Dealing with technology changes in the clinical lab is rarely fun. Bringing in new instrumentation involves managing space and staff requirements, plus validating and calibrating the equipment and workflows. All this takes resources and staff time away from their most important task: generating clinically actionable results for patients.

But clinical laboratory teams that cling to outdated technology platforms are likely to miss out on new features and capabilities that can bring many benefits. They are also more likely to need frequent maintenance, leading to unplanned downtime that upends the rest of the laboratory’s routine and might take weeks or months to address. And if they cling too long, chances are that their technology will eventually no longer be serviceable, forcing them to change anyway.

Fortunately, some vendors are willing and eager to help minimise the challenges associated with adopting new platforms. Many offer upgrade programmes that let customers install the latest systems even before the contract runs out on their existing system. Clinical lab managers can contact their vendors to discuss upgrade or trade-in programmes at any time.

If you’re wondering whether to hold onto your existing diagnostic systems or to upgrade to something new, here are some key factors to consider.

Reliable supply availability. The older an instrument gets, the greater the risk that a vendor will eventually discontinue support for it and shut down the manufacturing lines needed to produce its reagents. Large, reputable vendors will alert customers about this well in advance, but not all vendors will be able to offer such notice. Longtime customers can end up with an instrument they can no longer run and a test menu they can no longer fully support. Newer instruments, on the other hand, are more likely to be prioritised by their vendors with dedicated manufacturing to meet demand for associated reagents.

Instrument downtime. Like a shiny new car, new diagnostics platforms typically require minimal maintenance. They can be counted on to keep workflows running smoothly. And older systems are like old cars or computers: they break down unexpectedly and can require pricey repairs to get them up and running again. In addition to the higher likelihood that things will go wrong as these instruments age, there’s also the challenge of finding replacement parts for needed repairs.

Features and capabilities. In a competitive diagnostics market, vendors try to outcompete each other by adding new features to each generation of instruments. Even platforms just a few generations apart may have very different capabilities. With so much innovation happening in diagnostic technologies right now, the best way to ensure that a laboratory has access to the latest features is by upgrading systems proactively.

Shifting demand. With each instrument they choose to install, clinical lab teams have to make a bet that it will meet their current demand for a test or set of tests, and also that it will continue to meet demand — potentially for many years to come. Unfortunately, many of those bets do not pay off. Over time, lab managers can find themselves stuck with testing capacity that may be significantly higher or lower than they need. Upgrading to a new system is one way to adjust test capacity to meet current demand.

Cost efficiencies. In addition to offering new functionality, newer generations of testing platforms can take advantage of innovations that actually reduce the cost per test. Advances such as multiplexing and miniaturisation to minimise reagent usage are just two examples of how manufacturers can make newer systems more cost-efficient than their predecessors.

Planned transitions. If the expectation is to run an instrument until it dies, that leads to a major problem for clinical labs: no clear sense of when to buy a replacement system. Waiting until the instrument is no longer functional can mean the lab has to go without vital testing capabilities while a new system is selected, purchased, installed, and validated. Upgrading offers a far more seamless transition because everything can be planned in advance. The new system can be installed and tested while the old system is still operational, leaving no gaps in testing capabilities and making it easy to switch to the new instrument only when it’s truly ready.

For all these reasons and more, clinical lab managers should always have a plan in place for phasing out their current systems, even if their instruments are relatively new. High-quality vendors are always happy to take your calls and discuss your options for managing the lifecycle of your instruments. Some might even have special deals and capabilities that can make the process of upgrading worth the effort.