Benchtop Cryoembedding Station
60 second freeze time
Milestone Medical Technologies, Kalamazoo, Mich, has introduced PrestoChill, a benchtop cryoembedding station designed to yield high-quality frozen sections. Using PrestoChill, standardized freezing occurs at -40°C for all types of tissues—even for those most difficult to cut at the cryostat, such as breast tissue and lymph nodes. At the set temperature, four biospecimens can be frozen simultaneously. Compression artifacts are eliminated through a rapid freezing process that requires just 1 minute, preventing the formation of ice crystals. The all-dry system does not use carbon dioxide, isopentane, or liquid nitrogen. An advanced Stirling cooler uses helium gas as a refrigerant in a sealed stainless steel chamber. Users can obtain perfectly flat-plane surfaces for reduced trimming time and for easy cutting while using a face-down embedding technique. Integrated software is equipped with functionality for an automatic defrost cycle.
Milestone Medical Technologies
269-488-4950; www.milestonemedsrl.com
Coordinated Care Software
Supports longitudinal reports
The Coordinated Diagnostics software platform from Atlas Medical, Calabasas, Calif, delivers knowledge and expertise in real time to support collaboration and coordination among care providers, diagnostic testing facilities, payers, patients, and other stakeholders. It is designed to address a laboratory’s clinical and business needs, with support for shared patient records, longitudinal reports that include lab values over multiple encounters, and alerts to care coordinators and staff when an order or diagnostic result value falls outside predetermined parameters. The software also supports advanced revenue cycle management, including eligibility verification and billing statement consolidation, and a robust patient portal experience that offers a complete results record.
Atlas Medical
(800) 333-0070; www.atlasmedical.com
Fully Automated RNA In Situ Hybridization Assay
Less than 1 hour hands-on time
The ViewRNA eZ assay from Affymetrix Inc, Santa Clara, Calif, is a fully automated RNA in situ hybridization assay developed for use on the Bond Rx staining platform from Leica Biosystems, Buffalo Grove, Ill. The assay detects coding RNA and novel noncoding markers in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues. Hands-free from tissue dewaxing to counter staining, the assay offers high sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility. Automation reduces hands-on time to less than 1 hour and significantly reduces assay run-time for profiling single-cell gene expression. In addition, the assays are unhindered by crosslinking, as probes readily hybridize even to partially degraded RNA sequences. Results are available in just 1 day, enabling a faster, more informed decision. For research use only.
Affymetrix
(877) 726-6642; www.affymetrix.com/viewrna
3D Digital PCR System
Reports up to 20,000 data points
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, Mass, offers the Applied Biosystems QuantStudio 3D digital polymerase chain reaction system, designed for experiments requiring absolute quantification of targeted DNA molecules. The chip-based instrument reduces the number of required hands-on steps, therefore minimizing the risk of sample contamination and loss of DNA sometimes associated with droplet-based systems. The system takes less than 1 minute to return initial data once a sample has been loaded onto the high-density, nanofluidic silicon chip, which is capable of reporting up to 20,000 data points. The compact system measures 5 inches x 8.5 inches x 8 inches. It is available at a price point of $36,000. For research use only.
Thermo Fisher Scientific
(800) 678-5599; www.thermofisher.com
HIPAA-Compliant Software
Connects stakeholders across health continuum
Psyche Systems Corp, Milford, Mass, has announced an alliance with Luminate Health, San Francisco, to offer a software platform that helps clinical laboratories comply with new regulations of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding patient access to test results. Luminate Health’s HIPAA-compliant software connects labs, physicians, and patients, and enables patients to manage and understand their lab results. Psyche’s systems address specific workflows, testing intricacies, tracking, and complex reporting requirements. The integration of Luminate’s platform with Psyche’s WindoPath anatomic pathology software system and e.lixa suite of add-on applications will provide labs with a single source for easily and cost-effectively complying with HHS-mandated rules.
Psyche Systems
(508) 473-1500; www.psychesystems.com
Pathology Information System
Provides structured data for synoptic reporting and analytics
Orchard Pathology from Orchard Software, Carmel, Ind, is a comprehensive pathology information system designed to handle the complexities of clinical, molecular, and anatomic testing and reporting. Utilized as a standalone anatomic pathology system or as a single system that includes clinical and molecular modules, the offering features a shared database that provides immediate access to the patient’s entire history. Clinical and molecular results and images are integrated with interpretive text on the pathology worksheet and patient report. Orchard Pathology also stores report information in discrete data fields that simplify synoptic reporting, enhance electronic health record integration, and streamline the process of mining data for analytics, evaluations, correlation studies, quality assurance, regulatory, statistical, and other management reports. An interactive Web-based extension provides remote access to edit, add, review, and sign out cases.
Orchard Software
(800) 856-1948; www.orchardsoft.com
Anatomic Pathology Program
Features modules for specimen security and tracking
A comprehensive and flexible enterprise-wide offering, the LigoLab anatomic pathology laboratory information management system goes beyond supporting a laboratory’s core workflow to cover such laboratory disciplines as anatomic pathology, microbiology, toxicology, and molecular diagnostics. The platform also offers modules for document imaging, specimen security and tracking, client services, digital pathology, consultative diagnostic reporting, and customer outreach support. For example, the specimen security and tracking module enables laboratorians to trace and locate an unlimited number of specimens and specimen container types through automated placement and retrieval software and barcode scanning. Offering volume-based pricing with no upfront licensing fees, the company aspires to be the definitive choice for modern laboratories seeking process improvement, reduction of errors, and increasing revenue.
LigoLab
(800) 544-6522; www.ligolab.com
Software-as-a-Service Platform
Tracks rush anatomic pathology requests
The Health Insighter for anatomic pathology from Viewics Inc, Sunnyvale, Calif, provides laboratory administrators with direct access to key performance indicators and analytical tools, without requiring day-to-day information technology involvement. Seamlessly mining data, the software-as-a-service platform quickly identifies turnaround time outliers. Detailed workloads are documented by location, priority, or part type (duodenal biopsy specimens, gastric biopsy specimens, and urine, for example). The platform also supports productivity and staffing analyses, specimen monitoring, overdue lists, grossed and cytology statistics, histology processing, and tracking of rush case requests. Utilized by hospital-based and private anatomic pathology laboratories, the offering identifies quality and training issues, enabling users to review discrepancies.
Viewics
(415) 439-0084; www.viewics.com
Stain Library Management Tool
Offers custom bioclinical annotation forms
Technidata America Medical Software, Tucson, Ariz, has combined its TD-Bactilink and TD-Biobank software to provide a direct link between microbiology and biorepository management systems. TD-Bactilink provides paperless management and complete traceability to comply with THE requirements of ISO 15189, the quality system standard for clinical laboratories compiled by the International Organization for Standardization. TD-Biobank optimizes sample preparation, storage, and research protocol management, enabling users to create collections, monitor sample transfers, and publish virtual catalogs. In addition to standard features for editing annotations, a customized form designer feature allows the entering of advanced bioclinical annotations. With a focus on interoperability and collaboration, the software is adaptable for both single and multisite management.
Technidata
(855) 550-5705; www.technidata-web
Digital Dashboard
Enables real-time viewing of lab processes
The NovoPath Dashboard from NovoPath Inc, Princeton, NJ, provides pathology lab administrators with real-time status information about various processes and workflow. With options for either a single user or department-wide setting, the dashboard creates “mini apps” or “widgets” to client specifications. Offering one-click sorting and filtering of data, the system provides critical information in graph or chart form for a comprehensive overview of lab processes. A “docking” feature keeps data in sight at all times, allowing for live management of workflow. In addition, users may select from pre-defined widgets or customized widgets, with statistics for pending stains and special requests, cytology quality assurance and workloads, and reports distribution monitoring.
NovoPath
(877) 668-6123; www.novopath.com
