title: Developing an automation concept that is right for your laboratory.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Trends in laboratory automation and critical project principles and design concepts are presented.
  
  
  METHODS
  MDS AutoLab technology development and automation projects were reviewed. Successful methods and approaches were extracted.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Continued pressure on the laboratory to reduce costs and increase productivity has catalyzed dramatic development in laboratory automation. Today, laboratories can choose from a wide range of options. The most effective choices are not always the most obvious and will not be the same for all laboratories. Laboratory automation projects are highly complex and must be planned and managed across clinical, technical, operational, financial, and human dimensions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Success requires excellent communications, an understanding of the risks and barriers, and a dedicated team supported by strong champions throughout the organization. The automation project team will need to use a variety of skills and techniques to evaluate and reengineer processes to identify the highest value targets for automation.
authors.affiliation: MDS Diagnostic Sector, Toronto, Ontario M9W 6J6, Canada. smiddleton@mdsintl.com
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Middleton
mesh_terms: D001331:Automation / Q000379:methods*; D007753:Laboratories / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends; D012107:Research Design