Whether it’s front-end automation, middleware-information systems, automated chemistry-analyzers, or mass spectrometers, instrumentation snafus can crop up once a system goes live. On July 31, four experts will convene at the 70th AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo in Chicago to discuss the “hiccups” that can occur during the instrument go-live phase, offering strategies for successful implementation of these systems.

Scientific session (33218) Navigating Through Go-Live “Hiccups” with Instrumentation, Automation, and Informatics: An Application Showcase will take place from 2:30 to 5 p.m. and is worth 2.5 CE hours.

Presenters Joshua Hayden, PhD, DABCC and Zhen Zhao, MD, PhD of Weill Cornell Medicine; Stephen Master, MD, PhD of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; and Qing Meng, PhD of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have all validated different types of chemistry instruments and encountered various challenges during go-live phases. They know that unexpected issues can arise during the first few hours and days after the go-live phase.

These issues can be difficult to identify during the validation phase, which takes place under less stressful testing conditions (lower test volume, no urgent reporting, no sample integrity issues, etc). Sometimes, it’s not until instruments are live in high throughput and fast-paced clinical analysis and reporting conditions that problems surface, the presenters told CLN Stat.

The Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute has issued detailed guidelines on instrument evaluation. What’s lacking is published guidance on instrument implementation, particularly for the instrument go-live phase.

“During our discussion to resolve our own go-live problems, we felt that it would be very helpful to share our own hands-on instrument go-live experiences, address potential problems that might not be detected during the validation phase, and provide recommendations and solutions to minimize the occurrence and/or consequences for a variety of instrument, informatics, and automation systems,” the presenters explained.

Meng in his presentation plans to discuss the process, solutions, and benefits of implementing a front-end automation system to maximize laboratory efficiency. Hayden’s talk will focus on the essential validation and training elements to consider prior to implementing a new middleware system. Master will address the impact of instrument feed water systems on laboratory test performance, and Zhao will discuss the limitations of standard method verification procedures.

After this session, participants will be able to:

  • Describe both the common and less common sources of problems encountered during the go-live phase;
  • Discuss strategies and solutions to minimize and/or prevent potential go-live problems; and
  • Explain the process and methods for rapid intervention when hiccups occur with go-live events.

Register now for the 70th AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo in Chicago to attend this scientific session on July 31.