Blood Bank Automation

[bgruber]

I feel it is very important to consider what you are looking to accomplish in your lab and consider which instrument is the best fit for you based on your unique needs. I believe there will be an article posted in a trade journal by Suzanne Butch from the University of Michigan this October comparing blood bank automation -the Tango, ProVue, Galileo and Echo. There are only 4 blood bank automated platforms that I am aware of that are available today...researching all 4 to determine the best fit is the right thing to do.

[Cornelia Kuehn]

I feel it is very important to consider what you are looking to accomplish in your lab and consider which instrument is the best fit for you based on your unique needs. I believe there will be an article posted in a trade journal by Suzanne Butch from the University of Michigan this October comparing blood bank automation -the Tango, ProVue, Galileo and Echo. There are only 4 blood bank automated platforms that I am aware of that are available today...researching all 4 to determine the best fit is the right thing to do.

I absolutely agree with you the system has to fit in your lab and your workflow.... by the way you talk about an article can you give me an idea were I can get this

regards

[William Weiss]

Hi my name is Bill Weiss, I work for Biotest Diagnostics, we too offer a fully automated blood bank system Tango/Optimo with numerous US placements in both donor centers and hospital labs. We recently received FDA licensure for all of our manual reagents and an expanded test menu on the Tango (Weak D, Panels, Crossmatch, DAT, Phenotyping).

I notice most questions and comments are focused only on Provue and Echo, I encourage anyone considering blood bank automation to also take a close look at Tango. The system offers several unigue features including 7 day on board reagent storage, continuous sample loading and Stat priority capability, up to 144 sample capacity, we offer a 2 or 3 cell screen, with QC only once a day. The Tango has been in Europe for over 8 years and 2 years in the US with over 250 placements worldwide, it is a very reliable and simple system to operate.

Biotest has over 25 people in the US dedicated to service and support of our Transfusion business. Please feel free to contact us for more information on Tango and comparative data versus the Galileo and Gel systems (973-625-1300).

[maryofcalif2005]

TANGO optimo analyzer is a third option. It is FDA approved, has been on the market two years longer than the Echo, is modern, ASTM standardized interface and easy to use, immediate access for loading stats, 7 day on board reagent stability and a TOTALLY walkaway system, once you load the tube, and start the test running, the instrument does the rest. you review and release results at the end. Just trying to help get the word out. There seem to be many blood bankers still, who are unaware of the Biotest TANGO option. I'm sure Immucor and Ortho don't like having the competition, however, it's a free country, and it is a wise person who investigates all options before making a five year automation decision that will impact their dept for years to come. It costs less too, when you compare combined total costs of reagents and instrument for a 3 to 5 year purchase commitment.

[HS@maximgrp.com]

hello

I am from Germany and here in the University of Erlangen they have made a direct comparison between Galileo and Tango optimo. If you want to have these datas I can give it to you

Hello Cornelia - I am a research analyst trying to learn more about automated systems, would you mind sending me your data points. Thanks

hshaaban@maximgrp.com

[Hi-Freq]

hello

I am from Germany and here in the University of Erlangen they have made a direct comparison between Galileo and Tango optimo. If you want to have these datas I can give it to you

I would also be interested to see the comparison data.

[Liz]

hello

I am from Germany and here in the University of Erlangen they have made a direct comparison between Galileo and Tango optimo. If you want to have these datas I can give it to you

Dear Cornelia,

Please send me a copy of the comparison. Your offer to help is very kind.

My e mail adress is

ek01@aub.edu.lb

Thank you

Liz

[Antrita]

I'm at a CHW hospital and will probably have to go with the best deal offered to the hospital system. I use gel now and have been concerned with missing Rh antibodies with the Echo. Has anyone had problems with the Echo missing antibodies?

Antrita

[Max001]

I've looked at some BB automation systems in the 90s so I'm out of date. I'd like to hear from an experienced BB-er if they think that agglutination testing, panel interpretation or other BB functions can -ever- be automated.

I don't think it's impossible, but so much is a matter of interpretation and I don't know if all the truth-tables and algorithms we use to handle the 'difficult patient' can be automated easily enough to serve as a day-in-day-out system, replacing the Bench Tech, and still be economically feasible.

In fact, I still don't know of a robust algorithm (which has to be coded by humans) which can take the place of an experienced reference lab tech. For one thing, how do you get a machine to do the battery of tests a human can do from variations on serology, incubation, enzyme enhancement and just 'seat-of-the-pants' or gut-instinct on what to do next, including transfusing antibody positive blood for the first 10 units for massive transfusions (> 1.5x blood volume) and oddities like that.

Now, it may be I'm trying to be too all-inclusive, but the automated systems I saw required one or two full-time techs to go over the results and didn't result in any appreciable money or time savings.

[maryofcalif2005]

You may want to contact the Blood Bank Supervisor at Lexington Medical Center who evaluated an Echo and a TANGO. They chose the TANGO system last year. I heard him speak at a presentation at AABB in Montreal this year. He spoke about the fact that Echo missed a number of significant antibodies, which was a concern for them. If you would like the contact info you can email me at maryofcalif2005@yahoo.com.

[porterl]

We have been using the Galileo for a little over a year now and love it.

Of course every instrument is going to have some little quirks to get used to, and every technique is going to have both positive and negative qualities.

Since the Echo is just a mini Galileo, I would suggest you may want to look at using it, with computer crossmatch. The biggest problem you may encounter is that they are extremely good at finding warm auto antibodies.

[bgruber]

Hi Ms. Kuehn,

Hope you are doing well. The article was written by Suzanne Butch, University of MI, in Ann Arbor. It should be published before the end of the year. Once I see it I will pass it along.

[Hi-Freq]

I've looked at some BB automation systems in the 90s so I'm out of date. I'd like to hear from an experienced BB-er if they think that agglutination testing, panel interpretation or other BB functions can -ever- be automated.

I don't think it's impossible, but so much is a matter of interpretation and I don't know if all the truth-tables and algorithms we use to handle the 'difficult patient' can be automated easily enough to serve as a day-in-day-out system, replacing the Bench Tech, and still be economically feasible.

In fact, I still don't know of a robust algorithm (which has to be coded by humans) which can take the place of an experienced reference lab tech. For one thing, how do you get a machine to do the battery of tests a human can do from variations on serology, incubation, enzyme enhancement and just 'seat-of-the-pants' or gut-instinct on what to do next, including transfusing antibody positive blood for the first 10 units for massive transfusions (> 1.5x blood volume) and oddities like that.

Now, it may be I'm trying to be too all-inclusive, but the automated systems I saw required one or two full-time techs to go over the results and didn't result in any appreciable money or time savings.

I am an experienced blood banker (SBB) 28+ years in the field. I agree with your summation, that an instrument cannot do the battery of tests a human can perform. In other words, the automated instrument is not capable of abstract thinking.

The other problem with automated instruments is listed in Section 9 - 7 of the users manual which states the "limitations" (of the Galileo). The Galileo does not detect reactions that are 1+ or less, nor mixed field reactions. Enough said? Why bother to attempt a panel on an automated instrument with these limitations?

[John C. Staley]

No one has yet claiimed that the automation will replace the human side of blood banking!!

They are tools, wonderful tools but all tools have limitations. To handicap youself because the tools are not perfect is foolish. We've been automated since 1999 and not once looked back wishing for the "good ole days". They are, in fact, great time and labor savers, that's what tools do!!!

I had one tech quit blood banking becasue of the automation. She was convinced that it was not as good as her and patients would die. Well, 10 years of experience proves her wrong.

[NedB]

Yes, tools. Your tech probably quit because with increased sensitivity or throughput of testing she no longer was a 'star'. My predecessor still calls gel testing blood banking for idiots. Well I love the increased sensitivity, and, as for the machine, it represents at least 1.5 FTE. Have you noticed, there is no one breaking down the door to get into the blood bank.

[Likewine99]

We've been up witht the Provue 2.5 years and have been very satisfied. Analyzers do the mechanics so we are free to do other things that require critical thinking skills.

The labor savings alone and the ability to walk away has been a huge hit with our techs.

I wouldn't want to go back to the good old days, IMHO automation makes BB testing safer for the patient.

[jimmliu]

http://www.fda.gov/CbER/510ksumm/k080037S.htm

[MediaMan369]

We have been using the TANGO for almost 9 months. We were able to demo all three analyzers: ProVue, ECHO and TANGO. After purchasing the TANGO, we were complete with all the validations and went live in 45 days after installation. The TANGO has been GREAT!!! We have had very minimal downtime. Biotest has been great as far as customer service. We also switched out to use Biotest liquid ABO reagent and antisera.

[ANORRIS]

MediaMan----Do you use the tube as a back-up?

[MediaMan369]

We use tube for back-up for tube and ortho panel/gel or tube (biotest cells or medion cells) with enhancement from biotest (MLB2) or PEG. We have found that the biotest panel cells with the MLB2 have been very comparable with results received from the Tango.

[ANORRIS]

So now that you have had the Tango for a while, what do you like and/or dislike? We are deciding between Tango & Echo. Any input?

[ANORRIS]

Dear Cornelia

Please add me to yoyr list of emailing your data

anorris@georgetownhospitalsystem.org

Thank you

[ANORRIS]

Please add me to your list of email data

anorris@georgetownhospitalsystem.org

Thank you

[ANORRIS]

Dear Cornelia - and to me please. My e mail adress is anorris@georgetownhospitalsystem.org

Thankyou

[bbbirder]

We have been using our Echo for a few months now and we love it. A recent software upgrade helps to speed up testing when loading different 'batch' types.

Linda Frederick