Total Laboratory Automation Key Topic at MEDLAB Asia Pacific 2016

Singapore: Laboratories are under immense pressure to improve turnaround times, reduce human error rates, and improve efficiency while reducing costs. Those are the drivers for today’s automation of most of the clinical laboratories. Laboratory automation stands for the use of technology to minimalize or even eliminate manual handling of equipment and processes. In today’s fast moving healthcare industry, automation becomes crucial in laboratories for handling high volumes of samples at a rapid pace.

Total lab automation (TLA) provides automation from beginning to the end of the laboratory process. TLA automates the laboratory process from sample receipt, to testing, through to storage. Modern systems have extremely long tracks quite often stretching the length of corridors. Drivers such as a shortage of skilled lab personnel in developed countries might bring TLA to the next level and automate the laboratory to an extent where it can keep up with the growing demands.

“TLA automates the entire laboratory cycle from sample reception, analysis, result transmission, and remnant sample storage. Laboratories all over the world are positive towards this new technology reducing error-prone and labour intensive steps. The medical industry is embracing TLA and the question of adopting this method is not ‘if’ it will happen but rather ‘when’,” explains Prof. Dr. Aw Tar Choon, Conference Chair, Professor and Chemical Pathologist, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Changi Hospital

Laboratory Management is one of the conferences hosted at the 3rd MEDLAB Asia Pacific Exhibition and Conferences, taking place from 22-24 March 2016 at The Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Singapore. The conference programme will feature in total nine CME-accredited conference tracks, accredited by the Singapore Medical Council.

Generally, laboratory automation system consist of automated lab instruments, devices, and software algorithms focusing on benefits such as increased productivity, reduced cycle time, improved workflow coverage and enhanced data quality.

“As a global leader in laboratory automation, Siemens has the solutions to help you drive better outcomes by turning complexity into efficiency. At MEDLAB Asia Pacific we will showcase how we can help to achieve total laboratory automation,” says Lim Ai Tin, Marketing Lead, Laboratory Diagnostics, Asia Pacific at Siemens.