Case Study: Replacing Octax with XiltriX Service in KWZ an der Oper Munich

Introduction

IVF labs in Germany have always been very quality conscience. The monitoring and alarm system from Octax Log and Guard has historically been widely distributed in Germany and many IVF labs are using it to date. The system recently though was declared End of Life and will be End of Support soon, putting a lot of labs in a tough spot with regards to risk mitigation. This was also the case for the Center for Fertility and Hormones at the Opera (Kinderwunsch und Hormon Zentrum an der Oper) in Munich. The lab needed a new & well supported system.

Moving from an existing system to a new one is not a simple task though. Inventory of existing requirements and new ones need to be made. On top of that the system needs to be secure and adhere to much more stringent security standards than historic systems. KWZ an der Oper wanted a full suite of security and selected XiltriX to provide their Monitoring-as-a-service solution. The whole labs, including cryo store, andrology, and embryology were fitted with the trustworthy and flexible modern XiltriX monitoring solution.

The Story of KWZ an der Oper

At the KWZ an der Oper highly developed diagnostics, modern therapy methods and the highest safety standards are combined to provide fertility treatment that implements the best contemporary science can offer. The fertility doctors continuously train at an international level. They consistently incorporate the most innovative and positive approaches into their treatment methods. Collaborations with leading universities and scientific committees are included as standard. At the KWZ an der Oper, progress is tradition.

The team sits down with patients to address their personal concerns and to advise them regarding the possible options for a fertility treatment. All treatment plans are designed honestly and transparently with all related probabilities, risks and costs.

Great importance is placed on ensuring that every link in the treatment chain is perfectly crafted. This starts with the practice environment and organizational processes. It is evident in the counseling and information provided to women and couples and applies to every single medical step on the way to your goal. A first visit is possible at any time without making an appointment. During the first appointment a blood sample is taken. The blood analysis is the basis for the subsequent consultation with the doctor. A follow-up appointment will then be jointly planned on site with the doctor of their choice a few days later.

*Source: https://www.kinderwunschzentrum-an-der-oper.de/en/

Stages of the Implementation Process

The first stage of the implementation process was performed by the XiltriX team in cooperation with  Poorali. A joint inventory was made of the existing system in which all new requirements were merged with the aim to re-use some of the existing sensors.  Poorali wanted to mitigate all risks in the lab and asked XiltriX to expand the existing monitoring solution with integration of the level measurement of the cryogenic pressure vessel, as well as the full integration of the K-Systems G-185 benchtop incubators. On top of that a VOC sensor was provided to monitor the TVOC levels of the lab on a continuous basis.

Vida Poorali commented: “The process to replace the Octax system was a very smooth one. The XiltriX team came to our facility and performed their analysis. They were very pro-active in providing a comprehensive solution without me having to do any of the heavy lifting.”

Since the End-of-Life (EOL) statement for the Octax Log and Guard system caught IVF labs by surprise, many of them did not budget for a replacement system. Even though the system to date is still officially “supported”, the lack of security and feature updates does not adhere with the accreditation requirement of being in control of every system in an IVF laboratory. Also, if any issues occur in which damage is incurred, insurance companies can push back on claims since some of the issues might have been preventable. By selecting the XiltriX Monitoring-as-a-Service solution, not having CAPEX budget is not a problem. Also, labs never have to worry if their software is still secure and up to date. Mr. Han Weerdesteyn, CCO for XiltriX International, said: “We see IVF labs worldwide struggle with the challenges of obsolete and insecure monitoring solutions. XiltriX can provide a full-service solution to customers worldwide fast, with very little IT involvement. With our ISO-9001 and newly obtained ISO-27001 certifications, we can prove to customers we are in control of quality and Information Security Management.”

A major part of the move to a new system consists not just of technical implementation problems, but people management and training. The 24/7 support team of XiltriX provided a lot of handholding during this process.

By pro-actively asking customers for their input, the settings provided are then remotely put in the system by the XiltriX support and implementation team, so the customer only has to do verification. The XiltriX monitoring service includes training and continuous support. Also, the cloud server has a 24/7 monitoring service included so any technical issues with server OS, application or connectivity are actively monitored and followed up on by the XiltriX team. This reduces the load on the already stressed-out IVF teams so they can focus on what’s important for them, taking care of patients and embryos. Werner Auzinger commented: “It has been a real pleasure working with the XiltriX team. All representatives are very responsive and knowledgeable, and the team provides pro-active support which can be used immediately. The stability and functionality are also next level; it really outperforms our previous system.”

Every IVF lab should have full visibility and control over all critical parameters. Insurance companies in Germany have already been stricter in handing out warnings for obsolete systems and unmonitored parameters during recent inspection audits. Losing the insurance policy for an IVF lab would be catastrophic and eliminates the ability to function due to the extreme risk of liability lawsuits for the Doctors.

Poorali said: “Although having the proper insurance is very important to us, our lab wants to go the extra mile. We want a fully integrated monitoring solution that warns us before damage is incurred. Also, the health and safety of our lab team is critical.”

Why KWZ an der Oper chose XiltriX

Historically the KWZ lab has used disparate systems for multiple tasks. This was hard to control and provided more interruptions and cost extra because of multiple maintenance contracts. By integrating all critical parameters, even the hard to integrate benchtop incubators in one single real-time monitoring solution, the need for additional, usually poorly integrated, solutions no longer exist. Auzinger shared his experience: “Using the XiltriX system is something I do on a daily basis, It is quick and easy and all data is always live. Acknowledgement of any issue is done quickly and comprehensively without it costing me a lot of time and offering full traceability if needed.”

How the KWZ an der Oper uses XiltriX

The KWZ an der Oper lab needs to continuously monitor all critical parameters in all rooms and equipment. All critical fridges are temperature and alarm monitored. This also goes for all critical freezers and CO₂ incubators. All critical parameters of the cryo room are seamlessly integrated in the solution, including pressure vessel level, temperature, and minimum level monitoring. On top of that all Room Temperatures, Relative Humidity and VOC levels are continuously monitored in real-time and send to the XiltriX secure cloud server that has a redundant power and internet connection. All systems have backup batteries and will provide active notification of power failure events. Deviations of any kind are immediately sent to the appropriate staff in a cascading manner, utilizing both local physical alarms as well as email and SMS notifications. The whole systems receives 24/7 support from the XiltriX technical support team, providing absolute control.

The Results and what is next

After the successful implementation and commissioning of this project, the XiltriX team is already working with the KWZ team to further optimise the solutions in the lab. By placing additional CO₂ room monitoring sensors and a big visualization screen in the embryology laboratory safety, acceptance and ease of use for the staff is further boosted. Mr. Han Weerdesteyn noted: “For us a new customer is not a one-time sale; it is a relationship that usually spans more than a decade. It is very important to stay in touch with all of our customer to provide fitting solutions for their evolving needs. Our team takes great pride in being the solution provider for our customers.”

Looking at the lab in a holistic manner, most labs already have a gas safety monitoring system in place. These systems are usually functioning correctly but provide little remote visibility and usually no historic traceability. By integrating with these systems, the XiltriX platform becomes the single source of truth for the IVF lab providing all data in real-time. Poorali commented: “We will certainly investigate connecting our Dräger gas safety systems into the XiltriX monitoring platform. This would provide a total security solution without me having to log into separate systems.”

Would you also like to have support in setting up an IVF or accredited laboratory or upgrading of your cryogenic repository? Please contact XiltriX at sales@xiltrix.com, or visit our website www.xiltrix.com.

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Acknowledgements: I would like to extend my gratitude to Mrs. Vida Poorali and the team for their support and hospitality. We hope that our solution will help to make the quality in the IVF lab a little better!

Han Weerdesteyn, CCO, XiltriX International