Cloud-Based Digital Solution Allows Labs to Track Test Samples along Entire Diagnostic Journey

However, there aren't any standardized systems that address this need comprehensively. The majority of the errors with patient samples usually happen during the pre-pre-analytical (PPA) phase — the collection, transport, and receipt of samples like blood, urine, etc. This phase often falls outside the lab's jurisdiction. Errors, leading to a need for re-sampling, can cause patients discomfort, reduced trust, and possible delays in treatment. For labs, re-sampling escalates operational costs and hampers productivity. In hospitals across North America and Europe, a single pre-analytical error costs around USD 208 on average. To address this, a new digital solution allows labs to connect to innovative applications that monitor quality and spot errors in patient test samples throughout the entire journey of the patient's sample to the lab.

Roche (Basel, Switzerland) has launched navify Sample Tracking — a cloud-based digital solution aimed at helping labs tackle the unique quality issues that may arise during the journey of a diagnostic test sample, usually outside the lab. navify Sample Tracking allows lab managers to have better control by accessing and merging innovative applications to customize and scale the solution to fit their lab's specific requirements. It also aids lab managers in tracking and assessing the quality of diagnostic test samples right from the outset, before the samples even reach the lab. This solution connects the lab directly with PPA solution providers and the lab's information system (LIS), along with the middleware cobas infinity lab, for a swift and secure integration of PPA innovation into any laboratory workflow.

Roche's navify digital solutions empower healthcare systems to integrate data streams across labs and point-of-care operations. This digital infrastructure connects Roche and non-Roche solutions, facilitating secure data integration at scale. navify solutions are designed with a certified, secure-by-design cloud architecture that has multiple layers of robust cybersecurity, ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations, as data security and interoperability are major challenges that labs face today. Moreover, Roche's integrated navify solution portfolio aids labs in managing staff shortages while improving turnaround times and operational efficiency in the lab and at points of care. Among the newly-introduced solutions are navify Control, a command cockpit that offers lab managers remote control within the lab for swift decision-making, especially in response to operational issues. navify Monitoring provides real-time transparency into lab operations. Lastly, navify Analytics empowers lab managers and point of care coordinators to optimize performance by using retrospective data to pinpoint opportunities for improving staffing service levels, process turnaround times, and quality.

"Labs have incredible possibilities today to digitally transform their operations using insights to improve quality and operational efficiencies, not just for the lab, but for the entire healthcare system. More importantly, patients benefit when we can reduce sample errors from the start. For example, if a new sample is needed due to an error, the patient may experience uncertainty waiting for decisions that are time critical and even possible delays in diagnosis or treatment," said Moritz Hartmann, Head of Roche Information Solutions at Roche Diagnostics. "By working together, as a strategic partner with deep healthcare expertise combined with our flexible, scalable navify portfolio of integrated digital solutions, we believe labs can play a pivotal role in shaping the future of healthcare."

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