Clinical laboratory automation: a case study
<em>Background</em>. This paper presents a case study of an automated clinical laboratory in a large urban academic teaching hospital in the North of Italy, the Spedali Civili in Brescia, where four laboratories were merged in a unique laboratory through the introduction of laboratory au...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2017-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Public Health Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.jphres.org/index.php/jphres/article/view/881 |
| _version_ | 1828081556960313344 |
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| author | Claudia Archetti Alessandro Montanelli Dario Finazzi Luigi Caimi Emirena Garrafa |
| author_facet | Claudia Archetti Alessandro Montanelli Dario Finazzi Luigi Caimi Emirena Garrafa |
| author_sort | Claudia Archetti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <em>Background</em>. This paper presents a case study of an automated clinical laboratory in a large urban academic teaching hospital in the North of Italy, the Spedali Civili in Brescia, where four laboratories were merged in a unique laboratory through the introduction of laboratory automation. <br /><em>Materials and Methods</em>. The analysis compares the preautomation situation and the new setting from a cost perspective, by considering direct and indirect costs. It also presents an analysis of the turnaround time (TAT). The study considers equipment, staff and indirect costs. <br /><em>Results</em>. The introduction of automation led to a slight increase in equipment costs which is highly compensated by a remarkable decrease in staff costs. Consequently, total costs decreased by 12.55%. The analysis of the TAT shows an improvement of nonemergency exams while emergency exams are still validated within the maximum time imposed by the hospital. <br /><em>Conclusions</em>. The strategy adopted by the management, which was based on re-using the available equipment and staff when merging the pre-existing laboratories, has reached its goal: introducing automation while minimizing the costs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:37:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7b6dba6e3dc3465d96cbf358b2745bba |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2279-9028 2279-9036 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:37:47Z |
| publishDate | 2017-06-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Public Health Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-7b6dba6e3dc3465d96cbf358b2745bba2023-01-02T04:53:32ZengSAGE PublishingJournal of Public Health Research2279-90282279-90362017-06-016110.4081/jphr.2017.881166Clinical laboratory automation: a case studyClaudia Archetti0Alessandro Montanelli1Dario Finazzi2Luigi Caimi3Emirena Garrafa4Department of Economics and Management, University of BresciaUnique Laboratory, ASST Spedali Civili, BresciaDepartment of Economics and Management, University of BresciaUnique Laboratory, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia; Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of BresciaUnique Laboratory, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia; Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia<em>Background</em>. This paper presents a case study of an automated clinical laboratory in a large urban academic teaching hospital in the North of Italy, the Spedali Civili in Brescia, where four laboratories were merged in a unique laboratory through the introduction of laboratory automation. <br /><em>Materials and Methods</em>. The analysis compares the preautomation situation and the new setting from a cost perspective, by considering direct and indirect costs. It also presents an analysis of the turnaround time (TAT). The study considers equipment, staff and indirect costs. <br /><em>Results</em>. The introduction of automation led to a slight increase in equipment costs which is highly compensated by a remarkable decrease in staff costs. Consequently, total costs decreased by 12.55%. The analysis of the TAT shows an improvement of nonemergency exams while emergency exams are still validated within the maximum time imposed by the hospital. <br /><em>Conclusions</em>. The strategy adopted by the management, which was based on re-using the available equipment and staff when merging the pre-existing laboratories, has reached its goal: introducing automation while minimizing the costs.http://www.jphres.org/index.php/jphres/article/view/881laboratory automationdirect and indirect costscost analysisstaffequipmentTAT. |
| spellingShingle | Claudia Archetti Alessandro Montanelli Dario Finazzi Luigi Caimi Emirena Garrafa Clinical laboratory automation: a case study Journal of Public Health Research laboratory automation direct and indirect costs cost analysis staff equipment TAT. |
| title | Clinical laboratory automation: a case study |
| title_full | Clinical laboratory automation: a case study |
| title_fullStr | Clinical laboratory automation: a case study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Clinical laboratory automation: a case study |
| title_short | Clinical laboratory automation: a case study |
| title_sort | clinical laboratory automation a case study |
| topic | laboratory automation direct and indirect costs cost analysis staff equipment TAT. |
| url | http://www.jphres.org/index.php/jphres/article/view/881 |
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