Overcoming Staffing Shortages: Scaling Core Labs with Siemens Atellica Systems
The core clinical laboratory is facing an unprecedented crisis: sample volumes are increasing year-over-year, while the availability of certified medical technologists is rapidly declining. When a high-volume reference hub is understaffed, manual interventions—like sorting tubes, addressing calibration flags, and swapping reagents—create catastrophic turnaround time (TAT) delays.
To survive and scale, laboratory directors can no longer rely on adding more human capital; they must engineer their way out of the bottleneck with intelligent automation. For the most demanding environments, the ultimate solution is the highly modular Siemens Atellica Solution.
Here are 5 ways standardizing on the Siemens Atellica ecosystem empowers short-staffed labs to conquer massive daily workloads.
1. Bi-Directional Magnetic Sample Transport
Traditional track systems rely on slow, mechanical conveyor belts that create traffic jams when STAT samples arrive. The Siemens Atellica systems utilize revolutionary patented magnetic levitation (Magline) transport. This allows individual sample tubes to travel bi-directionally at speeds up to 10 times faster than conventional conveyors. A STAT cardiac marker can literally bypass routine CMP tubes, ensuring critical results are delivered without manual sorting.
2. High-Capacity Chemistry: Siemens Atellica CH 930
To handle relentless routine testing, the Siemens Atellica CH 930 module serves as the primary chemistry workhorse. Capable of processing up to 1,800 tests per hour (including ISE), it features automated maintenance and auto-calibration capabilities. This means technologists spend less time babysitting the machine's fluidics and more time reviewing complex pathological results.
3. Scalable Immunoassay: Atellica IM 1300 and IM 1600
Immunoassay testing is notoriously slow, but the Atellica platform allows facilities to scale their throughput seamlessly. Mid-to-high volume labs integrate the Siemens Atellica IM 1300 (processing up to 220 tests per hour), while massive reference hubs deploy the Siemens Atellica IM 1600 (up to 440 tests per hour). Both modules deliver exceptional precision for complex endocrinology and oncology panels while sharing the exact same user interface and track system.
4. Independent Quality Control and Calibration
A major hidden drain on technologist time is running daily Quality Control (QC). The Atellica platform features an integrated, refrigerated onboard storage compartment for calibrators and controls. The system can be programmed to automatically retrieve, run, and evaluate QC at specific times (e.g., 3:00 AM) without any human intervention, ensuring the analyzers are fully audit-ready before the morning shift even clocks in.
5. Cost-Effective Modular Expansion
Transforming a struggling core lab into a fully automated Atellica track does not require depleting your hospital's entire capital budget. Astute procurement directors bypass standard OEM premiums by sourcing certified refurbished modules. By strategically acquiring these systems, facilities can link up to 10 Atellica modules together, creating a custom, high-throughput testing line that perfectly matches their specific volume demands.
Automate Your Workflow Today
At Diamond Diagnostics, we help understaffed laboratories regain control of their turnaround times.
Whether you are looking to integrate the robust Siemens Atellica CH 930 chemistry module or expand your immunology capacity with the Siemens Atellica IM 1600, every module undergoes our meticulous Down-To-Frame® refurbishment protocol. We guarantee flawless magnetic transport, pristine optical alignment, and immediate audit-readiness from day one.