Combining Lean with Lab Automation to Get Impressive Results

By Joseph Burns | From the Volume XXII No. 10 – July 13, 2015 Issue

CEO SUMMARY: By combining total lab automation with Lean techniques in a comprehensive makeover of its microbiology lab, one of the largest labs providing hospital acute care and community microbiology services in North America achieved major benefits. Benefits ranged from impro…

Read More

---

Standard Bar Code Labels Can Reduce Lab Errors

By Joseph Burns | From the Volume XX No. 6 – May 6, 2013 Issue

CEO SUMMARY: Standardization of bar code labels is a concept whose time has come. After implementing CLSI standard AUTO12-A, first-mover clinical labs report fewer specimen identification errors, a reduction of costs associated with specimen handling errors, and a boost in lab productivit…

Read More

---

Cerner Acquires Lab Automation Company

By R. Lewis Dark | From the Volume XX No. 4 – March 25, 2013 Issue

BY NOW, MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD THE NEWS that Cerner Corporation has acquired Labotix, Inc., the laboratory automation company based in Peterborough, Ontario. That transaction was announced last Monday, March 18. I consider this deal notable because it is an example …

Read More

---

Pursuing More Benefits From Next Generation Lab Automation

By Robert Michel | From the Volume XVIII No. 1 – January 18, 2011 Issue

CEO Summary: Once it was decided to replace an aging, five-year-old laboratory automation system at the laboratory of Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, Illinois, the administration at the hospital issued a challenge. It asked the laboratory team to deliver an immediate 10% cos…

Read More

---

Preparing for New Lab Role In Personalized Medicine

By Robert Michel | From the Volume XVII No. 4 – March 8, 2010 Issue

CEO SUMMARY: Laboratory medicine is about to find itself between the two jaws of a powerful vise. One jaw is pending major legislative overhaul of the entire healthcare system, along with dwindling reimbursement as Medicare and Medicaid runs out of money. The other jaw is personalized med…

Read More

---

Phlebotomy Automation Likely To Be Next Trend

By Robert Michel | From the Volume XV No. 13 – September 29, 2008 Issue

CEO SUMMARY: Here’s a prediction that automation of work processes for phlebotomy, specimen collection, and specimen transport may be the next trend. Unfolding developments in the United States are creating a situation parallel to what was seen in Japanese hospital laboratories more tha…

Read More

---

Pathologist-Entrepreneurs Offer New Lab Automation

By Robert Michel | From the Volume XIII No. 11 – August 14, 2006 Issue

CEO SUMMARY: Since October 2003, the core laboratory of Detroit Medical Center University Laboratories has operated with a home-grown total laboratory automation (TLA) system. The 100-foot automated line currently connects to 11 instruments and the hardware cost only $200,000 to build and…

Read More

---

Middleware Provides Opportunity For Labs to Gain New Functions

By Robert Michel | From the Volume XII No. 17 – December 5, 2005 Issue

“Even as more laboratories begin to use middleware, the number of functions and uses for middleware continues to increase —Gregory R Vail, CEO, Data Innovations, Inc. CEO SUMMARY: Middleware is attracting attention throughout the laboratory ind…

Read More

---

LabCorp Buys MDS Labs In New York and Georgia

By Robert Michel | From the Volume XI No. 5 – April 5, 2004 Issue

CEO SUMMARY: It’s the final chapter of the “Canadian Invasion” of the U.S. laboratory testing market. In the mid-1990s, both MDS and Dynacare built a sizeable presence in the United States as they both worked to develop joint ventures with hospital laboratories. Dynacare was acquire…

Read More

---

When Laboratory Vendors Go Bankrupt

By Robert Michel | From the Volume XI No. 2 – February 2, 2004 Issue

BANKRUPTCY AMONG VENDORS AND SUPPLIERS in the laboratory industry is an uncommon event. Since it is so rare, that is one less issue about which laboratory directors and pathologists must worry. However, occasionally there are reminders that it is good management practice to track the financial stab…

Read More

---