An operation review before an instrument search will help determine compatibility with the laboratory. The operation review should include an assessment of the following:
- Test ordering
- Specimen collection and transport
- Specimen preparation
- Test reporting
Test ordering patterns are an essential consideration in instrument selection. For example, one should ask if most tests are ordered routinely, as soon as possible (ASAP), or STAT. If a lot of STAT tests are requested along with routine testing, can the STAT tests be put on the instrument without waiting for the routine run to finish?
An operation review should also ask where and how specimens are collected and transported. Are they all collected in-house? If transported from another location, are there weather factors (cold or heat) to consider that might affect the testing? Is there a history of short or hemolyzed samples being collected?
Specimen preparation can be a factor. Questions to consider include:
- What type of specimens are needed? Are they serum, plasma, or whole blood? Can urine and other body fluids be run on the instrument?
- What type of procedures are required for specimen preparation?
- How long does it take to prepare the specimen once delivered to the laboratory?
- Who are the primary patients? If pediatric, will the instrument run small samples?
- What is the average time between collection and testing? Does the instrument require tests to be run within a specific period?
- Is bar coding critical for preventing specimen preparation errors?
- Is there proper storage for specimens once they are processed before being sent to the instrument?
- Is there space to process the potential increase in specimens collected by adding the instrument?
- How safely can the specimens be prepared for testing?
