| DURHAM, N.C. (July 17, 2007) — bioMérieux, Inc.’s VITEK® 2 and VITEK® 2 Compact systems users are at less risk for musculoskeletal disorders than users of other automated bacterial identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing (ID/AST) systems, according to the results of an independent ergonomic analysis.
Alison Heller-Ono, M.S.P.T, President and CEO of Worksite International, Certified Industrial Ergonomist and Certified Management Consultant, will preview these and other study findings at a bioMérieux knowledge forum at the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) Annual Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo in San Diego, Calif. on Wednesday, July 18th at 11:45 a.m.
“This study shows elevated efficiency of VITEK 2 and VITEK 2 Compact when compared to other ID/AST systems,” said Heller-Ono. “As someone dedicated to improving workplace efficiency and reducing the opportunity for injury, I am pleased to share such positive results.”
The ergonomic analysis compared the set up processes of bioMérieux’s VITEK 2 and VITEK 2 Compact systems to alternative identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing (ID/AST) systems to identify the biomechanical advantages and disadvantages of set up workflow, time on task and the “Strain Index” of each process to assess the likelihood of distal upper extremity strain to end-users.
This efficiency is also reflected in the average time to complete a typical work cycle showing an average productivity savings of 8 to 30 seconds per cycle or 12%-30% using the VITEK 2 and VITEK 2 Compact. The risk of straining the distal upper extremities, including the wrist and hands is substantially higher when using other ID/AST systems, especially if use exceeds one or more cumulative hours of repeated work cycles in a typical work day.
“VITEK 2 and VITEK 2 Compact are excellent products with outstanding efficiency,” said Herb Steward, Executive Vice President, bioMérieux, Inc. “Worksite International’s research provides data that both quantifies and supports this claim.”
bioMérieux will host several knowledge forums, within their exhibit booth, during the 2007 AACC Annual Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo, July 17-18, to present and discuss the latest research in an attempt to keep microbiologists apprised of current industry topics. All speakers are recognized for their leadership and their international expertise. Other knowledge forum participants include international experts in the field, such as scientists, health experts, and medical professionals.
Advancing Diagnostics to Improve Public Health
A world leader in the field of in vitro diagnostics for over 40 years, bioMérieux is present in more than 150 countries through 35 subsidiaries and a large network of distributors. In 2006, revenues reached €1.037 billion with 83% of sales outside of France.
bioMérieux provides diagnostic solutions (reagents, instruments, software), which determine the source of disease and contamination to improve patient health and ensure consumer safety. Our products are used for diagnosing infectious diseases and providing high medical value results for cardiovascular emergencies and cancer screening and monitoring. They are also used for detecting microorganisms in agri-food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. bioMérieux is listed on Eurolist by Euronext. For more information, visit www.biomerieux-usa.com.
About The Strain Index
A validated tool developed by Steve Moore (Medical College of Wisconsin) and Arun Garg (University of Wisconsin), “The Strain Index: A proposed method to analyze jobs for risk of distal upper extremity disorders” is used to assess the level of risk for developing a disorder of the hand, wrist, forearm, or elbow from a certain job or task. The Strain Index (SI) is an appropriate tool to use when attempting to evaluate the risk of developing a Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) in a hand-intensive task.
About Worksite International, Inc.
Worksite International has been providing ergonomics, injury prevention and disability management services to business and industry since 1993. The corporate office is located at 887 Abrego Street in Monterey , CA. To learn more, call 831-648-8724 or visit www.worksiteinternational.com
About AACC (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
AACC is a leading professional society dedicated to improving healthcare through laboratory medicine. Its nearly 10,000 members are clinical laboratory professionals, physicians, research scientists, and others involved in developing tests and directing laboratory operations. The AACC Annual Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo is the largest clinical exposition in the world. Last year, the Clinical Lab Expo included more than 600 organizations occupying more than 1600 booths.
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