Abbott Laboratories announced that it is developing a new system using advanced technology that will allow its diagnostic instruments to automatically transmit product performance information to the company's service operations through the Internet. The system will be previewed at the annual meeting of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Lab Expo in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, (July 20-24).

Marketed under the tradename AbbottLink, the system will give Abbott instruments the ability to send and receive operational data, enabling the company's service representatives to proactively identify potential technical issues from a remote location.

"Information technology is playing an increasingly important role in today's laboratory as a means to address the growing demand for more efficient testing services," said Ed Michael, vice president, immunoassay/clinical chemistry, Abbott Laboratories. "With this new technology, our service personnel will have additional data to better ensure that our instruments are performing at optimal capacity, which will help our laboratory customers maximize their productivity."

Using a high-speed, secure Internet connection, AbbottLink is designed to transmit instrument data, instrument logs, files, maintenance records, calibrations and other key performance metrics. No patient data will be transmitted over the system.

AbbottLink will be available for use on the company's broad line of automated instruments, including AxSYM, Architect, Aeroset and Cell-Dyn systems. It will be introduced on the AxSYM system in the United States in September and on the Architect family of instruments in 2004.