July 26, 2017 — Siemens Healthineers has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Epocal Inc., a subsidiary of Alere Inc. Epocal Inc. develops and provides point-of-care blood diagnostic systems for healthcare enterprises, including the epoc Blood Analysis System, a handheld, wireless testing solution. Financial details of the transaction are not being disclosed. The transaction is subject to the completion of Abbott’s acquisition of Alere, as well as antitrust approvals and other customary closing conditions.
Healthcare systems continue to look for ways to elevate patient experience and satisfaction as well as the quality of care. Health networks may have varying testing needs near to their patients at the point of care in physician’s offices, clinics, emergency departments and labs. With a complete offering for blood gas diagnostics following this acquisition, from a low-volume, single-use handheld device up to a high-volume, multi-use benchtop solution, Siemens Healthineers said it can help customers improve their workflows and utilize the correct system for the needs of their particular settings.
Arterial blood gases are an important routine investigation to monitor the acid-base balance of patients. They play an important role in the work-up and management of critically ill patients and may help in diagnosing pulmonary and metabolic disorders. They indicate the severity of a condition and help to assess treatment. Blood gas test systems are an important component in critical care settings such as hospitals, clinics, emergency departments and pulmonary laboratories.
The epoc Blood Analysis System is a handheld, wireless testing solution that provides blood gas, electrolyte and metabolite results near the patient in approximately 30 seconds after sample introduction. The system is comprised of the epoc room-temperature stable BGEM test card, epoc reader and epoc host2 mobile computer. Each single-use epoc BGEM test card features smartcard technology with a full menu of tests on one card.
For more information: www.usa.healthcare.siemens.com, www.alere-epoc.com
August 05, 2019 
