Wisconsin Diagnostic Laboratories

The opening gambit of Michael Baron, Executive Director at Wisconsin Diagnostics Laboratories (WDL), encapsulates the peoplecentric mission that runs through the core of the clinical and anatomical pathology laboratory services provider.

A clinical laboratory with a team of 450 members, WDL is a subsidiary of the Milwaukee-based organization Froedtert Health and represents the central laboratory for its parent company’s health system. Currently, WDL services more than 40 hospitals, 900 long-term care facilities, and 200 physician practices across Wisconsin and Northern Illinois.

“We provide an extensive test menu to meet the many testing needs of our customer base,” Baron continues. Currently, WDL is striving to achieve ISO15189 certification by early 2023, as a reflection of its overarching commitment to providing the highest quality of testing services.

STRENGTH IN PEOPLE

This quality of service extends not just to the laboratory itself but also to the standards that WDL holds itself to in its relationships with clients. Indeed, Baron cites the company’s “strong” client services team as a key

THE TEST OF QUALITY

Writer: Phoebe

Project Manager: Felix Revell

The focus on providing for the best care of the patient is our primary driving goal.”

We unpack the importance of education and vendor partnerships with Michael Baron, Executive Director at Wisconsin Diagnostic Laboratories, as the company progresses to becoming ISO15189 certified

Harper

AUTOMATED SYSTEMS

BACT/ALERT® VIRTUO®

Fully-Automated Blood Culture

System

bioMérieux’s best-in-class blood culture system re nes laboratory work ow and maximizes e ciency with its automated loading and unloading, and automated ll volume measurement for adult bottles. With fast results to move onto ID/AST testing and comprehensive reporting and analytics, the VIRTUO provides clinical insights you can trust.

BIOFIRE® FILMARRAY® TORCH

Molecular Syndromic Testing

The BIOFIRE TORCH System is the latest advancement in molecular infectious disease diagnostics. BIOFIRE TORCH tests at the molecular level by using multiplex PCR technology to deliver results that are rapid, accurate, and comprehensive. The scalable con guration addresses the needs of any size of lab and is compatible with six infectious disease panels on the BIOFIRE System.

VITEK® MS PRIME

Identi cation in Minutes

VITEK MS PRIME is a true evolution of the MALDI-TOF (Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight) technology for microbial identi cation. This new technology o ers ultrae cient routine work ow through its automated, continuous load and go with 16-slide capacity, urgent slide prioritization, and automated ne tuning. VITEK MS PRIME helps drive informed results by providing fast and accurate ID results.

VITEK® 2

Same Day ID/AST

The VITEK 2 system is the complete package for fast and accurate microbial identi cation and antibiotic susceptibility testing. The VITEK 2 platform provides greater automation while increasing safety and eliminating repetitive manual operations. The VITEK 2 can allow laboratories to provide same day susceptibility testing which can help reduce overall costs and provide positive patient outcomes.

MANUAL METHODS

ETEST® MIC Determination

ETEST is an AST solution that provides an MIC in an accurate, and cost-e ective way. ETEST o ers a exible diagnostic solution to test newer drugs, detect emerging resistance, and helps clinicians guide and manage therapy.

CHROMID®

Resistance Screening and Identi cation bioMérieux o ers an extensive range of chromogenic media for the simultaneous culture and identi cation of antimicrobial resistance. CHROMID provides clear, easy to read media that can be used by trained sta to aid in prevention e orts to control the spread of resistance in an institution.

DATA ANALYTICS

CLARION™

A secure, cloud based clinical informatics software for diagnostic stewardship. CLARION provides a holistic view of relevant lab and clinical data visualized by integrating siloed lab and hospital information systems into a single data management application. CLARION visualizes the data in multiple easy-to-use dashboards

MYLA®

bioMérieux’s agship middleware solution, MYLA, monitors instruments in real-time to provide work ow management and enhancements. MYLA delivers an array of reports in the Statistical Reporting dashboard.

differentiator at WDL, in providing an avenue for all customers to discuss any inquiries regarding their individual testing needs with a staff member.

Equally as important is WDL’s emphasis on providing a rewarding, comfortable and empowering workplace for its own people.

“The focus on teamwork and meeting team member well-being is paramount to WDL’s success,” affirms Baron.

As such, the company seeks to create a working environment where employees look forward to coming to the laboratory to work. WDL then leverages this reputation as a useful recruitment tool in guaranteeing a sustainable workforce, alongside representing the company at various job fairs, university events and by presenting at the ASCLS conference.

“We are hiring the best qualified NCT (non-certified tech) candidates who have demonstrated good teamwork, flexibility, and an ability to meet the challenges of a high-volume laboratory,” he says, adding that WDL is currently looking to further develop the role of a laboratory assistant to be incorporated into its operations.

“We are committed to hiring the best team members and dedicated

to growing their skills, as each team member has a developmental plan.”

UNLOCKING EDUCATION

The developmental plans assigned to individual members of staff embody how WDL prioritizes opportunities for education and training.

Baron’s own background highlights the myriad opportunities that can be unlocked through the right education, as he began to pursue a career in clinical laboratories in 1991 after exiting the US Army. At the time, the Rockford Memorial Hospital in Illinois offered an opportunity for Baron to join their clinical chemistry laboratory.

“They agreed to train me on the job and provide classroom instructions with the chemistry lab Medical

Director as my instructor. I was excited at the time to gain employment where I could help hospital patients and have an opportunity to grow the clinical laboratory,” he recalls.

After five years at Rockford, during which time Baron excelled and undertook his Chemistry ASCP Certification Exam, he pursued his ambitions for leadership roles in clinical laboratories, which soon followed at SmithKline Beecham Clinical Laboratories where he eventually progressed to the position of Laboratory Director.

Today, as Executive Director of Operations at WDL, his responsibilities comprise chemistry, toxicology, hematology, coagulation, microbiology/molecular, anatomic

WDL AND ISO CERTIFICATION

MICHAEL BARON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: “WDL has initiated the process to become ISO15189 certified, which further demonstrates our commitment towards providing high quality testing. We aim to achieve certification in early 2023. This will include the redesign of our quality management system, refining our change management program, and establishing a robust CAPA. The drive to provide the highest quality of services is a top focus for us as we strive to achieve ISO15189 certification.”

Heme

BIOMÉRIEUX INNOVATION DRIVES GAME-CHANGING DIAGNOSTICS

bioMérieux has grown to become a pioneering leader in the field of in vitro infectious disease diagnostics. Innovation is one of the core pillars of the bioMérieux growth strategy, rooted in a longstanding entrepreneurial tradition. For nearly 60 years, the company has been innovating to drive progress in pathogen detection and identification.

“Infectious diseases are one of the major threats to humankind. Their emergence and spread are dramatically accelerated by climate change and globalization,” said Andrew Hemmert, PhD, Senior Vice President for bioMérieux molecular BIOFIRE® R&D programs. “The risk of finding ourselves unarmed to face ultra-resistant bacteria is now a reality. Diagnostics is a game changer in this fight. By innovating diagnostic solutions, we help clinicians improve patient care and we help industries prevent contamination of the food and pharmaceuticals they produce.”

bioMérieux R&D teams combine their knowledge of microbiology with emerging techniques and new technologies to combat infectious diseases worldwide. At bioMérieux, innovation aims to reach two priority goals:

1. Increase the medical and predictive value delivered by diagnostic tests.

2. Improve laboratory workflow and optimize overall operational performance.

As an example, bioMérieux received US Food and Drug Administration clearance for three new groundbreaking products in 2022 alone. In May, bioMérieux received De Novo authorization from the FDA for its BIOFIRE® Joint Infection Panel. This syndromic panel tests for 31 pathogens implicated in most acute joint infections, along with eight antimicrobial resistance genes to optimize antibiotic therapy and stewardship.

bioMérieux also received FDA clearance for the VITEK® MS PRIME, a MALDI-TOF (Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight) system for routine microbial identification that enhances productivity for faster time to results and improved patient management.

And in July, bioMérieux announced the FDA clearance of its innovative VIDAS® NEPHROCHECK® assay to detect kidney stress in patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI).

bioMérieux worldwide facts at a glance:

• €3,376m annual sales FY21

• 14 R&D centers worldwide

• 1.5 percent of sales reinvested in R&D

• Operations in 45 countries

• Customers in more than 160 countries

• 13,000 employees

www.biomerieuxDIRECT.com

pathology, flow cytometry and the cytogenic departments.

WDL’s own education initiatives remain an important area of focus for the years ahead, by developing its non-certified tech program, apprentice program and establishing a training program for the aforementioned laboratory assistant role.

PRIDE IN PARTNERSHIPS

Partnerships are a key avenue used by WDL to develop opportunities for education, adopting an alternative approach to training clinical laboratory team members. This is evidenced by the Clinical Laboratory Scientist Apprenticeship program with Milwaukee Area Technical College and the Department of Workforce Development’s Wisconsin Apprenticeship program, both of which were initiated by WDL.

Baron shares that the company is now looking to enter into an education agreement with its key business partner – Roche – to develop clinical laboratory education solutions for other facilities.

“Roche recognized our progressive approach towards supporting non-certified technical staff to gain necessary classroom education to support their development and ultimately achieve ASCP certification,” he says.

Sharing a platinum account agreement, Roche is an instrumental partner in providing chemistry and immunology testing platforms for WDL’s entire laboratory testing system, including its large automation line, associated instrumentation, and the scaled instrument platform to meet the testing needs of each laboratory.

This partnership rose to the fore during the turbulence and disruption of the recent pandemic, as Roche

“WDL’S FOCUS ON MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE PATIENT IS OUR ORGANIZATION’S RELENTLESS DRIVER AND DIFFERENTIATES US IN THE CLINICAL LABORATORY SERVICES ARENA”

– MICHAEL BARON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WISCONSIN DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORIES

supplied the 6800 model molecular instrument that supported the completion of approximately 1,200 COVID-19 tests per day of the 5,000+ tests performed at the peak of testing.

“Roche was a key partner in providing COVID-19 testing supplies to help support our testing needs. Further, they maintained the supplies for the chemistry systems without disruption to testing requirements,” shares Baron.

Thanks to its robust relationships with vendor partners, WDL was able to urgently respond to the testing challenge and exercise the lab’s highvolume capacity to provide a 24-hour turnaround from the time of arrival at the lab with a reliable outcome.

A HEALTHY FUTURE

In retaining its status as a clinical laboratory founded on quality service,

WDL had recently undergone a major remodeling of its core lab area to improve workflow efficiency.

“The core lab had its first remodelling facelift, which has allowed additional instrument replacement and the improved efficiency with work cells by testing speciality,” Baron elaborates.

“The anatomic pathology lab has followed suit, where we have added work stations and gained the same workflow efficiencies with flexibility of the workspace.”

This remodeling is set to continue across the microbiology and molecular laboratory space into the years ahead, alongside the implementation of an electronic inventory system to further improve the efficiency of lab supply ordering and maintenance.

By so doing, WDL continues to

establish a favorable workplace that combines the welfare of its workforce with an uncompromising commitment to the quality of its testing services on behalf of all clients.

Baron draws to a close by returning to the humanitarian concern for quality care that lies at the heart of all clinical laboratories.

“A clinical laboratory career allows one to support patient care, which brings much pride and satisfaction.”

AP block preparation

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