cobas^® 8100 automated workflow series

Time is precious. Time is a core element of life, work, and of health. In collaboration with Hitachi, Roche has created a unique solution designed with that in mind, cobas 8100. It’s a personalized lab solution, providing fully automated processes from sample entry to archive. 

It begins at the input buffer module. Once the sample tray is inserted, the cobas 8100 takes over. From here on, everything is fully automated. The automated centrifuge unit of the cobas 8100. The module can be controlled to set individual centrifugation profiles. It also allows prioritized processing of emergency samples. 

The sample check module. It performs an extensive inspection based on sample quality and volume, as well as spin status detection. Problematic samples are detected at an early stage. This not only saves precious time, it also ensures that reagents are not wasted in the late process. 

Before the samples are aliquoted, the cobas 8100 barcode labeler automatically applies specific barcode labels to the empty aliquot tubes. 

‘Workflow your way’ allows you to choose from primary, aliquot, or mixture of both workflows. This improves turnaround time, while ensuring sample integrity, which could help with cost efficiency. 

For the cobas 8100, various connectivity options are available, giving you the flexibility you need. Immuno and clinical chemistry, coagulation, hematology, urinalysis, allergy, specialized infectious diseases, other selective third-party analyzers, and refrigerated archives. cobas 8100 offers a complete solution to automate the full menu. 

The cobas 8100 offers alternatives for loading samples in a rack via the input buffer. There’s on the one hand, the cobas bulk loader input module. It’s an efficient way of loading closed, unracked tubes. Samples can be loaded to the main hopper, the priority loading for faster processing, or via the connection to a pneumatic tube system. Upon loading, the entire process continues automatically, without any manual intervention. And if time is of the essence in an emergency, the cobas 8100 also offers the option of loading emergency samples directly into the system. These high-priority samples are processed immediately. They always take the most direct route, bypassing less time-sensitive samples. 

For fast, predictable results, the cobas 8100 offers bidirectional sample and multi-level tube holder transport. Samples always have a clear destination and do not circle the transport lines, ensuring first-in-first-out sample processing. 

Samples travel with no waiting time, via the shortest possible route, even if the workflow is running under maximum load. And if for some reason the targeted analyzer is offline or not available, the system automatically reroutes the sample to an alternative destination. No time is wasted in waiting till the road is clear again. Capping or recapping tubes are done fully automated in the cobas 8100. One module handles flex caps, while the other handles screw caps. With a reservoir of up to 3000 caps, each module goes a long way without refilling. 

The cobas 8100 has flexible storage options for short-term, mid-term, and long-term storage needs. The entire add-on and repeat testing process is automated. 

A very special feature of the cobas 8100 is the screen-sharing functionality. It provides real-time control of sample processing and analysis throughout the whole system. Sample information, processing status, and location, everything is easily accessible and traceable, any time, anywhere. 

cobas 8100. The system gives you time. Time for you and your staff to do other important things. It gives you the time you need to get the most out of your laboratory. The cobas 8100 makes a significant contribution to help clinicians improve patient care by processing samples quickly and safely. It enables the delivery of high-quality test results you can rely on. 

Narrator: Tønsberg, it is believed to be the oldest city in Norway. Archaeologists found a ship that dates to the year 820. So, obviously, the people of Tonsberg have been skilled craftsmen from the beginning.
Now this old city, with its remarkable history, has the most sophisticated and modern lab in the whole country. Very early on, the staff of the laboratory from Vestfold Hospital Trust with over four hundred thousand patients each year, saw that they had to act in order to meet the growing demand.

Marianne Vindal Ness: We needed a higher capacity from our instruments. We needed to work more effectively. And had to produce more test results within a shorter amount of time. All patients are expected to be admitted to the hospital. And discharged in the shortest time possible. So we certainly have to deliver. As the lab, we shouldn’t be the bottleneck. We evaluated the data and found out that a lot of time is needed to transport the blood samples to the analyzers from the reception area. We had to reduce this time.
We involved the hospital in the process as needed. And our main objective was to implement this huge transition without impacting patients or other departments. We had to keep up our service day and night, and I am certain that we managed to do so.

Narrator: After a very throughout evaluation process, Vestfold Hospital Trust decided to go with Roche as a partner to build the lab of the future. The main challenge for the team was to integrate the already existing numeric tube system into the automation process.

Agnetha Maraz Roteigen: The daily routine has become a lot easier for us. There are now fewer steps between taking a sample and getting it to the lab. Now the samples are sent through our pneumatic tube system directly to the robot that opens the sample carrier automatically. The samples are put directly on the automation solution and sent to the pre-analytics, and are sorted before being sent to the instrument, where they get analyzed and go on to the archive fridge. If we receive a request for additional testing, the sample comes out automatically and is resent back to the analyzer device. This ensures a quick response time.

In the past, the blood samples had to be collected and brought to the lab manually for centrifuging, then we had to take them out and allocate them to the instruments. So it was a far longer process.

Narrator: From a numeric tube system directly into the automation line without any manual step. This has never been done before in Norway. And it improved the turnaround times and results significantly. In fact, the team at Vestfold Hospital Trust, in collaboration with Roche, pushed the level of automation even further than what they had initially expected.

Torill Odden: We have expanded to handle microbiology, in other words, infection serology, on the line. And that is an exciting thing, of course. We will increase the capacity of the analyses that require the most time, as that’s what caused the delays in the past. The automation connects the instruments and allows an entirely different workflow.

Now, there are no human hands involved in what we call “boring routines” in the lab. And we have actually added a few more types of analysis than we had originally planned. Because it proved to be more practical. We couldn’t know this during the tendering process, and maybe we were not thinking far enough ahead.

Marianne Vindal Ness: Those who install these instruments see several instruments as one because they are consolidated. We have a greater capacity, and we have the option of adding more kinds of analyses. Perhaps this was the most important objective.

Narrator: Working together as a team, that was the secret to the success for the staff of the Vestfold Hospital Trust and the Roche consultants. And, of course, this collaboration did not stop once the new installations were in place.

Marianne Vindal Ness: We are very satisfied with Roche when it comes to the people. We are in constant close dialogue. You are always available and responsive to our requests.

Agnetha Maraz Roteigen: In my opinion, it is very good indeed. We have a close relationship to our customer support. If we have any concerns, questions about analyses, or other things, it’s very easy to get in touch. If we have a question about the lab software, we simply send an inquiry and get a quick and concise answer, and we feel well taken care of. All inquiries are taken seriously and followed up on afterwards.

Narrator: So, whatever the challenges in the future might be, Vestfold Hospital Trust and Roche are ready to meet these challenges together.

Torill Odden: When they joined the process and saw the possibilities the employees started to talk about the joy of it, that they were looking forward to taking it on, and were satisfied to be a part of it. They are proud of being involved in this process and working in a lab that is innovative.