A question of responsibility - Healthcare laboratories

When the hospital makes you sick

If you go to hospital, you are supposed to recover and get well. Unfortunately, the opposite can also happen. Infections caused by hospital bugs are common - in German hospitals too. According to the German Federal Ministry of Health, there are 400,000 to 600,000 of these "nosocomial infections" every year. Around ten percent of these are caused by multi-resistant bacteria - among them, the now notorious MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus). An MRSA infection cannot always be treated. Many infections can be treated with antibiotics, yet what was once deemed a miracle solution is now losing its effectiveness due to overuse. Several of the MRSA pathogens are resistant to almost all antibiotics and are thus extremely dangerous. It all comes down to timing here - the faster a pathogen is identified, the better the chances of survival for the patient. Many hospitals therefore focus on early detection, with the testing done in their own healthcare laboratories. This also presents a big challenge, when it comes to the equipment.

Small healthcare laboratories - Big responsibility

Most hospitals have their own in-house laboratory. Clinical chemistry testing is carried out in these decentralised healthcare laboratories, as well as a majority of the immunohaematological analyses. Around one third of the hospitals in Germany also process bacteria and virus samples in-house. According to a study carried out by the German Hospital Institute, the speed at which the samples are processed is what counts in clinical laboratory diagnostics - not just when it comes to determining the particular type of infection. A quick diagnosis is crucial for the successful care of the patient and is considered by doctors to be one of the most important services performed by healthcare laboratories. Results need to be available around the clock, which means a hospital laboratory needs to be manned 24 hours a day, every day of the week. Despite the time pressures, the laboratory employees need to be able to work with the utmost precision. After all, laboratory results always need to be accurate - a person's life may depend on it. Healthcare laboratories also need to consider the fact that according to the German Federal Statistical Office, health expenditure outpaced gross domestic product for the fourth consecutive year. This was €344.2 billion in 2015, which is €4,213 per capita.

Important tasks require reliable support

Medical laboratories contribute significantly to an effective and modern healthcare system. They provide doctors with the information they need to take life-saving measures at the right time. Considering their importance in the treatment chain, employees in healthcare laboratories need solutions that are in line with clinical diagnostic requirements This is not only the case for the technology, but also for the laboratory furniture. Laboratory solutions from Bimos are not only fairly priced, but are also perfectly tailored to the hygienic requirements of a hospital. Laboratory chairs, laboratory standing aids and laboratory stools from Bimos are also compact in design and take up minimal space in the small hospital laboratories. In order to accelerate daily analyses and guarantee accurate results around the clock, they support employees by keeping them in an ergonomically correct position and make life easier thanks to simple operation.

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