The Laboratory at Pella Regional Health Center has recently installed the BioFire FilmArray system. Lab Manager Amy Meyer says the new technology allows staff to get results for infectious disease testing to providers in much less time to determine a diagnosis. This testing system is capable of identifying a pathogen in approximately 60 minutes, compared to conventional culture techniques, which may take several days.

“Together, these panels test for more than a 50 pathogens,” said Amy Meyer, Lab Manager at Pella Regional. “This means the system is not only faster, it also offers more complete testing.”

The system can be used in complex diagnostic situations that require multiple answers in a critically short period of time, including:

· Upper respiratory tract infections

· Identification of organisms in positive blood cultures

· Gastrointestinal infections

· Meningitis/Encephalitis

The technology also allows for the simultaneous detection of viruses, bacteria, yeast, and parasites. Meyer says the BioFire system is comparable to larger hospitals in metro areas.