Laboratory Services
In this article, healthcare patient satisfaction guru Quint Studer advocates that healthcare organizations look to industries that have taken on the concept of high reliability as a central operating focus to dramatically improve patient safety.
This online article describes capacity improvement at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) catheterization lab. The cath lab is a particularly challenging environment because of high-volume, high-mix, and the need to meet scheduled, emergent, and urgent patient needs.
Clinical Laboratory News
This article describes several strategies several hospitals around the country, including Cleveland Clinic, are using to reduce over-utilization of routine lab.
One hospital was able to reduce patient charges by over $300,000 annually by reducing the frequency of amylase and lipase testing for ED patients with abdominal pain and other conditions.
Achieving small batch work flow in anatomic pathology to achieve faster TAT and better quality results
This presentation at the 2012 Lab Quality Confab describes how a centralized anatomic pathology lab can be as efficient as a small local lab through applying lean and industrial engineering principles.
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is considering implementing recommendations made by three fourth-year students at the University of Windsor Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering as part of their capstone project. Ben de Mendonca, Josh Vandermeer and Andrew Phibbs, conducted an intensive examination of the system used by the emergency department to collect and label patient blood samples.
Susan F. South, senior consultant, ValuMetrix® Services and Jo Ann S. Hegarty, worldwide marketing director, ValuMetrix® Services provide a description of improvements in blood transfusion processing by applying lean concepts at 14 different laboratories in three different countries. Average savings per site was over $190,000 excluding savings associated with improved inventory management.
Industrial engineering undergraduates at North Dakota State University complete study to reduce stat laboratory tests turnaround time failures.
Using examples from several clinical lab redesigns, the sequence of steps utilized during a lean improvement effort are described.
Results of a hospitalwide specimen labeling lean project is discussed.
Four lean projects were performed: pharmacy, lab, outpatient clinic and telemetry unit. Each project was meticulously documented in the presentation. Pre- and post- metrics are included, as well as a discussion of sustainability.
Lean improvements within the radiology suite and laboratory workspace yield notable improvements. Project benefits are discussed.
Motivation is made for performing lean improvements within the lab.