As CBC testing volumes continue to rise, hematology laboratories are turning to automation, intelligent workflows and data-driven technologies.
Complete blood counts (CBCs) remain the most commonly ordered laboratory test worldwide – and demand continues to climb as chronic disease, cancer care and preventive testing expand. At the same time, hematology laboratories are navigating persistent staffing shortages caused by retirements, burnout, and a limited pipeline of new laboratory professionals. The result is a growing challenge: how can labs increase capacity without adding people or space?
Here are three trends shaping the future of hematology.
1. Rising demand is colliding with a shrinking workforce.
Hematology labs are processing more samples than ever, yet many struggle to fill open positions. Workforce shortages have made it difficult to maintain turnaround times while managing increasingly complex patient cases. According to Siemens Healthineers, laboratory leaders are also contending with aging analyzer fleets, disconnected workflows and manual processes that slow productivity. Peripheral blood smear reviews, for example, consume a disproportionate amount of technologist time, making it even harder to keep pace as testing volumes increase.
For laboratory leaders, the challenge isn’t simply processing more tests – it’s ensuring consistent, high-quality results despite limited staffing resources.
2. Doing more with less requires smarter workflows.
When laboratory leaders talk about “doing more with less,” they’re describing the need to process more samples with the same – or even fewer – staff while maintaining quality and controlling costs. That means reducing hands-on work, improving workflow consistency, and eliminating unnecessary complexity so technologists can focus on higher-value tasks.
Today’s hematology analyzers do far more than count cells. Advanced automation, intelligent reflex testing, and rules-based algorithms can identify routine samples, prioritize abnormal results for review, and reduce unnecessary manual intervention. By automating repetitive tasks, laboratories allow skilled staff to focus on the cases that require clinical expertise. Scalable automation also gives laboratories flexibility as testing volumes fluctuate, helping improve productivity without expanding laboratory footprint or significantly increasing staffing levels.
3. Laboratory leaders are measuring more than speed.
While turnaround time remains a critical performance metric, today’s laboratory leaders are taking a broader view of operational success. Productivity, staffing efficiency, workflow consistency, result quality, and long-term scalability all factor into purchasing and operational decisions.
Modern hematology solutions increasingly combine advanced analytics with integrated laboratory information systems to provide greater visibility into workflow, instrument performance, and sample status. Intelligent data processing helps standardize decision-making, minimize variation between reviewers, and support faster, more consistent reporting. Digital morphology and enhanced image analysis also make collaboration easier, reducing dependence on manual microscope workflows for complex cases.
As laboratories continue to balance growing workloads with limited personnel, many are looking for automation-ready systems that can support future growth. Siemens Healthineers says its Atellica HEMA 580 Analyzer was designed with these priorities in mind, combining advanced hematology capabilities, workflow simplicity, and automation-ready integration to help laboratories improve efficiency while maintaining confidence in clinical results.
The bottom line
For distributor sales representatives, understanding these workforce and workflow pressures creates opportunities for more meaningful customer conversations. Laboratories are looking beyond instrument performance alone and seeking solutions that improve efficiency, reduce manual workload, support staff retention, and help maintain high-quality patient care. As hematology testing volumes continue to rise, technologies that help laboratories do more with existing resources will become an increasingly important part of the conversation.