Patent ID: 7754149

Claim:
A clinical laboratory management system comprising: a first analyzer being of a type without a dilution mode for performing types of assays on a sample received in a quantity and given an analyzer specification code for identifying the analyzer and the type thereof; a second analyzer being of a type with a dilution mode for performing types of assays on a sample received in a quantity and given an analyzer specification code for identifying the analyzer and the type thereof; and a management apparatus connected to the first analyzer and the second analyzer, wherein the management apparatus comprises a computer and a memory which stores (a) a database which stores the analyzer specification code and requested assay information for identifying at least one requested type of assay to be performed on the sample, and (b) a master file which stores calculation methods for calculating required total sample quantities necessary for the analyzer to perform the types of assays individually and in combination, the memory also storing a plurality of program modules executable by the computer to: use the requested assay information stored in the database and one of the methods stored in the master file, which is selected by the computer in accordance with the requested assay information, to calculate, and store in the database, a required total quantity, which is a minimum sample quantity necessary for one analyzer to perform the at least one requested type of assay on the sample; receive, and store in the database, a dilution instruction for diluting the sample; respond to reception of the dilution instruction to divide the required total quantity stored in the database by the received quantity of the sample to calculate, and store in the database, a dilution rate of the sample; receive, and store in the database, an assay result of the sample from said one analyzer; respond to reception of the assay result to examine the analyzer specification code of said one analyzer stored in the database and determine whether the database stores the dilution instruction, in order to decide whether said one analyzer is of a type without a dilution mode and thus the assay result should be corrected; and when it is decided that said one analyzer is of a type without a dilution mode, and the assay result should be corrected, use the stored dilution rate from the database to correct the assay result with the dilution rate.