[Histonet] Re: dako autostainers

[rgrow <@t> bmnet.com]

Jennifer,

I have an older model Dako Autostainer that still works well. Dako does
still service it, too. It had  a printer available, but we chose not to use
it.
Our volume is small, ~2400 slides yr.

The size/type stainer you choose should be based on the number of immuno's
that you do a year.
NOT on what Dako wants to push on you, equipment or antibody systems.   And
I do mean PUSH.  They tried for a year to Push their new FLEX system on us.
It becomes a closed system and much more expensive.  Do not allow them to
do it to you.
 I was on the verge of going to a competitor. If you push back, they will
back off.

I still use Dako for all my IHC, but, again, I may start looking closer at
the competition because the corporation is not giving the small lab the
breaks that we need to keep up with the big hospitals.
It's sad that the Dako leadership is not paying attention to their
customers.
Dako, Are you listening?
I'm not sure how much this helps you, but I feel better by letting someone
know that they are/were a good company, but is under bad leadership at the
moment.

Renee Grow, BA., HT (ASCP)
rgrow <@t> bmnet.com
Histology Supervisor
Blount Memorial Hospital
907 E. Lamar Alexander Pkwy.
Maryville, TN  37804-5016
(865) 977-4744
(865) 977-5766 Fax
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Message: 5
Date: Thu, 19 Mar 2009 08:45:23 -0700
From: "Jennifer Campbell" <jcampbell <@t> vdxpathology.com>
Subject: [Histonet] dako autostainers
To: <histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
Message-ID:

<5658CBDB9EAE6545ABE50D2563D81BF81DF4FA <@t> VDXSERVER01.vdxpathology.local>

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We are looking into buying the Dako Autostainer Plus.  I asked our rep
if they still have any older models around to look into.  He made it
sound like there are older models but, the stainer itself has stayed the
same, just the software has changed/improved. He said they don't even
like selling the older models anymore b/c they are worried that the
software would be out of date.  I looked into this on Dako.com and found
that there is the older Dado Autostainer.  After reading through its
description it looks like it just lacks a few of the bells and whistles
(like a slide labeler for example) that the Autostainer Plus has but,
otherwise looks like it gets the job done just the same.  Does anyone
have any feedback on either one of these machines and whether or not you
think I should even bother looking into the older model? Thank you so
much.