GEM Premier 5000
The correct name for the GEM 5000 POC blood gas machine is the GEM® Premier™ 5000, manufactured by Instrumentation Laboratory (Bedford, MA, United States).
Device Specifications and Technology
The GEM Premier 5000 is a cartridge-type blood gas analyzer designed for both point-of-care and laboratory testing, capable of measuring pH, pCO2, pO2, electrolytes (Na+, K+, Cl-, iCa2+), metabolites (glucose, lactate), and co-oximetry parameters (tHb, COHb, MetHb, O2Hb, HHb, Hct) 1, 2.
The device incorporates next-generation Intelligent Quality Management 2 (iQM2®) technology, which provides continuous quality monitoring rather than relying solely on intermittent liquid quality control checks 3.
Performance Characteristics
The GEM Premier 5000 demonstrates satisfactory analytical performance with total imprecision coefficients of variation less than 5% for all analytes, meeting acceptable clinical criteria 1, 2.
Method comparison studies show good agreement with other established blood gas analyzers including the GEM Premier 4000, Siemens RapidPoint 500, and Abbott i-STAT systems, though some parameter-specific differences exist 1, 2.
The iQM2 system achieves greater than 6 sigma precision for all analytes and detects errors in approximately 1.4% of patient samples, with an average detection time of approximately 2 minutes compared to hours or days with intermittent quality control 3.
Clinical Utility in Critical Care
Blood gas analyzers like the GEM Premier 5000 are considered more reliable than standard glucose meters for critically ill patients, as they can provide accurate measurements from arterial or venous whole blood samples 4.
The Society of Critical Care Medicine guidelines note that blood gas/blood gas analyzers managed by laboratory or ICU personnel could improve testing reliability compared to standard point-of-care glucose meters, particularly in patients with shock, on vasopressors, or with impaired microcirculation 4.
Pre-analytical Considerations
Effective sample mixing is critical for accurate results—meticulous mixing procedures upon blood draw and before analysis significantly improve accuracy of blood gas analysis results 1.
The device includes automatic detection and flagging of pre-analytical interferences, including significant interference from benzalkonium and hemolysis on electrolyte measurements, while showing no interference from lipemia or methylene blue on co-oximetry results 2.