Background: A dramatic increase in requests for routine cystic fibrosis (CF) carrier screening prompted us to conduct a time-motion analysis comparing commercially available CF testing platforms. Questions addressed in the study included: (a) How much time is required to perform each step involved in carrying out the assay procedure? (b) Which system requires the minimum number of manual manipulations to complete a typical run? (c) What workflow benefits can be achieved by automation?
Methods: We used a 96-sample run for comparisons and analyzed each of the 6 methods to determine the number of pipetting steps and manual manipulations, the labor and instrument time, and the total time required to perform the assay. The survey participants included a staff of 4 technologists who perform complex molecular assays regularly. Time required for each procedure was determined by direct observation and from work logs completed by the technologists.
Results: The total number of pipetting motions varied from 78 to 344. Labor time ranged from 2.6 to 8.4 h, and total assay time from 7.6 to 13.7 h.
Conclusion: Time-motion analysis allowed identification of a method that minimized pipetting motions and thus reduced the risk of repetitive stress injury.