Sysmex SNCS Goes Live at Preston and Chorley

Sysmex UK has successfully completed the first installation and ‘go-live’ of the new Sysmex Network Communication System (SNCS) at Preston Royal Infirmary and Chorley Hospital. SNCS is a new software package comprising Online QC, Remote Monitoring, Web Information and Remote Access.

The Haematology Sample Tracking (HST) system at Preston Royal Infirmary and networked XE-2100 automated haematology analyser at Chorley Hospital are the first to be equipped with the Online QC and Remote Monitoring elements of SNCS. Using NHS N3 connectivity, Sysmex staff (either in the office or mobile with laptops) can troubleshoot the system online, effectively reducing instrument downtime and allowing problems to be solved within minutes without the need for an Engineer or Product Specialist visit.

“We are finding one of the most important benefits of SNCS/N3 is the ability to monitor and co-ordinate QC at remote sites”, said BMS3 Julie Oakes. The online QC program checks each analyser’s performance in both open and closed modes, and automatically uploads the data to a remote server. Following processing, the QC results are made available online in a standardised CPA-compliant format.

Data for individual analysers is accessed using a password-protected SNCS web portal, and error notifications are sent to a specified email address. These include changes in the normal range of ‘e-check’ controls and any parameter drifts. For maximum data security, the SNCS Online QC data transfer only takes place in one direction from the analyser to the remote server, ensuring the system cannot be accessed externally.