Connecting the Roche cobas Liat to your LIS with Catenix

If your clinic runs a Roche cobas Liat for rapid respiratory testing, the results usually appear on the analyser screen and then have to be typed into your patient record or laboratory system by hand. That takes time during a busy clinic, and every manual step is a chance for a transcription error or a result that never reaches the right record. Coordinators also have to keep track of which runs were controls and which were patient tests, so quality control does not get mixed into the clinical picture.

Catenix removes the retyping. It captures each result from the analyser automatically, keeps control runs separate from patient results, and forwards the finished result to the systems your site already uses. This page explains, in plain terms, what connecting a cobas Liat involves and what stays under your control.

Quick answer

Yes, a Roche cobas Liat can be connected so results flow into your LIS or EHR without manual typing. The analyser presents results over the network, and Catenix captures each one through a small on-site gateway, records it with a timestamped audit trail, keeps quality-control runs separate from patient results, and forwards patient results onward to your chosen system. Setup is a network and mapping exercise, not a change to how you run tests.

What the Roche cobas Liat measures

The cobas Liat is a rapid PCR analyser used at the point of care. It is commonly used for respiratory targets such as influenza A and B, RSV, SARS-CoV-2, and Strep A. An operator starts a test on the analyser, the instrument runs the assay, and a result is produced in the clinic room rather than being sent away to a central laboratory.

Catenix does not change how the analyser runs a test or what a result means. Our role is purely connectivity: taking the result the instrument produces and getting it to the right place reliably, with a record of what happened. Nothing on this page is clinical guidance, and Catenix makes no claim about the analyser's diagnostic performance.

How it connects

The cobas Liat supports point-of-care connectivity and can present its results over the network rather than only on the screen. Point-of-care connectivity of this kind typically uses widely adopted, published messaging standards such as HL7 version 2 or the POCT1-A2 family, carried over your local network using TCP/IP, to move test results between instruments and information systems.

Catenix sits on your site as a small on-site gateway: a lightweight piece of software on a local machine or appliance that listens for results from the analyser. Because the gateway is on your own network, results are captured locally first, then handled and forwarded by Catenix. You do not need to expose the analyser directly to the internet, and you do not need to re-key anything. If you want to understand the wider design, see our platform overview.

Results and quality control in Catenix

When a result arrives at the gateway, Catenix records it with a timestamp and the details needed for a clear audit trail, so you can see what was captured and when. Patient results are prepared for onward delivery to your laboratory information system or electronic health record in the format that system expects, which is what removes the manual transcription step.

Control runs are handled differently. Catenix recognises quality-control activity and keeps it separate from patient results, so QC data does not flow into a patient's record and your patient list is not cluttered with control runs. Coordinators keep a clean view of control performance on one side and clinical results on the other. For more on how we handle data protection and record-keeping, see our security page and trust page.

Getting connected

Connecting a cobas Liat is mainly a networking and mapping exercise. A typical site needs the analyser reachable on the local network, a place to run the on-site gateway, and agreement on where results should be delivered, for example which LIS or EHR feed and how tests and codes should map into it. Your IT contact and your POCT coordinator are usually the two people involved.

Once the gateway is in place and the result mapping is agreed, results begin to flow automatically and QC stays separate without any extra steps for the person running the clinic. If you would like to check compatibility for your specific setup or arrange a connection, get in touch. For commercial details, see pricing, and you can browse other analysers in our device library.

Questions clinics ask

Can I connect a Roche cobas Liat to my LIS or EHR?

Yes. The analyser can present results over the network, and Catenix captures each result through an on-site gateway and forwards it to your LIS or EHR in the format that system expects. So results reach the record without anyone retyping them.

Do we have to change how staff run tests on the analyser?

No. Staff run tests exactly as they do now. Catenix works in the background: it listens for the result the analyser produces, records it, and sends it onward. There is no extra button to press during a clinic.

How is quality control kept separate from patient results?

Catenix recognises control runs and keeps them separate from patient results, so QC data is not written into a patient record and your patient list stays clean. Coordinators can review control activity on its own rather than mixed in with clinical results.

What does our site need to provide to get connected?

In most cases you need the analyser reachable on your local network, somewhere to run the small on-site gateway, and agreement on where results should be delivered and how they map into your system. Your IT contact and POCT coordinator are usually enough to set this up.

Is Catenix affiliated with Roche?

No. Catenix is an independent connectivity and quality platform. We name the cobas Liat only to describe compatibility, and we are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or certified by the manufacturer.

Is there an audit trail for captured results?

Yes. Each captured result is recorded with a timestamp and the details needed to see what was received and when. You can read more about how we handle records and data protection on our /security/ and /trust/ pages.

Product and company names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective owners. Reference to them is for identification only and does not imply any affiliation with, endorsement by, or certification from those owners. This page describes connectivity and data handling only and is not clinical advice.

Reviewed July 2026. Back to integrations. Going deeper on the standard: our POCT1-A2 explainer.

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