AUTOMATED SYSTEMS FOR HANDLING SPECIMENS FOR LABORATORY DIAGNOSTICS AND ASSOCIATING RELEVANT INFORMATION

摘要

An automated sorting system provides the ability to receive specimens for any number of diagnostic test procedures and to selectively transfer specimens to designated ones of a plurality of specimen processors based upon criteria of the laboratory facility such as the particular laboratory to perform the requisite diagnostic test, timing aspects like a lab's hours of operation or delivery schedule, type of specimen (e.g. tissue, blood, serum, and the like) or other factor that may affect specimen throughput efficiency. Automated accessioning comprises the determination of physical attributes of specimens using a specimen processor while reading data provided with a specimen as it is provided to the specimen processor (such data provided by the carrier and/or the vial by codes, ID tags, and the like), recording the determined information in a database of a control system, and comparing the determined information with information from a client diagnostic test order from a same or different database for connecting the specimen and an associated electronic record. Preferably also, the accessioning includes a labeling of the specimen after the connection with an electronic record for associating the specimen and record through the specimen diagnostic test procedure and reporting back to the client.