INDIANAPOLIS and FORT BRAGG, N.C., Feb. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ —
Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today that it has
received approval from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to
provide remote service and support for its lab analyzers at Womack
Army Medical Center through the DOD’s secure B2B gateway. Roche is
the first in-vitro (test tube) diagnostics manufacturer to be
approved by the DOD for this remote access.
The B2B gateway is a highly secure portal that enables external
vendors to access systems within the DOD’s data network. The remote
access will enable Roche to more easily monitor system status,
download system upgrades and calibration information, and provide
remote help desk support through its cobas® link
software program.
“The B2B approval process is quite rigorous because of our
strict security protocols, but the benefits are well worth the
effort,” said LTC Linda Guthrie, the former laboratory manager at
Womack. “Having remote access to the analyzers will enable Roche to
identify and resolve potential issues faster, and for us it will
eliminate the need for a lot of our manual data entry, which can
help us save time and reduce the potential for error.”
The remote access will help Roche provide more efficient and
effective support and services as well. “By performing analyzer
set-up, diagnostics and upgrades remotely, we can provide the same
high level of support without the need to always have technical
specialists on site,” said Reg Stump, vice president of Roche
Professional Services. “So we can typically provide support faster
and in a way that’s more efficient and convenient for
everyone.”
For Womack Army Medical Center, Roche will use the B2B gateway
remote access to support multiple installations of the
cobas® 6000 analyzer series, an integrated platform that
offers both clinical chemistry and immunoassay testing. The
approval will also pave the way for Roche to provide similar
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