Automation in diagnostic bacteriology.

Abstract

Diagnostic bacteriological laboratories in hospitals suffer the same problems as the other diagnostic services: an ever-increasing load of work not matched by an increase in the number of people available to do it. The laboratories have managed to increase their 'productivity' in terms of reports per technician partly by a greater use of technical short cuts and reliance on simpler tests, and partly, presumably, simply by working faster. Hitherto practically nothing has been done to improve the productivity of the staff by providing them with mechanical aids. The reasons for this neglect become apparent when one analyses the work done in