title: Automation and work-simplification in the urinalysis laboratory. A pilgrim's progress.
abstract: The evolution of the modern clinical laboratory has produced a gap between medical/scientific competence on the one hand and management skills on the other. Physician-managers need both sets of competencies. Concepts of operations management and cost accounting shape criteria for strategic decisions in technology improvement programs. Automation and work-simplification are key strategies for improving cost performance in clinical laboratories.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Patterson
mesh_terms: D000066:Accounting / Q000379:methods; D001331:Automation; D002170:Canada; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007755:Laboratories, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014556:Urine / Q000032:analysis*; D014941:Work Simplification