Awanui Labs would like to advise clinicians that from 14 October we will be transitioning our coagulation testing service to a new coagulation analyser platform. The new analyser utilises advanced technology that will provide an improved quality of service and address some of the limitations of the current platform. This change will align Awanui Labs’ testing platform with that used by the Hawke’s Bay Hospital, supporting greater consistency of results across the region.

Extensive validation studies have been performed to confirm the accuracy and reliability of routine coagulation testing on the new analyser, including PT, INR and APTT. As the new platform uses different analytical technology, APTT results will differ from those produced by the current analyser. A new reference range has been established and will be attached to all APTT results from 14 October onwards.

Validation studies have also confirmed that INR results within the therapeutic range remain consistent with the current platform, with only minor variation observed. For INR results greater than 5.0, differences of less than 10% were demonstrated during validation, which is not of clinical significance. INR results for warfarin monitoring will be displayed differently in Practice Management Systems such as MedTech Evolution.

Before the new Stago analyser rollout, INR results for warfarin monitoring are currently reported under the subject INR Prothrombin Ratio. After the rollout, INR results for warfarin monitoring will be reported under the subject Coagulation Tests.

INR results reported before the change will remain under INR Prothrombin Ratio. INR results reported after the change will appear under Coagulation Tests. As a result, historical INR results and future INR results will not display as a single cumulative results history. INR results will begin cumulating under Coagulation Tests from the date of implementation onwards.

• To view a patient’s complete INR history, users may need to review results under both INR Prothrombin Ratio and Coagulation Tests.
• No results will be lost in this process. There is no change to the usual test-ordering process. Please continue requesting routine coagulation testing as usual.
• For users of éclair, the test heading has changed, but results will continue to cumulate under the same test item.

Awanui Labs is confident that the new platform will continue to provide high-quality,reliable coagulation testing and support optimal patient care.

New INR display of subject and test name in Medtech:

Previous display of INR in Medtech: