The CHU de Québec, one of the most important healthcare institutions in the province of Québec and one of the biggest in Canada, and COPAN Diagnostics, Inc., announced today the full installation of WASPLab, the latest generation of full laboratory automation and digital microbiology system in Hôpital de l'Enfant-Jésus, one of the five hospitals forming the CHU de Québec. This hospital and COPAN group worked closely and collaboratively to deliver North America's fastest seamless solution for full laboratory automation. This is a historic first installation of a full laboratory automation and digital bacteriology system operational in North America. The installation of WASPLab's hardware took place in an unprecedented time of less than a week. The speed of installation means that disruption to the routine laboratory operations is minimal and Go-Live time after install is dramatically shortened. 'The Hôpital de l'Enfant-Jésus is the first healthcare services provider to install and implement WASPLab in North America. This technology allows us to be more effective and efficient in our lab, which is very important from a budget point of view. It also allows us to face the shortage of qualified staff and appoint them to value-added tasks. Like most microbiology labs, we have a limited amount of space but with COPAN's WASPLab solution however, it allows us to bring in the latest technology for specimen processing, robotics, image analysis and digital reporting without having to tear down our lab,' said Jean-François Gagnon, Microbiology Laboratory Manager at Hôpital de l'Enfant-Jésus.

'COPAN values the close and collaborative relationships that enable us to innovate together by understanding our customers' needs and delivering solutions that achieve their highest goals for improving the ultimate quality of patient care,' said Norman Sharples, CEO of COPAN Diagnostics, Inc. 'WASPLab moves microbiology from what was essentially a batch process to an efficient and continuous automated flow from sample processing to incubation, reading, interpretation, work-up and reporting,' added Sharples.

'WASPLab solution allows standardization of the planting and streaking and specimen processing, decreases risk of errors, and also lowers repetitive stress related to repeated movement for our staff' said Dr. Alain Paradis, Chief Microbiologist and Infectious Disease Specialist for Hôpital de l'Enfant-Jésus, CHU de Québec.

'We are excited to partner with the CHU de Québec to help them achieve their goals. WASPLab's modular design and small footprint allowed us to customize it to Hôpital de l'Enfant-Jésus needs in terms of technology and laboratory space constraints. WASPLab's small, high efficiency footprint eliminates unnecessary track that increases speed of positive culture plate availability, saves costs, reduces maintenance and avoids the artificial barriers extensive track creates within the lab,' concluded Sharples. COPAN will showcase WASPLab during AACC Clinical Lab Expo in Houston, Texas in July 2013.