Introduction
Hanoi Medical University Hospital (HMUH) in Vietnam is a general hospital that forms a part of Hanoi Medical University. The hospital was established in 2007 and specializes in medical care and treatment, training, research, and international cooperation. Hanoi Medical University Hospital has more than 400 beds and receives more than 500,000 outpatient visits every year. It is consequently one of the largest and busiest hospitals in Northern Vietnam.
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The dedicated hospital laboratory at Hanoi Medical University Hospital requires a high analytic throughput of clinical samples to support the diagnosis and treatment of the hundreds of thousands of patients seeking healthcare. Each year the laboratory performs 2,700,000 immune and chemistry tests.
It is thus paramount that the analysis of clinical samples is conducted with speed to minimize the delay in the provision of test results to physicians and patients. However, high testing throughput must be achieved without compromising quality. The data provided by the laboratory is often critical in determining the treatment a patient receives, and so accuracy is paramount. To optimize the number of tests undertaken per day whilst ensuring reliability, the hospital laboratory uses the latest analytical technology to evaluate the samples it receives.
The Atellica Laboratory Diagnostics Solution is a key example, with its automatic quality control (QC) function freeing up the time of laboratory technicians to process more samples for testing. The gains in productivity and efficiency achieved through automated quality control by the Atellica Laboratory Diagnostics Solution directly benefit patients' healthcare at the Hanoi Medical University Hospital since diagnoses can be made sooner and treatment adjustments made promptly.
Quality Control
Quality Control (QC) processes are essential in any testing environment for detecting any potential errors in the testing system. This is particularly critical in the hospital laboratory where the results obtained can directly influence a patient's management.
Laboratory testing of patient samples can be a complex procedure, depending on clinical analysis, microbiological study, or blood bank testing, in addition to the usual facets of laboratory analysis. There are many opportunities for the introduction of artifacts during sample collection, preanalytical handling, and storage of the samples.
The impact of preanalytical factors on test results has been reported in multiple cases1,2. Quality control analyses are thus vital to confirm the quality and integrity of the samples received for testing so that the precision and accuracy of patient sample results can be assured.
Quality control analyses are also critical for identifying potential errors in patient results arising during the testing protocol — these including reagent matrix effects as well as calibration misalignment within the testing function. Maintaining accurate and frequent checks of laboratory sample testing through quality control is vital to ensuring that patient testing is performed correctly and produces accurate results. Repeated quality control testing is a fundamental aspect of testing and adds to the time required to provide results.
The Atellica Laboratory Diagnostics Solution with Auto-QC function system offers considerable time saving, increasing laboratory staff productivity. In addition, it allows labor and consumable costs to be reduced by 85% per year and obviates the need for manual interference, which carries the risk of error. Together these labor-saving functions significantly reduce the lead-time to patient results being provided.
References
- Shih J, et al. Clin Chem 2008;54:1076 –1079.
- Halldórsdóttir AM, et al. Clin Chem 2005;51:1054 –1057
- Siemens. https://www.siemens-healthineers.com/en-uk/laboratory-diagnostics/atellica-portfolio/all-systems-flow/automatic-qc