Multicenter evaluation of workflow performances of the new Olympus AU3000i.
BACKGROUND
A new immunoanalyzer (AU3000i) has been developed by Olympus (Rungis, France) with the intention of offering a consolidated workcell. The aim of this experiment was to assess, in a multi-centre study (two French sites, one German site), the practicability of the Olympus AU3000i in terms of throughput (test/h), rerun capabilities, emergency sample handling and reflex test capabilities.


RESULTS
The workload study showed that the AU3000i was capable of running both one- and two-step assay protocols with a throughput of 240 tests per hour which corresponds to 209.3 tests per hour including the initialization time. Emergency samples were correctly treated as a priority in less than 30 minutes for ten samples. Furthermore the analyzer could be programmed to generate automatic dilution, rerun and reflex tests, reducing the hands-on labour time for technicians.


CONCLUSIONS
Workflow studies showed that Olympus AU3000i and AU Clinical Chemistry can cover the combined workload of various routine analyzers in a variety of laboratory environments.
Biochemistry laboratory, Lapeyronie hospital, 191 avenue du doyen Gaston Giraud, 34295 Montpellier cédex 05, France.
Anne Sophie
AS
Bargnoux
Stephanie
S
Badiou
Thomas
T
Bertsch
Christine
C
Aschenneller
Verena
V
Herzog
Anne
A
Ebel
Jean Paul
JP
Cristol
Anne Marie
AM
Dupuy
D057166:High-Throughput Screening Assays / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007755:Laboratories, Hospital