Why Automate?
Efficiency
Studies have shown that salaries may account for up to 60% of the operating costs in a clinical laboratory. About half of the staff time is spent on non-value added work: sorting, preparing, and delivering specimens to analyzer instruments. Only a relatively small amount of time is spent on true skilled functions, such as examining results and correcting problems. Practical automation can save up to 50% of these costs by automating the routine tasks.
Increased Capacity
The health care industry is consolidating. Factors driving this are well known: larger labs have lower unit operating costs and smaller labs are unable to compete. The actual volume of tests requested is also growing due to our aging population, which puts pressure on the laboratory to perform more testing in the same area with the same staff levels. Automation helps a laboratory increase capacity but hold costs constant.
Quality Improvement
Automating routine tasks eliminates the careless mistakes often associated with mundane and repetitive activities. Laboratories equipped with LABOTIX™ Automation Inc.’s RRUSH™ systems don’t misplace specimens or mix up aliquots and there are no lost tubes. Staff morale following automation is generally higher as lab technicians spend most of their time dealing with the interesting exceptional cases.
Other Benefits of Automation
The decision to automate encourages a laboratory to examine its workflow patterns and efficiency in all areas of operation. In order to optimize the benefits provided by automation, a laboratory should have a clear understanding of which activities are cost effective and which are not. Successful introduction of laboratory automation requires careful study and understanding of how and why a laboratory undertakes specific tasks. This is done in partnership with a prospective customer and starts with a detailed study of the operation, assessing current and future requirements. Factors considered include items such as the number and types of specimen tubes received, peak load rates, laboratory operation practices, number of aliquots used and subsequent destination of these, requirements for tube preparation, LIS interfacing, etc. The end result of this analysis is that the laboratory usually adopts measures to gain efficiency in areas aside from the tasks that are being automated.
Installing an automation system right now positions a laboratory to take advantage of advancements in the technology of other equipment as well. For example, most analyzer companies have and will continue to develop instruments that can sample directly from a tube on our Transport System. This technology, in combination with LABOTIX™ Automation Inc.’s RRUSH™ recirculating track, permits one tube to be tested a number of times. This ability to share a tube efficiently reduces the necessity to aliquot, therefore improving productivity and reducing costs.
The LABOTIX™ Automation Inc. Approach
LABOTIX™ Automation Inc. designs and manufactures systems to automate the preparation, sorting, routing and storage of specimens for laboratories. The continuous flow of automated throughput increases production and quality; whereas it decreases operating costs and turn-around-time. LABOTIX™ Automation Inc. specializes in laboratory automation systems; we focus our expertise in this area alone to provide our clients with the best possible products and service.
Flexibility
The advantage of the LABOTIX™ Automation Inc. RRUSH™ approach to automation is its complete flexibility. Each system is based on our RRUSH™ (Rapid Response Universal Specimen Handling) family of modules which can be combined in a number of configurations in order to create an automation solution which will fit the needs and budget of each client precisely. Further, as a modular system, it is easily expanded or adjusted to suit changing laboratory requirements.
We strive to provide our customers with systems that will fit into their current laboratory layout with a minimum of change. LABOTIX™ Automation Inc. recognizes that most laboratories will use instrumentation supplied by a variety of vendors and in many cases laboratories must handle a variety of tube sizes. Our automation equipment can interface with virtually all analyzers and our unique specimen tube carrier is capable of handling the widest range of tube sizes.
Practicality
LABOTIX™ Automation Inc. delivers practical automation so that repetitive, tedious tasks are automated and complex tasks requiring skilled interpretation are left to trained technologists. This division of labor is made easy by the special design of the LABOTIX™ Automation Inc. Transport System that sorts and routes the tubes automatically. The Transport System uses a recirculating conveyor in a dual lane configuration. This allows the inside or express lane to act as a highway for rapid specimen transport between workcells. The outside or exit lane acts as a workcell branch capable of accepting specimens diverted by routing gates from the express lane for analysis or other applicable procedures. The exit lane prevents queuing of specimens on the express lane thereby assuring uninterrupted production and it provides a measure of redundancy if one lane is blocked.
Another facet of LABOTIX™ Automation Inc.’s insistence on practical automation is incorporated in its interface with the laboratory information system (LIS). The LIS and the LABOTIX™ Automation Inc. Automation System Controller-- the computer system which controls all the RRUSH™ modules -- have a “master-slave” relationship. The LIS gives test orders to the automation system and the Controller ensures specimens are tested. The Controller is in regular contact with the LIS, so that each tube’s location and status are known and can be reported to lab personnel at any time. The RRUSH™ system’s work list can be altered by the LIS during handling if a specimen requires reflex testing or if new tests are needed. The location of each specimen in storage is also known by the Controller so that it can be retrieved quickly should the need arise.
Why Choose LABOTIX™ Automation Inc. as Your Automation Partner?
LABOTIX™ Automation Inc. is committed to providing customers with automation systems customized to fit their particular needs. Our design professionals will undertake an in-depth analysis of your laboratory and configure a system that will improve production numbers and quality. The costs savings generated by the system will justify its purchase many times over. To get started, fill in the questionnaire enclosed with this package and fax it to us, or call for a free consultation at 800-661-5229.
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