Laboratory Automation

Laboratories play a pivotal role in patient management and supply important data used by physicians to make important medical decisions. Automation is a tool that enables laboratories to perform this function more reliably, effectively and efficiently.

Important drivers of the growth of technology and automation include:

• Increasing costs of health care provision
• Ageing populations and age-related illnesses
• Emerging new pathogens
• The development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Automation and process improvement assist laboratories in improving efficiency, cutting costs, improving quality and reducing variability.

The MicroStreak® technology creates the opportunity to automate a range of manual tasks in the plating of specimens, allowing scientists to focus on work that requires critical analysis.

Benefits for Diagnostic Microbiology

• Faster sample processing due to high throughput capability
• Standardised techniques
• Reduced manual tasks
• Increased productivity
• Improved quality of results

Advantages for the Microbiology Industry

• Reduced laboratory operating costs
• Reduced laboratory space required for sample testing
• Improved occupational safety - operator exposure to infectious disease and repetitive strain injury is reduced
• Greater workforce satisfaction and retention - scientific staff are relieved of repetitive manual processes to focus on work that requires critical analysis
• Greater client satisfaction as a result of better service delivery