Relay Increases Hutchinson Health Hospital's “Clinic-to-Lab” Efficiency
Meet Spencer — the robot that eliminated specimen delays and let lab staff focus on patients, not deliveries.
About
Hutchinson Health Hospital
Located in Hutchinson, MN, Hutchinson Health operates a 66-bed Level 4 Trauma Center alongside a full-service clinic, urgent care, BirthCare, Cancer Center, and inpatient mental health unit. With over 700 employees, it is a comprehensive community healthcare system committed to better patient outcomes through innovation.
Challenge
Manual specimen runs were slowing everything down
When Hutchinson Health integrated its hospital and clinic labs in 2015, transporting specimens between the two became a slow, manual process. Staff had to wait between patient collections to make deliveries and Cancer Center samples added even more strain. Every delay meant longer waits and slower results.
Solution
Spencer — a robot built for every second that counts
Ordered in 2018 and named by the community through a hospital-wide contest, Spencer — short for "specimen dispenser" — took over specimen runs across the entire Hutchinson Health campus. From the Clinic Lab to the Hospital Lab to the Cancer Center, Spencer handles deliveries 24/7 so licensed staff can focus on what they're trained to do.
695
deliveries per month
13,200+
deliveries in first 19 months
15–20
min saved per patient per day
24/7
available, 365 days a year
500
miles traveled
Testimonial
"We don't have to worry about specimen deliveries anymore. We schedule some runs, turn around, and there's Spencer. He lets us focus on our patients."
— Laura Templin-Howk, MLS, MBA, Lab Manager at Hutchinson Health
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