System-wide standardization of laboratory testing with new Roche technology to offer patient, people and process benefits for BJC HealthCare

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- BJC HealthCare is making a significant investment to standardize laboratory testing capabilities across the hospital system with the addition of new, state-of-the-art laboratory technology from Roche.

The move to standardize will help BJC HealthCare to further improve patient care, enhance the quality and reliability of instrumentation and assays, cross-train lab personnel and allow for more predictable outcomes.

BJC currently uses a variety of different analyzers at each of its hospitals. The decision to upgrade to scalable, modular systems and easy-to-use reagents from Roche will help to optimize staff resources, allow for easy expansion or reconfiguration, improve inventory control, and most importantly, enable consistent and accurate lab results and faster turnaround times.

As a diverse health care system, BJC required a solution that could meet the varying demands of urban academic medical centers, suburban community hospitals and small rural facilities. Throughout a rigorous, multidisciplinary evaluation process, Roche consistently delivered on performance and quality. 

"Previously, BJC used several different vendors depending on the size and test volume of each hospital," said Ed Peterson, director of laboratories at BJC's Barnes-Jewish Hospital. "Identifying a single provider that can meet the needs of BJC's smallest rural facility, to the pediatric specialty hospital, to the largest hospital in the state is an important step toward increasing standardization and providing consistency in the presentation of results for patients."

With the acquisition of the new technology, Roche believes that BJC is well-positioned to meet the diagnostic testing needs of the patients it serves both today and in the future. "This forward thinking is a true testament to BJC's commitment to advance testing efficiency and to provide high-quality, cost-effective patient care," said Joe Crowley, Senior Vice President, Professional Diagnostics, Roche Diagnostics Corporation.

Implementation of the Roche solution is already under way in most facilities and standardization is expected to be complete in 2016.  

About BJC HealthCare

BJC HealthCare is one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States, and is focused on delivering services to residents primarily in the greater St. Louis, southern Illinois and mid-Missouri regions. With 2013 net revenues of $4 billion, BJC serves the health care needs of urban, suburban and rural communities and includes 12 hospitals and multiple community health locations. Services include inpatient and outpatient care, primary care, community health and wellness, workplace health, home health, community mental health, rehabilitation, long-term care and hospice.

About Roche

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is a leader in research-focused healthcare with combined strengths in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Roche is the world's largest biotech company, with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, ophthalmology and neuroscience. Roche is also the world leader in in vitro diagnostics and tissue-based cancer diagnostics, and a frontrunner in diabetes management. Roche's personalized healthcare strategy aims at providing medicines and diagnostics that enable tangible improvements in the health, quality of life and survival of patients. Founded in 1896, Roche has been making important contributions to global health for more than a century. Twenty-four medicines developed by Roche are included in the World Health Organization Model Lists of Essential Medicines, among them life-saving antibiotics, antimalarials and chemotherapy.

In 2014, the Roche Group employed 88,500 people worldwide, invested 8.9 billion Swiss francs in R&D and posted sales of 47.5 billion Swiss francs. Genentech, in the United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche is the majority shareholder in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan. For more information, please visit roche.com.

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SOURCE Roche; BJC HealthCare

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