Oak Valley Health welcomes first-in-Canada chemistry and immunoassay analyzers

Oak Valley Health is home to Canada’s first installation of a new generation of chemistry and immunoassay analyzers — state-of-the-art medical devices designed to deliver fast and precise chemical analysis of blood.

The new analyzers introduce technology that enhances accuracy, reduces the risk of error, supports workflow, and more.

At Markham Stouffville Hospital, two of the DxI 9000 Access Immunoassay Analyzer sets a new standard for high-sensitivity testing in core laboratories. Uxbridge Hospital now houses a DxC 500i Clinical Analyzer, which offers similar innovations on a smaller scale.

These advanced systems are now in use by medical laboratory technologists at both hospital sites. They are also fully compatible, enabling seamless information sharing and data transfer between locations.

“We are fortunate to partner with Beckman Coulter to bring both machines to our hospitals. The availability of these new systems aligned perfectly with our needs, allowing our teams to enhance the way we work and embrace innovation,” says Jean Nash, Director of Laboratory and Diagnostic Imaging. “By automating processes, evolving our technology, and strengthening data-driven decision-making, we can continue delivering an extraordinary patient experience.”

Designed for exceptional uptime, the analyzers deliver high-quality results while significantly streamlining workflows.

“Accuracy remains central to patient care. By enhancing precision and sensitivity, the analyzers provide our teams with deeper insights to support patient care in areas such as cardiac health, anemia, diabetes, infectious diseases, and more,” says Mohamed Bhugun, Manager of Laboratory Services.

Oak Valley Health expects to see more consistent results, shorter turnaround times, and substantial improvements in workflow. The analyzer at the Markham site alone can complete up to 450 tests per hour — an incredible advantage for a lab that completes more than 2.5 million chemistry and immunoassay tests a year.

“The systems offer precision, reliability, and faster operation,” says Dr. Golnar Rasty, Chief of the Department of Laboratory Medicine. “Fully automated, they produce highly sensitive results consistently and in less time. When we maximize the information from every blood sample, we can detect issues earlier and respond to patient needs sooner.”

The installation marks the first phase of a full upgrade to the laboratory automation system. Already complete at the Uxbridge site and expected to be complete this winter at the Markham site, once fully implemented, blood samples will move automatically throughout each hospital laboratory, avoiding manual handling. This end-to-end automation will transport samples directly to designated testing areas and further reduce transfer time.

“As our population continues to grow and the demand for care rises sharply, expanding our services and adopting new innovations is essential. Modernizing the way we work increases our capacity as health care professionals, it supports our teams, and helps us respond to patient needs faster,” says Dr. Caroline Geenen, Chief of Staff.

Thanks to the generosity of the community, each site was able to acquire the new analyzers with support from Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation and Uxbridge Hospital Foundation.

Photo: Oak Valley Health welcomes first-in-Canada chemistry and immunoassay analyzers.

*Story submitted by Alysia Burdi.