Automation in the transfusion service.

Several instruments are now available for full automation of serologic testing in the transfusion service. Selection of an instrument is based on the facility's needs for testing and its resources. Installation, validation, interfacing, and operations require new skill sets for most transfusion service personnel. The newer instruments are suitable for use in smaller transfusion services, where procedures may not have changed recently and installing new equipment is a rarity. It is difficult to compare turnaround times and the cost of operating the instrument because the number of specimens and specific tests per run and test optimization features of the instrument's software all can vary. Automated instruments have proved to be suitable for testing most, but not all, specimens submitted for testing. While automation reduces overall turnaround time, the quickest way to determine a patient's blood type remains the manual tube test. Autoverification of results and placing these instruments in an automation line in a core laboratory may lie in the future.