The use of automated techniques reduces the impact of human errors in blood banking and improves standardization and quality of achieved results. Work processes were analyzed to see where improvements could be made before installing an automated testing instrument. The suitability of automation and data processing in order to reduce the bulk of routine and emergency work was explored. Methods: The evaluation focused on blood group and subgroup typing, crossmatching, and antibody screening using the Ortho AutoVue Innova System compared to standard manual methods. Results: The redesigned layout of the workspace led to a reduction of the operator’s working process time of the specimen by 6%, whereas process optimizations resulted in shortening of the operator’s working process time by 53%. Using the manual DiaMed system and the automatic AutoVue system, corresponding results were achieved for blood group typing (100%), rhesus typing (100%), antibody screening (100%), and autocontrol (87%). For known antibodies from freeze samples this correspondence amounted to 82%. The turnaround time from receipt at blood bank to completion for standard cross-matching, blood typing, and antibody screening is decreased up to 17% using the automatic system due to the standardization and automation of testing. Conclusion: The Ortho AutoVue Innova System facilitates the automation of routine blood bank testing, enrolling blood typing, cross-matching, and antibody screening with high reliability, sensitivity and specificity compared to standard manual methods.

The increase of productivity and safety of diagnostic testing as well as the reduction of costs and fulfilling the strict legal recommendations and guidelines are major tasks in blood bank services. To achieve all these aims without allocating enormous capacities of personnel, the introduction of automated technologies and data processing systems may be the only alternative. In the present assessment, we describe the most widely distributed automatic systems for blood bank services. This review describes the currently available automated immunohaematological systems and illustrates the evaluation of the fully automated system -Ortho AutoVue ᮋ Innova -as compared to standard manual methods. Work processes of our blood bank were reviewed to establish where improvements could be achieved before installing the automated testing instrument. The suitability of automation and data processing in order to support the bulk of routine and emergency work was explored. The improvement of the arrangement of the workspace led to a reduction of the specimen receipt operator working process time by 6%, whereas the review of the activity of the operator's time led to a reduction of 53%. Consistent results were achieved for blood group (100%), rhesus typing (100%), antibody screening (100%) and for auto control (87%) using the manual Diamed system and the automatic AutoVue ᮋ system. A consistent result of 82% was achieved for antibody screening with frozen samples with known antibodies. The turnaround time, as calculated from the receipt at the blood bank to the completion of standard cross-match, blood typing and antibody screening, was decreased up to 17% using the automatic system due to the standardisation and automation of testing. The Ortho AutoVue ᮋ Innova system automates routine blood bank testing encompassing blood typing, cross-matching and antibody screening with high reliability, sensitivity and specificity compared to standard manual methods.