Press
Healthcare Sector
Diagnostics Division
Houston, Texas, July 31, 2013

Siemens Unveils VersaCell X3 Solution at AACC 2013

Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics further expanded its industry-leading clinical laboratory automation portfolio¹ by unveiling VersaCell® X3 Solution² at the 2013 AACC and ASCLS Annual Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo in Houston, July 28 – August 1 (Booth #3449). The newest model of Siemens’s longstanding VersaCell System, the new VersaCell X3 Solution now offers even more ways to help labs achieve the workflow benefits of automation without the space or budget considerations of a track-based solution. VersaCell X3 Solution’s arrival compliments the recent launch of the Siemens Aptio Automation platform, designed for the growing needs of medium- to very high-volume laboratories.

“Automation is essential to Martin Health System’s laboratory operations, helping staff optimize workflow, consistently achieve quality measures and deliver superior service to the physician community we support, ” said Janet Frankenbery, BS, MT(ASCP) DLM, Corporate Director, Laboratory Services, Martin Health System. “As longtime users of several Siemens laboratory automation solutions, including multiple VersaCell systems, we are excited about the introduction of VersaCell X3 Solution and the additional benefits this advanced automation platform is positioned to deliver.”

Staffing challenges and widening access to medical care pushing testing volumes higher are increasing pressure on clinical laboratories to streamline operations and prepare for the future.³ For lower- and mid-volume labs, whose budgets are often particularly constrained and where track-based automation may not be the right approach, VersaCell X3 Solution delivers several advantages. The new platform maintains its small footprint and upright design, but now connects up to three Siemens analyzers through a single robotic sample interface for increased productivity gains.4 By supporting a customized mix of chemistry, immunoassay and/or integrated systems and associated assay menus, VersaCell X3 Solution helps labs reduce operator sample handling, better prioritize staff work and eliminate pre- and post-analytical processing—all through one-touch sample management.

Siemens VersaCell X3 Solution

A conveniently placed priority drawer on VersaCell X3 Solution, situated above existing routine sample drawers, provides eight new STAT positions and frees up 50 sample positions for routine processing, enhancing STAT management and increasing overall sample routing flexibility. Plus, modifications to VersaCell X3 Solution’s signature robotic arm also enable it to support both rounded and flat-bottom tubes, and the incorporation of a docking plate reduces service intervention time for all connected systems, increasing uptime so that labs can continue to deliver results to clinicians on time. A centralized screen on VersaCell X3 Solution provides consolidated, single-operator access to all connected analyzers, and further data consolidation is achievable through a connection to Siemens’ CentraLink™ Data Management System.

“Siemens strives to be a trusted partner for labs of all sizes and central to that goal is helping them identify and capitalize on their workflow excellence potential,” said Dave Hickey, CEO, Chemistry, Immunoassay, Automation and Diagnostics IT Business Unit, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics. “The introduction of VersaCell X3 Solution is yet another way Siemens delivers on this mission through its ability to help labs streamline non-automated environments and enhance operational efficiency, all at a cost they can justify.”

For more on about Siemens’ laboratory automation portfolio, please visit:
www.healthcare.siemens.com/versacell

Contact for journalists:
Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, Media Relations
Gian Sachdev, phone: +1 (508) 660-4721
E-mail: [email protected]

Follow us at AACC 2013 on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/siemenshealth

¹ Siemens maintains the largest automation system installed base in the in vitro diagnostics industry (as of 9/30/12)
² Product availability varies by country.
³ The American Society for Clinical Pathology 2012 Vacancy Survey of Clinical Laboratories in the United States: http://labmed.ascpjournals.org/content/44/1/3.full.pdf+html
4 For existing Siemens VersaCell Solution customers, this can be achieved via the addition of the VersaCell X3 Expansion Pack

Launched in November 2011, “Agenda 2013” is the initiative of the Siemens Healthcare Sector to further strengthen its innovative power and competitiveness. Specific measures, which will be implemented by the end of 2013, have been defined in four fields of action: innovation, competitiveness, regional footprint, and people development.

The Siemens Healthcare Sector is one of the world’s largest suppliers to the healthcare industry and a trendsetter in medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, medical information technology and hearing aids. Siemens offers its customers products and solutions for the entire range of patient care from a single source – from prevention and early detection to diagnosis, and on to treatment and aftercare. By optimizing clinical workflows for the most common diseases, Siemens also makes healthcare faster, better and more cost-effective. Siemens Healthcare employs some 51,000 employees worldwide and operates around the world. In fiscal year 2012 (to September 30), the Sector posted revenue of 13.6 billion euros and profit of around 1.8 billion euros. For further information please visit: www.siemens.com/healthcare.