At the end of 2020, the Toulouse preparation laboratory took possession of its new premises following major renovation and structuring work, making it one of the largest French Blood Establishment (EFS) production platforms in France. Since then, the team has been working on improving its processes to enhance efficiency and ergonomics, including the automation of certain tasks.
Focus on the latest innovation

Automated raw materials reception

Since January 2024, the teams at the Toulouse preparation laboratory have seen their daily routine evolve with the arrival of “C-BAC” automats designed by Acemis France. These automate the reception of raw materials, i.e. donations collected throughout the Occitanie region.

Where technicians used to have to scan each pouch with a handheld scanner and weigh them one by one, now they simply place each pouch on the scale, and the machine takes over.

It reads the bag’s two barcodes (DMU batch reference no. and donation no.), then the scale automatically weighs and records the data directly in INLOG, their medical-technical software.

With a volume of 800 to 1,000 blood donations processed every day, this innovation is designed to improve the ergonomics of the workstation, reducing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders linked to repetitive, daily movements, as well as saving considerable time.

A multi-stage projects

This project has been through several exciting stages before it was ready to be seen in the light of day. The first was the drafting of specifications to describe the solution required. Following an unsuccessful initial call for tenders, the preparation team had to rethink and refine its requirements. During the second call for tenders, three potential suppliers were selected and several solutions were tested before choosing the technology proposed by Acemis France.

The implementation process required several iterations to ensure that the tool fully met EFS’s expectations, both technically and in terms of data security. The solution provided a real innovation to the workstation, and the teams were then trained to use these new tools effectively.

The solution has been in use since mid-January for all whole blood donations, and is currently being upgraded so that it can also receive apheresis plasma donations in the same way.

The new c-BAC automated system has resulted in a daily saving up to 45 minutes per receiving station

Improving Product Quality Through Faster Processing Times

By reducing the time spent at the bag reception stage, we can enhance the quality and traceability of our blood products. To ensure the preservation of all coagulation factors and proteins contained in human plasma, it is essential that the plasma be frozen within 24 hours of donation.

When it arrives at the preparation tray, time is of the essence. Plasma frozen within 24 hours retains all its properties and is considered “category 1.” If it is frozen within a longer period, it will become “category 2” and will not be used for the same purpose.

Category 1 plasmas are primarily intended for transfusion to patients once they have been rendered safe, while category 2 plasmas are used by the “Laboratoire Français du fractionnement et des Biotechnologies” (LFB) to manufacture blood-derived medicinal products.

CROSS VIEWS

François Leroy. Laboratory technician at the Toulouse technical plateau

“I’m pleased to have played a role in making this project a reality. I’m honored to have brought my experience in the field to help design and develop the system. It’s been incredible to see this project come to fruition, bringing major changes to the way we work: ease of use, improved ergonomics, fewer repetitive gestures… The successful deployment of dynamic weighing by assisted intelligent barcode reading is the result of close collaboration between the laboratory technicians, the IT department, and ACEMIS France, and it’s been a true team effort!”

Vincent Cunado, Team leader, Toulouse technical plateau

“The deployment of dynamic weighing by assisted intelligent barcode reading is the result of three years of hard work and dedication. It represents a significant leap forward in technician ergonomics, with two main objectives: reducing muscular/oskeletal disorders and improving working conditions.

After an eventful trial phase, the system developed by ACEMIS France has been up and running, stable and secure, since the beginning of February. We have observed a real fluidity in the reception stages, accompanied by optimized processing times. I’m thrilled that regional management has been such a great supporter of the project from start to finish!”