Automation relieves lab techs

Laboratory administrative director Susan Dawson has been working in the field of medical laboratories for more than 40 years, during which time she has been confronted with many changes. Based on her experience she had long wanted to implement automation, and to shift roles and responsibilities to achieve better turnaround times, limit errors, and reduce the burden on technical staff. She was successful when the hospital began to implement a new laboratory automation system that helps to maximize productivity through expanded capacity and enhanced automated lab management.

The tasks of a laboratory technician include the analysis of body fluids, cells, tissue samples, or pathogens. They provide information that is vital for clinical decision-making. 

According to a survey of medical specialists in Germany and the USA, 70 percent of clinical decisions are based on laboratory test results.[1] Therefore, it is important to involve qualified laboratory specialists in the clinical care process. They have the necessary knowledge to gather the results of the laboratory tests, which are then interpreted by the physician. 

In practice, however, it appears that quality can be compromised due to insufficient staffing. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), for the period from 2021 to 2031, there is a seven percent vacancy rate in this occupational field in the USA, depending on the region.[2] This figure does not sound particularly dramatic, but it has a major impact on work processes and possibly also on patients. 

The excessive workload of the remaining staff can, in turn, lead to stress, with the risk of an unacceptably high error rate. “The tech shortage has been around for a while. Long before COVID-19, we looked at our daily tasks to determine what required technical help versus what required nontechnical help,” Dawson says.

For this purpose, nontechnical staff were hired so that the laboratory technicians would ultimately have the time they need for their actual laboratory work. Such nontechnical team members could be, e.g., college graduates waiting to get into medical school or phlebotomists. Dawson sees the opportunities for synergy and says, “Our phlebotomists deal with patients firsthand when they go to collect specimens from them, and then they see the back end in the laboratory as well.”

The installation of a new sample transport technology made the laboratory’s workflow smoother. The new system enables faster turnaround times for specific assays, reliable identification of quality control issues, and streamlined maintenance that eliminates long delay times. Software now enables intelligent sequencing, whereby each individual sample is recorded as routine, emergency, or volume-critical, and is dealt with accordingly. 

For example, emergency samples are automatically brought forward by a STAT function which means they have priority over routine samples so patients get their results faster. 

Dawson also appreciates the so-called “parking area.” This is where the samples are positioned, waiting for the release and validation of their results. All these automated process steps save time and reduce the workload of the laboratory team.

The investment in modern automation and nontechnical personnel has already paid off for the laboratory, which processes between 1,200 and 1,300 tubes per day. Whether during the busy and fully utilized core hours or during the night shift, the same middleware (software) is always used. This allows technicians to quickly move from one lab to another and feel confident that nothing is being missed. 

With automation, Dawson succeeded in reducing manual touchpoints, running workflows more smoothly, and letting the transport technology carry the tubes. “Even though volumes have increased, stress has decreased,” says Dawson. 

“Lab management is no longer afraid that bad results will slip through. I think you have better morale in the end. The best way to help a team embrace change is to be realistic about mistakes and not expect perfection.” Staff can focus on the main goal of efficiently achieving high-quality results for the benefit of the patients. Because the lab’s mantra is: “Every tube impacts a patient.”