Roche Diagnostics Blood Gas Analyzer Upgrades Software Package
New features help healthcare providers improve operational efficiency by maximizing analyzer use

The next generation of firmware now available for the cobas b 221 (previously called the Roche OMNI S systems) blood gas analyzer portfolio offers patient results trending and extended reagent stability. These new capabilities will provide respiratory therapy, laboratory and point-of-care (POC) departments immediate access to actionable information with reduced analyzer downtime and maximum reagent utilization¹.

“This software version enhancement is a result of Roche Diagnostics’ commitment to continuous innovation and response to our customers’ needs,” said Rod Cotton, Senior Vice President, U.S. Point of Care Diagnostics, Roche Diagnostics. “The cobas b 221 blood gas analyzers offer respiratory therapy, laboratory, and point-of-care departments a comprehensive menu with features that enhance operational efficiency and add value to their facility.”

The onboard reagent stability has been extended from 28 to 42 days, providing 50 percent more user time. This improvement provides laboratories operational and flow efficiency that results in less reagent waste and less downtime from pack changes.

The new cobas b 221 analyzer onboard patient trending feature gives healthcare providers real-time and/or historical trending of any four test parameters simultaneously (PO2, PCO2, pH, glucose, lactate, BUN, co-oximetry, sodium, potassium, chloride and ionized calcium). Onboard patient trending helps them follow the progress of their patients’ conditions during the course of treatment.

For example, intensive care unit (ICU) caregivers have convenient access to a self-contained glycemic control platform for entering glucose results. Another application is for respiratory therapists who can trend any four blood gas and co-oximetry parameters to effectively monitor the efficiency of their therapies. Onboard patient trends can be accessed on the cobas b 221 analyzer screen or from the report print out.

To demonstrate Roche Diagnostics’ commitment to customer satisfaction, these new functions are provided at no charge to current customers. New customers will be able to take advantage of these enhancements upon delivery of their new systems.

For laboratory customers with Middleware connectivity, Roche cobas blood gas customers can leverage their IT investment. With Middleware connectivity, patient test results and quality control can be automatically downloaded to a laboratory information system (LIS), helping to increase efficiency and provide consistent and high quality results to healthcare professionals.

Roche Diagnostics cobas blood gas analyzers provide point-of-care settings with additional time-saving features including a fully automated Quality Control system (AutoQC) with up to 40 days of QC onboard, zero maintenance electrodes, liquid calibration which eliminates the need for gas tanks, basic blood gas and pH results in less than 60 seconds. Last July, the cobas b 221 1-6 gas analyzer was given FDA clearance for measuring pH in pleural fluid samples.

About Roche and the Roche Diagnostics Division
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world’s leading research-intensive healthcare groups. Its core businesses are pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. As a supplier of innovative products and services for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, the Group contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people’s health and quality of life. Roche is a world leader in Diagnostics, the leading supplier of medicines for cancer and transplantation and a market leader in virology. In 2004, the Pharmaceuticals Division generated 21.7 billion Swiss francs in prescription drug sales, while the Diagnostics Division posted sales of 7.8 billion Swiss francs. Roche employs roughly 65,000 people in 150 countries and has R&D agreements and strategic alliances with numerous partners, including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai.

Roche’s Diagnostics Division, with a uniquely broad product portfolio, supplies a wide array of innovative testing products and services to researchers, physicians, patients, hospitals and laboratories world-wide.

Roche Diagnostics’ North American headquarters is located in Indianapolis, Ind. (www.roche-diagnostics.us) For further information, please visit our websites www.roche.us and www.roche-diagnostics.com

MODULAR and ELECSYS are trademarks of Roche.

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1 Compared to the previous cobas b 221 analyzer software version.
COBAS is a trademark of Roche.

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