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Jefferson Hospital Unveils New, Automated Blood Lab

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Thomas Jefferson University Hospital today held a ribbon-cutting for its new, state-of-the-art automated blood testing lab.

The new lab includes a storage-and-retrieval system and has a mechanical conveyor belt that is controlled by a central station.  A robotic arm picks up each patient sample individually and can process up to 300 samples per hour.

"This is the second installation of this type of system in North America," said Dr. Stephen Piper (center of photo below), chair of pathology for Jefferson Hospital. He says the automatic system will ensure faster test results for patients.

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jeff hosp piper
(Credit: Cherri Gregg)

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"For the clinician, the most imporaant thing is getting the right result in a rapid way. For them, this gives them the best patient care they can get from the laboratory," he said.

The new system is designed by Roche Diagnosis and will allow Jefferson Hospital to provide 2 to 3 million test results each year.

Reported by Cherri Gregg, KYW Newsradio 1060

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