Abstract
Modular automation has become one of the most frequently discussed technologies in the clinical laboratory field. It is appealing to small laboratories that are facing extinction due to takeovers and consolidation. Survival will only be possible for the smaller laboratory (serving hospitals with fewer than 300–400 beds) if they can purchase affordable automation that reduces significantly the labor costs in their laboratories. Affordable automation must provide a 2 to 3 year payback and perform at least to the present level of throughput capacity. Properly implemented, modular stepwise automation can be one of the most significant survival tools for today's laboratories.
Diagnostic and automation companies are currently investing in the development of new approaches to sample labeling, transportation, accessioning, separation, and analysis. Fundamental changes will soon occur in the pre-analytical aspect of the laboratory.
Through advances in simulation research, we have a deeper understanding of the nature of the pre-analytical process and methods to improve its efficiency. The ranking of priorities for pre-analytical automation remains reliability, speed, and low cost. This deeper understanding of laboratory processes is accompanied by a similarly revolutionary change in our ability to capture and present medical diagnostic information and data describing the utilization of laboratory tests. Together, these advances have the potential to transform the practice of laboratory medicine.
Pictured on the front cover is a novel pre-analytical processor under development at Labotix (Peterborough, Ontario, Canada). Modular pre-analytical processors allow hardware to be added in a step-wise manner to build to the complexity required by the needs of the laboratory. A paper submitted by Dr. Gordan Edwards from Duke University describes the criteria used by their laboratory in choosing the Labotix system. A modular approach to the pre-analytical tasks is also tinder development or already commercially available from many leading diagnostic companies. JALA advertisements feature many of these commercially available systems.
In our July issue look for exciting reviews of this year's LabAutomation conference as well as a preview of the upcoming EuroLabAutomation conference in Oxford in September.
Front cover: Rendered computer drawing of the proposed pre-analytical processor created by Labotix. The Labotix Rapid Response Universal Sample Handling (RRUSH) system can be assembled in a step-wise manner to add functionality to meet the needs of various sizes of laboratories.