Vancouver General Hospital is the First Canadian Institution to Implement Copan WASP(R): Walk-Away Specimen...( MURRIETA Calif. April 9 /- Copan Diag...)

MURRIETA, Calif., April 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Copan Diagnostics, Inc. is proud to announce the first installation of WASP(R): Walk-Away Specimen Processor in Canada at Vancouver General Hospital. Copan WASP(R): Walk-Away Specimen Processor is a revolutionary system for automatic planting and streaking microbiology samples. The breakthrough technology behind the WASP, coupled with Copan ESwab, the only liquid transport swab system for automation, make the WASP the first instrument of its kind to use a single universal platform to automatically plant and streak most bacteriology specimens, including swabs, urine and fecal samples, regardless of the specimen's container style or specimen type.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090409/LA97060)

Diane Roscoe, MD, who heads the Vancouver General Hospital's Medical Microbiology and Infection Control Division, stated that the "hospital, as part of Vancouver Coastal Health, strives to achieve an effective and seamless healthcare system. The addition of the first WASP to the microbiology laboratory is an important innovation that allows it to continue to provide excellent service to an expanded regional microbiology laboratory, improving throughput capacity while maintaining consistency." Because of the instrument's versatility, its addition to the Microbiology Division at Vancouver General Hospital is aligned with the region's overall values. Serving a population of over a million people, Vancouver Coastal Health values include a focus on effectiveness, efficiency, and best practices, as well as a commitment to provide outstanding service and respond to patients' needs in a timely and innovative manner.

Judy Reid, the Vancouver Coastal Health Microbiology Regional Technical Specialist, expressed her excitement for the new addition of the WASP to the laboratory. She agreed with D
'/>"/>