Nationally Ranked Pediatric Hospital Poised to Meet Growing Patient Demand

With patient volume increasing and a rising demand for faster results, hospital laboratories need to look for new ways to work “smarter.” Most often the internal teams will look for equipment and/or technology solutions – but that may be the wrong solution.

Faced with both capacity and resource constraints, a nationally ranked pediatric hospital came to TechSolve for a Lean “quantifiable improvement” Healthcare Solution.

Project: Almost immediately, TechSolve identified the key problems that needed to be addressed:
• Turnaround times (TAT) across analyzers were inconsistent and missing on expectations
• Lab lacked standardized work at various benches
• Lab workflow was inefficient
• Lab lacked workplace organization and line of site

After mapping the current processes and establishing a baseline, TechSolve began training the laboratory personnel in Lean Healthcare principles and practices. Working in partnership with the team, TechSolve finalized its recommendations and implemented a multi-phase solution.

The solution addressed: the urgency of results for critical test, the high volume of specimens, regrouping of similar functions, and expanding capacity needs. With defined, measurable goals in hand, TechSolve began standardizing processes, workflow, and department layout. Within 90 days the solution was implemented with exciting results.

Results: The impact and sustainability of the solutions implemented were measured over time with “better than goal” results. Reductions in lab turnaround times (from receipt to results verified) have increased capacity while maintaining the same cost basis. The lab achieved and maintained a 19%+ reduction in stat and a 24%+ reduction in routine (CBC, Diff, Kidney, U Chem, and U Micro) turnaround times. Faster results, more capacity, same cost structure.

Additionally, this turnaround time reduction also allowed critical feeder departments, specifically the ED and HemOne Clinic, to increase their capacity by reducing non-value- added activities (reduced calling the lab to check or re-check results, reduced additional travel between patients, intellectual setup time, etc.). A win-win.