In spite of some exceptions, the clinical microbiology lab has been a late starter as far as automation is concerned. It has also traditionally been viewed as ‘low tech’, especially when compared to its cousins in clinical chemistry or pathology. A variety of factors, however, have been converging to reverse such a situation.
Automation hampered by process complexity
One of the most important barriers to the automation of a clinical microbiology lab is process complexity. Unlike hematology or chemistry labs, which have little diversity in specimens and generally use standard collection tubes, microbiology laboratories need to work with a vast range of specimen types in a multitude of transport containers. The complex nature of specimen processing and culturing and the ensuing lack of standardization have been major deterrents to automation.
Nevertheless, growth in the presence of automated technologies in clinical microbiology labs is now expected to accelerate as a result of several factors, above all rising demand. This requires agility and high responsiveness, making automation indispensable.
Aging populations drive demand
Aging populations with more-complex diseases and conditions require a growing number of tests - for example, to monitor implants and prosthetic devices for infections. The elderly also need greater care in medicating, since they are more prone to adverse drug events.
In the year 2000, an article by Dr. Thomas T. Yoshikawa of the King-Drew Medical Center in Los Angeles noted that though “the major focus in infectious diseases for the past decade has been on young adults”, in the future “the vast majority of serious infectious diseases will be seen in the elderly population.”
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