How Laboratory Automation is revolutionizing the Healthcare industry

Janifha Evangeline

Massive amounts of healthcare data are produced every minute, and important information is pulled from it. A third of all global data volume is being produced by the healthcare sector. Also, until 2025, the growth of healthcare data is projected to average more than 30% annually. Due to the enormous number of data required to process essential healthcare data, lab automation is becoming more and more necessary. Millions of swab tests in both private and public labs as a result of the coronavirus's quick spread throughout the world have also boosted the amount of patient data. Companies have changed their attention to automation and are using robotic lab equipment for testing and result processing to stop the COVID-19 epidemic.

Today's busy laboratories are under growing pressure to increase throughput, efficiency, and quality, and they frequently have to use all of their available resources and personnel. For labs of all types, sizes, and specialties, managing complicated tests, numerous procedures, and labor-intensive sample preparation create substantial obstacles.

To replace manual, repetitive activities, boost throughput, and enhance quality, many labs use laboratory automation. Lab automation technology and laboratory automation products can be a game-changer for these labs, whether it's a single piece of hardware, like a pipette machine or an automatic aliquoting machine, or an entire process automation. Some of the key advantages of lab automation that have led to revolutionizing the healthcare industry include Reproducibility (quality), data correctness, efficiency, and others.

Reproducibility

For laboratories, reproducibility has always been of utmost importance. A 2011 Nature poll that discovered 70% of scientists had attempted and failed to duplicate another scientist's findings brought to light the pervasive problem of reproducibility.

Automation has the potential to decrease contamination and handler-induced variability, improving the quality of outputs. For instance, in a research setting, laboratory automation can allow for faster experimental data collection, a larger volume of results, and the use of a wider variety of controls, improving the possibility that results will be repeatable.

To increase laboratory productivity, Siemens Healthineers specializes in Aptio automation, intelligent technology, and provides cutting-edge robotics solutions. By fusing intelligent technology with workflow, Aptio Automation enables to enhance productivity, improve usage of lab resources, accelerate processing, and achieve consistent Turnaround Time (TAT). Siemens Healthineers has 18,000 patents worldwide and more than 170 years of experience, according to the business website.

Data Accuracy

One of the characteristics of laboratories that can be enhanced with lab automation is data accuracy. Machine learning algorithms can be used into automated tools and processes to increase the accuracy of data evaluation over human-based interpretation. They achieve this by staying away from idealized training subsets and learning from a bigger collection of actual samples.

For instance, automated echocardiography analysis may accurately classify a variety of diseases, and automated slide imaging and Gram stain interpretation can replace manual categorization of common bloodstream bacteria.

A variety of reagents and consumables, scientific equipment, and software services are provided by Thermo Fisher Scientific. The TCAutomation Laboratory Automation System is made to manage growing workloads and enhance quality in clinical laboratories.

Efficiency

Automated equipment and glp in automated laboratory can increase the productivity of labs by reaching a higher output rate than manual alternatives in labs of all shapes and sizes. The time saved from repeated tasks can therefore be used for study, planning, or the execution of other protocols. Clinical lab automation, according to studies, is linked to a faster turnaround. As a result, lab automation frees up technicians' time so they may focus on more complex activities for which they have spent years training, such reading and interpreting test plates.

By better levels of dispensing precision, lab automation can also boost efficiency by lowering the quantities of chemicals. Automation of the laboratory workflow may also make it possible to keep the lab open later. For instance, automatic plating systems in the microbiology lab can process specimens and inoculate plates around-the-clock.

Abbott created GLP systems, a laboratory automation solution that offers cutting-edge technology with more flexibility, lessens the discomfort of change that results from integrating a new automation system in an operational process, and focuses on crucial laboratory operations.

Data integration and lab automation

Today, a LIMS is commonly used in labs to manage data pertaining to experiments, equipment, samples, and lab operations. Using machine learning and artificial intelligence, lab automation systems may be able to optimize workflow by integrating LIMS data with automated equipment and procedures.

For instance, in the microbiology lab, image analysis software can be trained to screen for bacterial cultures in water samples using machine learning and digital imaging. Practically speaking, adding lab automation utilizing LIMS data can boost productivity by allowing technologists to spend more time analyzing results and less time physically counting colonies.

For a variety of end markets, PerkinElmer provides analytical tools, medical imaging components, tools for genetic testing and diagnostics, instruments, software, and consumables. The company's G3 integrated workstations provide integrated laboratory automation and ease liquid handling, microplate handling, and detection.

The company completed the acquisition of Oxford Immunotec Global PLC in March 2021. The business made the decision to buy Immunodiagnostic Systems Holdings PLC for $155 million and Nexcelom Bioscience for $260 million in May 2021. PerkinElmer made the acquisition of viral vector-based technology expert SIRION Biotech known in June of the same year.

The market for laboratory automation has grown significantly over the past few decades, offering a wider variety of automated operations and modular solutions. Although cost savings may have been the initial motivator, it is becoming more and more obvious that there are options to speed up turnaround times while also improving repeatability, quality, and safety. As a result, automation is becoming more and more necessary in labs of all sizes and kinds.