Affiliation:
1. MD (Pathology) PDCC (Oncopath).
2. Bsc Biochemistry, PGDMLT, MBA, ISI Green Belt Six Sigma.
3. MD (Pathology).
Abstract
Context: Handling of biological samples in a laboratory is labour intensive complex process and
automation has become a necessity for optimizing health care costs, reduce medical errors and to aid in
safety of healthcare workers. Biological Sample handling in the sample reception area involves sample tube de-capping for
ready processing, sorting section-wise, scanning the sample to track its progress, distribution to various analysers and archival
for storage. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the positive effects of an automatic pr Objective: e analytical automation
in our clinical laboratory workow. We recently installed Beckman Automate 2550 analyser for our wor Design: kow pre & post
analytical automation.This preanalytical unit processes blood specimens through automated specimen sorting,
centrifugation, de-capping, labelling, aliquoting, and placement of the processed specimen in the analytical rack. We
analysed the system by processing samples to test the salient features of this system. Turnaround time with increase in volume
of tests with no additional manpower was analysed pre & post automation. The turnaround ti Results: me (TAT) of various
laboratory processes demonstrated a signicant improvement. The number of errors experienced in tube sorting with manual
processing, sorting mislabelled tubes, unlabelled tubes, specimen lost, wrong destination entered for tubes and tube
mismatch was decreased post-implementation of the system. Also, increased workload was handled by the sorter efciently.
Conclusions: Reduction time in pre analytical processing and sorting of samples led to signicant improvements in TAT and
specimen processing after automation. The manual errors & manhours associated with sorting, labelling, aliquoting the blood
samples also reduced. These results conclude that automated sample sorting improves specimen accessioning and
processing workow.