[Automation in the modern coagulation laboratory. Exemplified by the integration of the Microanalyser ACL 300]

We report on the organisation of our coagulation laboratory which had to meet the requirements of both, the large routine operations and those of a special laboratory for specific blood coagulation problems. A valuable support for the routine activities of our coagulation laboratory was the installation of 2 automated coagulation analysers, type ACL 300. Due to the selective (diagnosis/therapy) patient-related allotment of samples and the establishment of a final diagnosis according to a step-wise method it was possible to integrate the 2 ACL 300 analysers into our existing system and consequently to take full advantage of the savings in staff time. Moreover we report on the evaluation of the 1st ACL 300 (810) analyser and the specific characteristics of the ACL series.