Following a robust and competitive procurement process, with an innovative and flexible approach Roche Diagnostics demonstrated that they could provide an analytical and financial solution that met the aims and objectives of the Cwm Taf Project Team.
Roche thus secured the very first managed laboratory service contract awarded in Wales. Three years on, the Project Team are “delighted” with the way things are working.
“Since the installation of the Roche Modular Analytic platform at the Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr, we have improved the way we work and are managing our workload more efficiently. Samples are being turned around quicker than before, and we have been able to redeploy staff to other important areas such as point of care testing”, said Doug Proctor, Laboratory Manager.
The MODULAR ANALYTICS <IP> and <E> system within the Clinical Biochemistry laboratory combined Chemistry and Immunoassay testing onto the same instrument. This immediately provided an enhanced portfolio of in-house laboratory tests (saving money on previously outsourced tests) and reduced time to result in many instances. For example, Troponin tests are now turned around in 1.6 hours (previously 5.4 hours) enabling the laboratory to comply with the All Wales Clinical Biochemistry Audit Group’s Guidance of under 2 hours for this test. The speed of the new system also means that results are available to GPs on the same day, rather than a two day wait, enabling them to change the way they work with patients who now do not have to go to hospital for potentially unnecessary tests.
In addition to the benefits brought to biochemistry analytics, efficiencies have also been seen by the Trust’s procurement team. “The transfer of all operational and financial risk to Roche is of enormous benefit to us”, said Mrs Adele Cahill, Head of Procurement. “We are also able to reclaim VAT on the service, which allows the Trust to directly reinvest the money saved into patient services”, she concluded.
Roche
