Automation and technology will not solve every problem. However, there is a good reason for the growing movement towards more technology in the laboratory: it can be very effective in improving outcomes that matter. Even once lean management principles and processes have been adopted, labs can find opportunities for increased efficiency using information technology (IT). […]
Use technology to decrease turnaround time Read More »
Yes, it is possible to shave half an hour off your laboratory’s average turnaround time. We did it at Siloam International Hospitals’ laboratories, and you can too.
How to shave 30 minutes off turnaround time Read More »
When it comes to clinical care-related decision making, perhaps no other information is as objective and important as laboratory test data. According to a 2019 study in the Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine [1], virtually all inpatients and more than half of emergency department patients have one more or lab tests ordered for them, providing a vital
Strategies for improving operational effectiveness in your laboratory Read More »
As the Laboratory Director of EONE Laboratories, a large reference laboratory in South Korea, Dr Gwi-young Oh has witnessed a great deal of change in laboratory medicine over the years. In this article, she shares her perspective on how aspiring laboratory professionals can position themselves for success in a fast-evolving, and fast-growing, field. 1. Be energetic.
Five ways to thrive as a laboratory professional in a fast-changing healthcare landscape Read More »
The molecular pathology laboratory at Atrium Health is one of the largest full-service molecular pathology labs in the US and receives samples from the states of North and South Carolina. We run 750,000 tests per year and are very involved in clinical trial programs. In addition, the cytogenetics laboratory is one of the largest non-commercial
Redesigning an American molecular pathology and cytogenetics lab with Lean Six Sigma Read More »
Many labs seek to reduce turnaround time while maintaining accuracy and safety. Here are three practical approaches to achieving this goal in blood sampling based on lessons learned from our lab at Hamamatsu University School of Medicine in Japan.
Around the world, laboratory services are under pressure to deliver better value while meeting financial sustainability targets of strapped healthcare systems. This is particularly acute in the public sector, where uniformity of price and quality is expected, even though operations often run in silos, with each hospital and laboratory making purchases separately. Budget is allocated
Saving costs with better procurement and LIS systems: a case study from Malaysia Read More »
In Siriraj Hospital in Thailand, we successfully implemented lean management principles in our emergency room and outpatient pharmacy. Our experience yielded several lessons that may be valuable for anyone seeking to apply them in other hospital settings, including the lab. Optimising the pharmacy and emergency room A central goal of lean management is improving efficiencies
Lean management lessons from a Thai hospital Read More »
At the Far Eastern Memorial Hospital in Taiwan, we trained our 17 hospital laboratory staff in Lean Six Sigma (LSS), a system for improving efficiencies and reducing waste. In doing so, we achieved a major performance boost in our outpatient, inpatient and emergency room labs. An important part of LSS implementation is the selection and measurement of
Implementing Lean Six Sigma in a Taiwanese lab Read More »
To ensure quality and accuracy in their operations, many labs around the world follow standards set by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). These standards include ISO/IEC/17025 for all types of testing and calibrating laboratories, and the ISO 15189 standards specifically for medical laboratories. Meeting ISO standards can be a comprehensive, expensive and resource-intensive process. While large laboratories
Thailand’s Medical Technology Standard creates a benchmark for lab quality Read More »
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