An improvement of the turnaround time in clinical laboratories by using the Six Sigma concept / 中华检验医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To analyze laboratory turnaround time (TAT) and find effective ways to shorten TAT.Methods Data associated with cardiac panel (CK,cTnI and Mb) were collected in 2011 including 19 906 outpatient data and 22 973 inpatient data.The medians and the average medians of the quality indicators on TAT were calculated and the results were transformed to the Six Sigma scale to estimate the degree of control over related process.Processes were considered well controlled when σ ≥4.Based on the results of data analysis,an improvement plan was decided by laboratory quality management meeting and clinical communication meeting.The effect of the improvement plan was evaluated through 2011-2012 satisfaction surveys of outpatients and clinicians.Results The average median of overtime reports for outpatient from specimen collection to reception was 2.78％ (3.5σ),and 17.82％ (2.5σ) for inpatients.The average median of overtime reports for outpatient from specimen reception to result reporting was 3.39％ (3.4σ),and 2.96％ (3.4σ) for inpatients.The average median of overtime reports for outpatient from specimen collection to result reporting was 3.93％ (3.3σ),and 12.18％ (2.7σ) for inpatient.The results of TAT satisfaction surveys for outpatients from 2011 to 2012 were similar,which were 78％ in 2011 and 79％ in 2012; the results for clinicians showed an increase from 80％ in 2011 to 90％ in 2012,including an increase from 75％ to 79％ for very satisfaction choice.Conclusions Outside the laboratory TAT is a key step in sickroom patients delay TAT.The implementation for ten improvement suggestions enabled to shorten TAT effectively.