RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Automation and Molecular Diagnostics: a New Era in Clinical Microbiology JF American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science JO Clin Lab Sci FD American Society of Chemistry and Laboratory Science SP 156 OP 165 DO 10.29074/ascls.2019001883 VO 32 IS 4 A1 Jason V. Evans YR 2019 UL http://hwmaint.clsjournal.ascls.org/content/32/4/156.abstract AB The environment of the clinical microbiology laboratory is rapidly changing. Testing methods, based on organism growth with an array of liquid and solid media, are being replaced by newer methods. These new methods enhance the rate of organism identification and increase the sensitivity and specificity by which identification occurs. Most of these new techniques are based on nucleic hybridization and polymerase-chain–reaction technology. The techniques can range from identification of single organisms or organism families to multiplexed-syndromic panels, which can concurrently examine for the presence of numerous suspect organisms based on the symptoms exhibited by the patient. In addition, the clinical microbiology laboratory now has access to a level of automation thus far only seen in the chemistry and hematology sections of the clinical laboratory. These transitions have been repeatedly shown to enhance the level of patient care when properly implemented into the laboratory workflow. Conversely, with the rapid encroachment of these new technologies comes potential downfalls, which include cost and challenges with training laboratory staff. Collectively, the clinical microbiology laboratory is coming into a new era of technology and patient care that will bring about dramatic changes to conventional testing and organism identification.