Automation in the Clinical Laboratory

Abstract

Abstract Automation in the clinical laboratory is an approach to replace repetitive manual tasks of laboratory testing using sophisticated automated devices. Total laboratory automation ( TLA ) involves an integrated system of automation that spans the whole spectrum of a specimen's journey from processing, testing, resulting, and storage with the use of advanced instrumentation combined with computer systems and informatics solutions. TLA will enhance the efficiency of a clinical laboratory by reducing the testing turn‐around‐time ( TAT ) and reduction of errors in specimen handling and labeling. The major factors for implementation of a TLA system include increasing the sample throughput capacity while facing a medical technology staff shortage. Despite the heavy financial investment involved, laboratories around the world are moving toward implementing TLA. This article focuses on the clinical laboratory processes, how these processes are controlled by automation systems, current state of automation, the role of middleware/informatics systems, and the advantages, challenges, and the outlook of TLA in a clinical laboratory.