Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics received direct feedback from biomedical scientists and point-of-care testing (POCT) co-ordinators at its recent dedicated customer connection days.
The two-way forums were designed to update customers on product developments, educate on e-learning tools and enable peers to exchange POCT best practices and provide input to a research and development wish list.
The meetings were chaired by Alasdair McBain from NHS Fife, who ensured that all views were shared and that all discussion points were documented.
Hilda Crockett, marketing manager of point of care at Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, said: 'Our connection days have been designed to provide the opportunity for customers to interface with sales, marketing and research and development teams from Siemens and their peers from NHS trusts in different geographical areas.
'This enables the sharing of views, opinions and concerns affecting the POCT arena in an open forum.
'By listening to needs and working together, we can embrace changes taking place in the industry and support each other,' she added.
Gill Hall, quality manager and trust POCT co-ordinator at Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust, presented her team's experiences of the enhanced Rapidlab 1200 blood gas systems.
More than 40 customers participated in the connection meetings held in Newcastle and Sudbury, Suffolk.
A tour of the Siemens manufacturing plant formed part of the agenda at the Sudbury session to highlight the British manufacturing facility and its capabilities, as well as to showcase how Siemens draws on Lean philosophies.
