Background: Recently, both computerization and automation of the department of medical laboratory has been implemented as a means of clinical quality index for the day 's medical care. To improve the clinical quality index at the department of medical...
Background: Recently, both computerization and automation of the department of medical laboratory has been implemented as a means of clinical quality index for the day 's medical care. To improve the clinical quality index at the department of medical laboratory, lots of hospital have been tried to shorten the time to report critical value range(CVR). Through this system, not only the promptness and accuracy of the laboratory can be confirmed, but also the quality of medical care can be improved. Moreover, the material cost can be reduced and the time required for reporting results can be shortened. Finally, it will reduce the complaints of patients.
Purpose: This study was conducted to prove how to shortern the time to test by analyzing turnaround time(TAT) and the cause of delay.
Method: All data were collected in Cheong-ju medical center from February 1, 2013 to September 30, 2013 retrospectively. Order communication system(OCS) and laboratory Information System(LIS) were used to collect the data by reconciling how to re-examine and report on results.
Result: After stat test, the time of emergency chemistry was improved from 89.2% to 92.4% per month. And the time of emergency hematology was also improved from 97.1% to 97.2% per month. We conduced the education for 2 months to reduce the incompatible specimen after analyzing the type of those, There was a shortening effect from 73.7 to 26.6 per month. Order-result TAT was significantly reduced in September compared to February ~ April. And order-release TAT was also significantly shorten in July to September compared to March.
Discussion: As a result of the above results, sufficiency of TAT was increased and TAT, per se, was shorten. And the number of nonconformities decreased and the cost of testing was reduced. Therefore, reducing TAT by reporting CVR can be increased the efficiency of the laboratory as well as the collaboration between the laboratory and each department of medicine.