Guidelines for implementing automation in a hospital laboratory setting--part I.

Automation in the clinical laboratory does not have a long history, but its importance in the short-term evolution of testing cannot be overstated. To date, automation has primarily been limited to large hospital laboratories, although small- and medium-sized facilities are beginning to weigh the advantages of automated systems to help them solve problems caused by employee shortages and rising costs. In this first of a four-part series, we'll detail the history of automation and provide background on specific areas where automated systems are currently being used most prevalently.