The selection and acquisition of laboratory equipment are among the most critical decisions made in the clinical laboratory. Inappropriate equipment can decrease the facilities' efficiency, affect patient care, affect quality of test results, and cause thousands of wasted dollars.
The initial step is that of determining the clinical laboratory's testing needs based on mission, goals, and strategic plan of the facility. The laboratory manager, medical providers, and facilities chief executive officer need to ask the following questions:
- What are the organization's plans for the future?
- Is the organization planning on expanding or cutting back services?
- Are there plans to change the way in which services are to be delivered?
- What are the on-site testing needs of the medical providers?
Answers to these questions should be the first step in any consideration of purchasing new equipment.
Perhaps the most important question is determining the on-site testing needs of the medical providers. Which tests are essential for the providers? Which would be helpful but maybe not essential and which are not needed? Secondarily will the bringing of additional testing in-house be profitable and or help pay for other ancillary services in the facility?
