Clin Chem Lab Med. 2025 Dec 10. doi: 10.1515/cclm-2025-1336. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of introducing an autonomous courier in a clinical laboratory, focusing on specimen turnaround time (TAT). We assessed whether high-frequency robotic transport from the central accessioning area to analytical sections could reduce delays and variability compared with manual delivery.
METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed routine lithium-heparin glucose specimens processed during the initial days of robot deployment (13-23 May 2025, weekdays, 08:00-16:00) and compared them with the same period in 2024 under manual transport. TAT was defined as the interval from check-in at accessioning to technical validation in the Laboratory Information System (LIS). Data were assessed globally and stratified by time of day, examining changes in central tendency, dispersion, and extreme delays.
RESULTS: In total, 6,299 samples in 2024 and 5,759 in 2025 were analyzed, showing a leftward shift of the distribution with fewer delay. In 2025, the mean TAT decreased from 122.64 to 106.72 min, the median from 112 to 101 min, and dispersion tightened. Stratification by time of day also demonstrated consistent improvements.
CONCLUSIONS: Even in its earliest days of operation, the delivery robot reduced TAT and variability, converting specimen transport from batch runs into near-continuous flow. These findings highlight ease of adoption and the potential of robotic transport to improve speed, predictability, and safety in intralaboratory logistics. Further validation across longer periods and additional laboratory sections is warranted.
PMID:41364097 | DOI:10.1515/cclm-2025-1336