Analysers are based on flow cytometry technology and are said to provide unrivalled levels of accuracy and precision for white blood cell differential counts
Sysmex UK is celebrating the successful installation of the 100th XE-2100 automated haematology system in the UK, at the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Trust laboratories.
The analysers are based on flow cytometry technology and are said to provide unrivalled levels of accuracy and precision for white blood cell differential counts, which are corrected for the presence of nucleated red blood cells (NRBCs).
With two XE2100s at the Doncaster site and an XE2100 and smaller XT at Bassetlaw, the Sysmex instruments have been able to transform the laboratories' workflow.
Like many other UK hospital laboratories, the workload is increasing and about 950-1000 full blood counts (FBCs) per day are performed at Doncaster Royal Infirmary and approx 400 at Bassetlaw District General Hospital.
Lab manager Dave Norcliffe explained: "Reliability was a major factor in the decision to choose Sysmex.
"With all due respect we don't want to see an engineer on a regular basis.
"This level of automation has depressurised the lab and consumes the workload with ease.
"Its ultra reliability has allowed us to move people to the busiest areas to clear bottlenecks and leave the XE2100s running.
"So in short it's the best thing we have ever done.
"For us the impressive things are reliability, speed of throughput, accuracy of results, help screen functionality and virtually zero maintenance.
"Other benefits have been seen in the excellent QA results and the lab staff's high morale.
"The lack of noise from the analysers has played an important part in reducing stress to a greater degree than expected.
"With neither the instrument nor users requiring a settling down period, staff have been impressed that it was truly plug and play, and worked from day one".
The XE/XT configuration at Bassetlaw was chosen because it allows reticulocyte and NRBC counts to be performed on the same analyser while standardising the technology across both sites.
The benchtop XT model processes up to 80 samples and hour and complements the XE models to provide a capability that can be tailored in accordance with lab throughput.
