ABSTRACT
Contemporary clinical microbiology practice is based on the pure culture techniques developed more than a century ago by Pasteur and the advent of agar-hardened growth media by Koch-Weser. Despite the evolution of microbiology into a discipline of analytical precision, taxonomic detail, and rapid result generation, microbiology has remained a laborious practice requiring highly skilled and experienced laboratorians. The development of the first truly automated microbiology instrument was considered such a commercial risk by its developers that it was never marketed. A potential buyer should consider not only the current uses of an instrument but also the likely future commitment of its manufacturer to the field of microbiology. Several reasons exist for use of automated instrumentation in microbiology. Many clinical microbiologists have decided that they should add automation to their laboratories, but are reluctant to do so in the rapidly changing climate of prospective payment plans for medical care by third-party payers.
