An Indian expert outlines Automation for microbiology
View(s):In a bid to develop the field of Microbiology in Sri Lanka Professor of Neuro microbiology National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscineces in Bangalore, India Dr. R. Ravikumar was recently invited to speak to a gathering of leading local Microbioloists, and members of the Council of Microbiologist, Sri Lanka. At the discussion facilitated by Analytical Instruments (Pvt) Ltd, (AIPL), a leading local medical diagnostic products distributor, Dr. Ravikumar shared his expertise and experiences of the automation of microbiology at his institution.
Since its inception, while clinical microbiology has been dependent on a highly technical and skilled workforce to receive, process, and interpret results from a wide variety of clinical specimens with limited aid from automation, Dr. Ravikumar pointed out the various errors that can occur in clinical microbiology and its other downfalls that can seriously affect laboratory test results. ”It is through standardisation of laboratories that human errors can be eliminated and that this could be achieved through automation,” he was quoted as saying in a media release by Analytical Instruments (Pvt) Ltd, a local medical diagnostic products distributor which facilitated this discussion. “Automation increases efficiency, productivity while also reducing the potential of errors and repeat testing.”
Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) and the adoption of liquid microbiology specimen transport have allowed microbiology laboratories to simplify collection and identification systems, creating a workflow that can be also optimised with automation, according to the release. The ever-increasing specimen volumes and fewer available skilled workers have also led laboratories to increasingly seek automated solutions for microbiology, it said.
“According to Dr. Ravikumar with the increasing demand for laboratory testing as well as the expectation of overall testing volumes to increase by 15-20 per cent in the next 20 years automation is indeed the way forward for microbiology. However with its many advantages Dr. Ravikumar too presented the gathering with disadvantages of automation in order to give them a balanced view of the technology. “The investment for such a system will be significant,” he said adding that while it can reduce staff causing loss of employment automation has no one size fits all solution.