Committee approves GeneXpert lease and chemistry-system replacement to speed testing and stabilize lab operations

The finance committee approved two laboratory equipment contracts intended to speed diagnostic testing and stabilize lab operations.

Rick Pence, director of the clinical laboratory, presented a three-year lease for a Cepheid GeneXpert molecular instrument to bring three high-volume infectious-disease tests in-house. Pence said the tests now go to a reference lab with turnaround times of two to six days; the GeneXpert would return results in about 90 minutes, enabling faster clinical decisions. Pence reported that last year the hospital paid about $188,000 in send-out costs for the tests and estimated that bringing the testing in-house would be roughly $22,800 less than sending them out, including reagents and maintenance. "If you get that first test that's negative, you can discharge the patient immediately," Pence said, describing the potential to shorten inpatient length of stay for some patients and to support antimicrobial stewardship.

The committee also approved a five-year contract to replace an obsolete chemistry analyzer that handles about 70% of the hospital's in-house testing. Pence said the current instrument is roughly 10 years old, breaks down frequently and has been sunsetted by the vendor; equivalent systems typically operate about six years. He reported last year’s total cost for the current chemistry system was $632,000 and that the new instrument was negotiated to be cost neutral; he also said the vendor provided a $40,000 IT allowance to connect the instrument to Cerner.

Both items were moved, seconded and approved by the committee.