connectivity to the Sysmex CS-5100 hemostasis analyzer1,2,3. Information about Siemens’ CentraLink™ Data Management System2, which aggregates and displays clinical and workflow data from the Aptio Automation system, is also available.

Experts are also on-hand to discuss how customers will benefit from the recent launch of Siemens Remote Service2 for Diagnostics (SRS) for the clinical laboratory. Already available to Siemens Healthcare imaging customers worldwide, SRS will now help create a more proactive experience by optimizing system performance for Siemens’ clinical laboratory customers and boosting lab efficiency for better patient care.

Customer Care
The company exhibit also includes dedicated space showcasing Siemens’ advanced laboratory educational and training solutions designed to ensure healthcare professionals remain current on product information and disease-state management trends. This includes the Siemens Personalized Education Plan (PEP)10, the industry’s first fully customized, universally accessible, virtual competency-based education solution, and PEP Administrator. PEP Administrator, a web-based software solution that is integrated with PEP, provides an intuitive interface to simplify the process of managing education and training and automates the time-consuming administrative tasks required to establish compliance.

1 Under development. Not available for sale.
2 Not all product offerings will be available in all countries.
3 Not available for sale in the U.S
4 Sysmex is a trademark of the Sysmex Corporation
5 CellaVision is a trademark of CellaVision A B
6 WASP is a trademark of Copan Italia S.p.A. and is registered in the U.S. Copan Italia S.p.A. is a Strategic Alliance Partner of Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics. Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics is an authorized distributor of the WASP system.
7 Not available for sale in the U.S. Kit #: 10698915
8 Available in all countries requiring CE mark or countries without regulatory restriction
9 Versacell X3 Expansion Pack is not yet available for sale.
10 Patent pending