At Roche Diagnostics, serology is in our blood. We are dedicated to offering laboratories the latest diagnostic solutions to improve the reliability and workflows involved in diagnosing or treating bloodborne infections through blood science innovation and transfusion science.
From the diagnosis of Hepatitis, to the monitoring of HIV, or emergency blood transfusions, understanding the chemistry of blood with the use of blood science diagnostics is critical to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of both patients and healthcare professionals.
Blood sciences present a variety of unique challenges to laboratories and healthcare bodies. Healthcare professionals working in serology typically face a dual role offering clinical diagnosis and point-of-care treatment, with tasks ranging from serological testing to transfusion science.
This duality, in combination with a healthcare system under intense pressure, is forcing many healthcare professionals to struggle with the diverging requirements of their time. According to a 2020 survey from the Royal College of Pathologists, these clinical challenges are resulting in many healthcare professionals expressing concerns that they are spending less time in laboratories where they are needed.1
Healthcare professionals working in the field of blood chemistry are at a greater risk of infection from bloodborne diseases such as HBV, HCV and HIV.2 For those working in blood sciences, infections may be contracted via percutaneous routes (infected sharp objects penetrating the skin) or mucocutaneous routes (contamination of the eyes, nose or mouth) at both patient point-of-care or in a hands-on laboratory environment.3
The risk of exposure to these infectious diseases is increased further when environments are high-pressure and more susceptible to human error. With more healthcare professionals working in smaller laboratories, under more pressurised time constraints, the potential for cross-contamination becomes greater.
Whilst percutaneous and mucocutaneous exposure is a risk for healthcare professionals, transfusion-transmissible infection is another challenge of blood sciences when offering patient treatment. Using transfusion science and blood screening diagnostics, serologists are responsible for maintaining plasma donation and blood safety, preventing patients from becoming infected through the course of transfusion treatment.
Whilst the risk of transfusion infection is relatively low in the UK, with estimated risks of <1 in 1.2 million for HBV, <1 in 7 million for HIV, and <1 in 28 million for HCV4 transfusion safety remains a consideration in the field of blood science which puts additional pressure on healthcare professionals.
To tackle the challenges involved with blood sciences, Roche Diagnostics have prioritised bringing innovative, automation-focused solutions to serological laboratories. The absolute automation provided by Roche’s Serum Work Area reduces the amount of hands-on time required in labs, minimising risks of human error and contamination.
Blood sciences within any given laboratory should be done to extremely accurate and safe standards. Roche Diagnostics believes our automated focus to understanding the chemistry of blood will alleviate serological duality and enhance blood safety.
The reliable and timely results provided by our cobas® range aim to take pressure away from HCPs, giving them more time to spend at point-of-care with patients. Our cobas® range also aims to provide a greater number of results in a shorter space of time, allowing labs to work more efficiently, garnering more accurate results, reducing risks for both healthcare professionals and patients alike.
Find out more about Roche's Serum Work Area.
