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Buying hematology analyzers for clinical laboratories can be a challenge as there are several types of models designed to meet different volume and testing needs. Here are some useful tips:

Consider the size of your laboratory and its immediate and future throughput and testing needs. A large volume system can meet high throughput and testing requirements such as white blood cell count differentials. A smaller unit can provide basic measurements. For a high volume of routine tests, adding on a small analyzer for specialty and stat tests can be an additional advantage. An analyzer that provides stat testing is important in main labs as it necessary for determining diagnosis, follow up care and the effectiveness of treatment.

Consider budget constraints. The latest models offer the advantage of the latest technology and you cannot avoid advanced technology if your lab operations demand this. On the other hand, you can purchase a used recertified hematology analyzer that cost much less than new if your budget is your prime concern.

Choose lab equipment that is reliable and durable. Go for a hematology analyzer from a leading brand. Ensure that it can provide accurate results within the specified time.

Auto sampling or closed tube sampling is a desirable feature in a hematology analyzer to avoid risk of infection. Look for limited operator intervention during the analytical process. The system’s computer interface capabilities are also important to easily view and print results.

The best way to purchase a hematology analyzer that suits your needs is to find a lab equipment supplier that offers a wide variety of models, both new and recertified. Make sure that the dealer offers prompt repair and maintenance services as when units break down, fast service is necessary to prevent deterioration of blood samples.

Coagulation testing helps healthcare professionals determine the correct dose of anticoagulant and antithrombotic agents to be administered before, during, and after the surgical procedure. Like most clinical lab tests, coagulation testing too has its challenges. Results have to be accurate, provided in quick time and at low cost. This has led to the development of quality automated coagulation analyzers which permit offer fast and economical testing in physicians’ offices and labs of all sizes.  One such automated coagulation system leading the market is the Sysmex CA540 from Siemens.

The Sysmex CA540 meets all the requirements of a small-volume lab coagulation analyzer.

• Compact, fully automated
• User-friendly system: simple touch screen interface, LIS bi-directional communication, and removable reagent trays
• Can perform 12 coagulation assays
• Offers immunologic, coagulation and chromogenic measurements in true random access
• Automates d-dimer testing which helps in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism
• Built-in printer for easy management of test results
• On-board quality control (QC) package ensures reliable patient results
• Scalable menu ideal for low-volume labs and as a backup for larger Sysmex instruments
• Can be used in labs of all sizes

To help labs offer coagulation testing at reduced costs, leading lab equipment suppliers offer the Sysmex CA540 recertified. Used equipment is inspected and refurbished to meet original manufacturer specifications. Parts are repaired or replaced if necessary and the analyzer is recertified before being put up for sale at a competitive price.

Laboratories sometimes sell used equipment when they want to purchase new. They may also return items that arrive with minor cosmetic damage such as damaged packaging or slight scratches or other aesthetic problems. Leading suppliers of lab equipment purchase these used devices and put them through a recertification process before offering them for sale. They check the equipment and recertify it to meet original manufacturer specifications. There are many reasons why buying refurbished or re-certified lab equipment is a feasible option for laboratories:

• Quality re-certified lab instruments from leading industry brands are a great advantage for laboratories with limited budgets.

• The instrument is thoroughly inspected to see if it is still in working order and is producing accurate and reliable results. When you buy re-certified equipment you are assured that a thorough inspection process has been performed.

• After it is inspected, it is repaired by factory-trained technicians. Damaged parts are replaced. A certificate is issued that it is working correctly and as intended by the manufacturer. This certificate conforms to a national standard.

• One of the greatest advantages of purchasing re-certified equipment is that it costs much less than new but functions just as well or even better.  Re-certified lab equipment is put through stringent testing than new products, minimizing the chances of future problems. They are also sold at a price much lower price.

Even if the product is not covered by a manufacturer warranty, the seller of the re-certified product would usually offer one. A reliable lab equipment store would guarantee reconditioned lab equipment to be defect-free for up to three months from the date of delivery to the customer. The warranty offered is should be a very important consideration when buying recertified lab instruments.

Besides competitive pricing and extended warranty, some of the things that you should look for when purchasing recertified laboratory equipment are timely delivery, service contracts, material service visits, and in-house service.

Hematology analyzers, blood gas analyzers, immunoassay analyzers, coagulation analyzers, urinalysis analyzers, spectrophotomters, CO-oximeters, osmometers – the list of chemistry lab equipment needed to enhance your clinical laboratory operations can be quite endless.  Quality instruments are necessary to analyze samples accurately and provide test results that will allow physicians to formulate proper treatment protocols for patients. However, the snag is that investing in new medical laboratory equipment is an expensive proposition, more so in the current financial scenario. That’s where leasing facilities can help.

There are many advantages to leasing medical lab equipment. First, it allows you get the advantage of the latest technology without paying upfront for it. Find a leading lab equipment supplier that offers leasing options for state-of-the-art chemistry lab instruments from well-known brands. Getting a high quality immunoassay or chemistry analyzer on lease would go a long way in giving your medical lab that much needed competitive advantage.

Managing and controlling your budget becomes much easier when you rely on the leasing option. You don’t have to set apart huge funds to purchase expensive instruments. You can get the device or devices you need with a convenient monthly payment. By spreading out costs over a number of years, you can divert your working capital towards other important needs and supplies. Moreover, if you are just getting started, buying a lot of expensive lab equipment can greatly affect your cash flow and finances.

Leasing also allows you to avoid bank loans which can be difficult to pay off. Moreover, there is usually a tax benefit associated with leasing where you get to deduct the full lease payment straight away. The type of lease arrangement you enter into will determine your tax benefit.

Some lab equipment dealers offer reagent rental agreement plans which specify the number of tests per month you have to pay. The price paid per test would cover the cost of the device, reagents and consumables, and service for the duration of the agreement.

To enjoy all these benefits, always partner with a lab equipment supplier that can offer flexible leasing arrangements for high quality chemistry lab equipment.

Immunoassays help measure and detect an analyte that cannot be determined in other tests. The common uses of these tests include measurement of drugs, hormones, specific proteins, tumor markers and markers of cardiac injury. Antigens on infectious agents and antibodies produced by the body to fight them are detected by qualitative immunoassays.

Though highly sensitive and specific, immunoassays can report false positive and negative results. The presence of endogenous antibodies in the blood or urine can interfere with immunoassays and give false-positives. Improper sample storage or treatment, reagent corrosion, or incorrect washing techniques can result in false negative results.

Patient safety can be compromised because of these interferences. False results may lead to unnecessary clinical investigation and treatment which is inappropriate. To avoid these unfavorable clinical consequences, it is important that lab personnel and physicians recognize the possibilities of interference in immunoassays and have measures in place to identify them wherever possible.

Having a proper immunoassay system would go a long way in enhancing lab productivity, improving patient health and reducing healthcare costs. For instance, the UniCel DxI 800 from Beckman Coulter comes with many features designed to guarantee consistent patient results. In addition to its exceptional throughput and processing of up to 400 tests per hour, the UniCel DxI 800 offers proven chemiluminescent technology, improved performance across a wide range of assay conditions, streamlined sample handling, and load “on-the-fly” capability to simplify and automate immunoassay testing. Its onboard capacity of 50 refrigerated reagent packs allows labs to configure the system to match their testing requirements. The ready-to-use reagents also simplify reagent management.

Leading laboratory equipment stores offer the innovative UniCel DxI 800 at a price much lower than the original price.

Medica EasyRa is a versatile random access clinical chemistry analyzer that can meet the diverse needs of small laboratories in healthcare practices. It performs endpoint, enzymatic, rate, bichromatic, and potentiometric analysis. This analyzer has brought testing in-house, improved patient care, and is helping healthcare practices reduce overall costs. The capabilities of this chemistry analyzer that makes it an ideal companion for small practice labs are:

• EasyRA can administer hundreds of tests without the need for supervision by a technician. This helps labs reduce operating costs.
• It comes with a simple and intuitive user interface so that minimal training is necessary to use it.
• It is quickly operational and ready to run samples. It can be set up fast. Its user-friendly displays clearly show the progress of a run and facilitate changes.
• It is virtually maintenance-free, so there is no downtime. The photometer’s xenon flash lamp has a 5-year use life and its bulb does not have to be replaced. The diluter pump seals also do not require any maintenance.

The EasyRa is designed to reduce data entry errors. There is no manual programming involved, not even for reagent set up. The user just has to place a smart reagent wedge on the EasyRa and the analyzer spots the locations of the reagent, number and volume of samples, and expiration dates. Ensuring dependable performance on a consistent basis, the EasyRa is, as manufacturer Medica says, an altogether “different story”.

Several surveys have revealed the factors that will drive laboratory equipment design in the future. Besides the current environment and recession, several other criteria are likely to play an important role in setting up the lab of the future:

• Instrumentation and technological change: Advances in computers, software, electronics and new materials will drive lab instrument design. Software capabilities will expand and this will greatly improve diagnostic and data analysis capabilities.

 

• Energy use: The focus will definitely be on “green”. Sustainability, energy conservation and using less to achieve more will be among the most important factors affecting lab equipment design and function.

 

• Space constraints: There are already several models of different types of lab instruments designed to save space – from centrifuges to different types of analyzers and spectrophotometer. Continued miniaturization and standardization for a small footprint will save bench space and result in smaller and better instrumentation.

 

• Staffing: Lab equipment design will focus on high-throughput, low-consumption format with less overhead, simplified and automated operation, and less personnel requirements.

 

• Flexibility: Manufacturers of lab equipment will focus on developing instruments that offer the user the capacity to adapt it to meet their specific needs. Instruments will offer various options to enhance flexibility and will come with greater capabilities, more responsibilities and enhanced sharing functions.

 

• Accuracy and speed: These factors have always driven lab equipment design and will continue to do so in the future. Focus will be on accuracy in sample and data processing with reliability, consistency, and accelerated analysis times.

Leading suppliers of lab equipment offer a wide range of new and re-certified equipment from leading brands to meet the needs of medical and research labs. Purchase from an established online store is the best way to source quality equipment at competitive prices.

Inadequate electrolyte levels cause a host of health issues from adrenal fatigue and high blood pressure to chronic fatigue and digestive issues. In fact, electrolytes are a significant factor in determining how your cells function and are responsible for hydration, blood pH, muscle contraction, nerve conduction and hormone synthesis.

Electrolyte tests are performed on whole blood, plasma, or serum. Physicians recommend these tests to evaluate, diagnose and manage a wide range of conditions and the functioning of the organs. Even small changes in the concentration of electrolytes in the body due to diseases or abnormal conditions can have serious consequences.

Reliable electrolyte analysis is crucial for correct information about electrolyte function. The Medica EasyLyte Electrolyte Analyzers offer the solution with their accurate measurement of various combinations of sodium, potassium, chloride, lithium, calcium and pH in whole blood, serum, plasma, or urine. These analyzers are microprocessor controlled systems and come with many useful features such as:

• Complete automation and state-of-the-art electronics
• Innovative ergonomic and economical design
• Simple Yes/No prompted operation
• Easy maintenance, minimizing analyzer downtime

These electrolyte analyzers also offer convenient access and storage of quality control data. The product’s Modular Solution Pack ensures operator safety by eliminating handling of waste.  The Automatic Probe Wiping feature also minimizes contact with the patient sample.

Leading lab equipment stores offer the quality Medica EasyLyte Electrolyte Analyzers to customers in the U.S. at highly competitive prices.

Chemistry analyzers are among the most versatile of lab tools and used for a variety of applications. While the efficiency of non-automated analyzers depended on the skills of the operator, modern automated analyzers rely on sophisticated hardware and software to analyze bodily fluids for lipid, protein, carbohydrate, and enzyme activity. After processing specimens, these instruments routinely perform processing functions, calculations, monitoring and display functions. Automation extends to the generation of printed reports. Modern automated chemistry analyzers are also linked to lab information systems for easy tracking of tests as well as management of storage and retrieval of specimens when necessary.

Automated chemistry analyzers have revolutionized laboratory operations with benefits such as faster processing times, constant speed, and consistent performance. They have also improved operator safety by reducing the need for excessive chemical handling.

However, these are challenging economic times and clinical and research labs are faced with budgetary constraints. In addition to speed and quality, there is an increased demand for increased consolidation to reduce costs. Modern analyzers therefore come with superior throughput capabilities and can conduct a wide variety of chemistry and electrolyte tests. There are models that have a throughput capacity of more than 800 tests per hour and total sample capacity of 65 samples with continuous loading.

One of the greatest advantages for labs with budget constraints is that quality recertified chemistry analyzers are available. This is equipment that has been repaired and tested to meet original manufacturer specifications. Leading suppliers of laboratory equipment offer these instruments with a warranty and purchase can offer considerable savings.

Peripheral blood smear evaluation is a specialized task. Automated hematology analyzers provide precise information about blood cell count – white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. They also identify specimens with abnormal cells. Examining manual differentials where the shape, size and color of standard cells are compared can be quite challenging as examiners may differ in the interpretation of the details observed in the specimen.

The Medica EasyCell® Assistant is an affordable, user-friendly solution to simplify manual differentials and to ensure accurate results. It features state-of-the-art image processing technology that can:

• Automatically Identify 100 to 200 white cells on a blood smear, compare and pre-classify them, group them by cell type, and display the results for review on its LCD screen
• Show immature, abnormal and unrecognized cells separately
• Review red cell morphology
• Record platelet estimate and morphology

Besides offering accuracy, this hematology analyzer greatly improves lab efficacy. It features software that can be installed on lab computers to create additional review stations for access to all patient and physician data. This enhances operational efficiency as more staff can be asked to review the image results. Moreover, difficult cases can be conveniently referred for expert opinion. Monitoring quality and maintaining consistency in results is simplified as sample results can be easily reviewed by the lab manager.

The EasyCell assistant is also a great time- and cost-saver. As it suggests the correct classification of normal cells, the technologist needs less time to carry out manual differentials and locate the abnormal cells. Other capabilities include walk-away operation, automatic data access, facility to print results, storage capacity of 10.000 slides, bar coding, and LIS connectivity.