title: Laboratory automation: total and subtotal.
abstract: Worldwide, perhaps 2000 or more clinical laboratories have implemented some form of laboratory automation, either a modular automation system, such as for front-end processing, or a total laboratory automation system. This article provides descriptions and examples of these various types of automation. It also presents an outline of how a clinical laboratory that is contemplating automation should approach its decision and the steps it should follow to ensure a successful implementation. Finally, the role of standards in automation is reviewed.
authors.affiliation: University of Utah School of Medicine, 30 N. 1900 E. Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA. hawkercd@aruplab.com
authors.forename: Charles D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Hawker
mesh_terms: D001331:Automation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D002624:Chemistry, Clinical / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019963:Clinical Chemistry Tests; D001330:Electronic Data Processing; D006801:Humans; D007755:Laboratories, Hospital; D010338:Pathology, Clinical / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*