cobas® pulse, much more than a blood glucose meter...
Roche Diagnostics has launched a new professional, multifunctional, and connected blood glucose meter. It will also host various third-party applications to support healthcare professionals in their clinical routines. This meter represents a significant advancement in e-health.
With its new connected blood glucose meter, Roche Diagnostics aims to revolutionize point-of-care testing in hospitals. Named cobas® pulse, this diagnostic tool was designed to be as user-friendly as a smartphone. It allows healthcare professionals—particularly nurses—to measure a patient’s blood glucose level in seconds from a single drop of blood. This is made possible by an innovative new test strip technology that eliminates interference during reading, a revolution in bedside medical diagnostics, offering analytical quality comparable to that of laboratory tests. The collected data is available on the device to all healthcare professionals authorized to use the cobas® pulse reader. The reader is connected, via its cobas infinity POC and cobas edge smart IT environment, to the hospital’s information system and its online training platform (“Learning Management System”). Compared to traditional blood glucose measurement devices, cobas® pulse has several advantages. First, its very high accuracy: each measurement records approximately 1,600 data points. The reader’s power is remarkable.
Another key strength of the system is the reliability of its transmission. “Being fully digital, it eliminates any risk of error.” Non-connected devices show a 1.8% transcription error rate, which a connected device can avoid with complete traceability as required by French regulations, emphasizes Karine Darignac, Point-of-Care Marketing Product Manager at Roche Diagnostics France. However, transcription errors in blood glucose readings are not uncommon: several university hospitals have been sued following errors in transcribing certain results, sometimes with irreversible consequences for the patient. The reader designed by Roche also offers secure identification for both the patient and the operator, using barcodes and/or RFID chips.
A READER THAT COMBINES SIMPLICITY AND INNOVATION
Finally, cobas® pulse is characterized by its ease of use and ergonomic design. As simple to operate as a smartphone, it features a large touchscreen and an intuitive interface, running on Android. A light strip port guides the nurse through the various stages of the test, even in dark environments. Automatic strip ejection eliminates the risk of Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Incidents (BPEIs), which are frequently encountered in hospitals, thus protecting both the healthcare professional and the patient. Extremely robust, cobas® pulse is compatible with all cleaning agents, ensuring complete decontamination when moving from one room to another. “We wanted to offer an optimal user experience while improving the quality of care,” explains Karine Darignac. The cobas® pulse also received the prestigious Red Dot Design Award in 2021.
But that’s not all: cobas® pulse is designed as a versatile tool, allowing the download of numerous third-party applications. These include Imito Wound, which tracks wound healing progress; Smart4Diagnostics, which manages the pre-analytical phases of blood sampling; CardioSignal, which monitors the patient’s vital signs; and Steady Temp, which uses RFID contact to track the patient’s body temperature in real time. Dozens of applications will be able to connect to the device and will be accessible through Roche’s Navify Portal. The cobas® pulse system will thus serve as a dedicated e-health hub.
Launched last July on the European market, cobas® pulse should soon be available in healthcare facilities across France. “We wanted to begin with an evaluation phase to convince professionals of the effectiveness of this device,” explains Karine Darignac. Currently, three institutions—including the university hospitals of Bordeaux and Nantes—have the device to conduct these tests.
J.-C. L.
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