Top Clinical Lab Equipment and Supply Chain Trends to Watch Out for in 2022

Providing specific information on supply chain activity makes it easily accessible via an online reporting tool and aids firms in merging their laboratory and medical-surgical portfolios.

FREMONT, CA: After the initial lockdowns worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic is still at the top of many clinical labs' list of worries. Many clinical labs now approach equipment acquisitions and supply chain difficulties differently due to the ongoing fight against the virus and its variations, notably the highly contagious Omicron. Better trends will enable hospital laboratories to introduce some of those esoteric tests that, historically, they wouldn't have examined if there wasn't a pandemic. Laboratories experiencing a staffing shortage can get more done with the workers they do by reducing the amount of manual work. Additionally, IT solutions contribute to this essential time-saving element.

Laboratories are exploring ways to recycle molecular testing equipment

The pandemic created an overwhelming demand and need for widespread COVID-19 testing, primarily using molecular diagnostic methods like RT-PCR. Clinical laboratories have onboarded new instruments to expand their capabilities or capacity for testing. While testing efforts are still ongoing and variants like Omicron cause new demand spikes, labs are considering how they can best repurpose these new platforms once cases start to decline. It may create a chance for certain labs to provide new tests and services they may not have previously had access to or even considered.

IT and automation tools enable labs to do more with less

Clinical laboratories and hospitals have experienced various challenges, such as staff shortages, budget cuts, and supply chain disruptions. As a result, many faces the enormous challenge of managing millions of COVID-19 tests and cases with fewer resources. Although the pandemic has put extra pressure on laboratory systems, Medline is working to assist clients in navigating supply chain difficulties and establishing connections with employment firms. Automated tools and more sophisticated IT systems are other alternatives that many labs are increasingly implementing to expedite workflows, cut down on manual labor, and better manage inventories and massive amounts of patient data.

Transparency in the supply chain

It is vital for labs to be more visible regarding issues like back orders and the cold chain and to have a seat at the table in their organization's larger supply chain plans due to the disruptions and demands brought on by the pandemic. To get the information, they rely on their vendors. Medline has assisted its clients in navigating and streamlining supply chain issues. By, among other things, making detailed information on their supply chain activity easily accessible through its online reporting tool and assisting businesses in combining their laboratory and medical-surgical portfolios.