Combining mistake-proofing and Jidoka to achieve world class quality in clinical chemistry

Extensive data demonstrates that the quality impact of automation is often disappointing, and may be no better than manual operations in many cases. When automated equipment is not set up or operated properly, large quantities of non-conformances are generated, which must be considered in the overall quality performance. Consequently, achieving the best results with automated equipment requires extensive use of mistake-proofing. Furthermore, unless we understand what to automate and the best method of automation, significant resources will be wasted, with disappointing results. Jidoka (the Japanese word for Automation with a Human Touch) provides key insights into the best attributes of automation.