Introduction

Hospital Angeles Pedregal, a leading healthcare institution in Mexico City, has achieved a significant milestone by installing the first Copan WASPLab® in Latin America, reinforcing its commitment to cutting-edge diagnostic technology and exceptional patient care.

Hospital Angeles Pedregal Leads Laboratory Innovation in Latin America

On February 17, 2025, Hospital Angeles Pedregal hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to inaugurate Latin America’s first installation of Copan’s WASPLab® in its new laboratory facilities. This momentous event brought together hospital leadership and representatives from Copan and BioMérieux Mexico to celebrate.

WASPLab® represents a significant advancement in microbiology diagnostics as the central hub of Copan’s Full Laboratory Automation system. The technology offers high-efficiency, modular, scalable, and customizable specimen processing capabilities that transform traditional laboratory workflows. By integrating specimen processing, smart incubation, digital microbiology, WASPLab® enables laboratories to achieve unprecedented efficiency and accuracy in clinical diagnostics.

Addressing Healthcare Challenges Through Automation

The implementation of WASPLab® comes at a critical time for healthcare institutions facing increasing demands for diagnostic accuracy alongside staffing challenges. During the inauguration ceremony, several key stakeholders shared their perspectives on this important advancement.

Rocio Rivera, Chemist and Operational Director of the Angeles Pedregal Laboratory, emphasized the strategic importance of this technology acquisition: “As one of Mexico’s premier private hospitals, Angeles Pedregal is committed to innovation and excellence in patient care. Implementing Copan’s WASPLab® reinforces our dedication to adopting cutting-edge technology that enhances traceability, diagnostic accuracy and operational efficiency.” Rivera’s comments highlight how the hospital views automation not just as a technological upgrade but as a core component of its commitment to quality healthcare delivery.

The automation system directly addresses critical staffing challenges that have become increasingly prevalent in healthcare laboratories across the region. Dr. Rafael Ochoa, PhD in Economic Sciences and Corporate Director of Diagnostic Services at Angeles Health System, elaborated on this point with practical insights from an operational perspective: “We face challenges due to a shortage of qualified personnel, so it’s crucial to make the most of the skilled professionals we have. The best approach is to automate processes, and with WASPLab®, we can retain top talent, allowing them to focus on higher-value tasks while leveraging automation to ensure efficiency and consistency.”

This assessment aligns perfectly with the system’s ability to standardize laboratory practices and streamline workflows. WASPLab®’s intuitive interface centralizes the entire laboratory process, connecting specimen processing, incubation, imaging, analysis, and result output in a seamless workflow. This integration eliminates manual practices that often lead to bottlenecks in traditional laboratory settings.

Dr. Ochoa further noted that this optimization may ultimately translate to improved patient outcomes, with the potential for faster and more accurate diagnostic results available to physicians, enabling more timely and appropriate treatment decisions.

Revolutionary Digital Microbiology Capabilities

The WASPLab® system installed at Hospital Angeles Pedregal brings cutting-edge digital microbiology capabilities to the region. The system captures ultra-high-resolution plate images using industry-leading optics, presenting all aspects of the culture digitally alongside media type, specimen source, patient information, and specimen workup data.

What does this mean? 

• Faster and more precise microbiological diagnostics _1-6
• Revolutionary optimization in laboratory specimen processing _{2-4, 7-8}
• Dramatically reduced error margins through standardization _1,2,9

Hospital Angeles Health System continues demonstrating its unwavering commitment to innovation and medical excellence with this installation. 

Setting New Standards for Regional Healthcare

The significance of this installation extends beyond Hospital Angeles Pedregal, potentially influencing laboratory medicine practices throughout Latin America. Fabrizio Mazzocchi, CEO of Copan Diagnostics, emphasized the broader impact of this achievement during his address at the ceremony: “Copan is dedicated to supporting microbiology laboratories worldwide through innovative automation. The first WASPLab® installation in Latin America reflects our commitment to laboratory excellence.”

Mazzocchi highlighted the collaborative effort behind this milestone, particularly acknowledging key leadership: “Special thanks to Copan’s Latin America Business and Marketing Manager, Zuly Gómez, for her leadership in making this project a reality.” These remarks underscore how the collaboration between Hospital Angeles Pedregal, Copan, and BioMérieux demonstrates a shared commitment to advancing laboratory medicine throughout Latin America.

This comprehensive approach to laboratory automation establishes a new benchmark for clinical diagnostics in the region. The modular and customizable nature of WASPLab® makes it valuable for Latin American healthcare facilities, which often face space constraints and varying workflow needs. The system’s ability to be tailored to specific laboratory requirements—including protocols, LIS integrations, throughput, and specimen types—makes advanced automation able to be implemented in a diversity of laboratory workflows.

Conclusion

The installation of Latin America’s first Copan WASPLab® at Hospital Angeles Pedregal represents more than just new equipment—it signals a transformation in how diagnostic laboratories can operate in the region. By embracing complete digital microbiology automation to address staffing challenges and enhance laboratory workflow, Hospital Angeles Pedregal reinforces its position as a healthcare leader committed to innovation and excellence in patient care.

The system’s ability to enable “Walk-Away” specimen processing, standardize best practices, and provide exceptional imaging quality creates a new paradigm for microbiological diagnostics. As technologists at Hospital Angeles Pedregal begin using the system, they will demonstrate the practical benefits of this technology to healthcare professionals throughout Latin America.

As this pioneering automation begins its operational life in Mexico City, it may well mark the beginning of a new era in clinical laboratory services across the region, inspiring similar technological adoptions and improving diagnostic capabilities for countless patients throughout Latin America.

References & Citations

1. Faron ML, et al. J Clin Microbiol. 2016;54(10):2464-2469. Automatic Digital Analysis of Chromogenic Media for VRE Using WASPLab

2. Cherkaoui A, et al. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2019;25:1430.e5-1430.e12. WASPLab Automation Reduces Incubation Times

3. Bota M, et al. ECCMID. 2024. Enhancing Laboratory Organization: First WASPLab in Romania

4. Bryant K, et al. SWACM Poster. 2024. Reduced Culture Incubation Times Using WASPLab

5. Lee TF, et al. ECCMID Poster #AO-0026. 2024. Impact of Comprehensive Laboratory Automation on TAT in Taiwan

6. Gaskin M, et al. ECCMID Poster. 2024. Validation of Colorex™ CHROMagar for Streptococcus pyogenes

7. Culbreath K, et al. J Clin Microbiol. 2021;59. Benefits of Full Laboratory Automation: A Tale of Four Labs

8. Antonios K, et al. Clin Chem. 2022;68(1):99-114. Current State of Laboratory Automation in Clinical Microbiology

9. Faron ML, et al. J Clin Microbiol. 2020;58. Evaluation of WASPLab Segregation Software for Urine Cultures