Sanquin Diagnostic Services is nearing the completion of a project to implement an informatics solution for forensics and paternity laboratories into its diagnostic services division
Sanquin Diagnostic Services (formerly CLB Diagnostic Services), a division of the Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation in Amsterdam, is nearing the completion of a project to implement an Applied Biosystems informatics solution for forensics and paternity laboratories into its diagnostic services division.
Peter van Eede, laboratory supervisor, explained: "Our department performs testing for around five hundred cases a year related to paternity, immigration and missing persons but the numbers are steadily growing.
"The regulations to perform these tests are very strict and we are one of the few laboratories in the Netherlands to have accreditation of the Dutch Council for DNA testing.
"In the past, we managed our data with a paperwork system and some basic analysis and reporting software packages, none of which were connected to each other.
"We wanted to integrate these various components with our existing instruments via a Lims system so that the data could be better organised and streamlined.
"We chose to go to Applied Biosystems because we have a number of its instruments already and because we had heard good things from the Plasma Division of Sanquin, which was already using one of its informatics solutions.
"We have found that the Applied Biosystems solution is particularly suitable for our needs because it is case rather than sample orientated.
"Also, it is very important that our administration staff have access to the system to oversee each case, from booking customer appointments to producing the final court report".
He concluded: "We have a very good relationship with Applied Biosystems.
"Two different teams support us - one for our instruments and the other for the informatics solution - and we are more than happy with both of them."
