utilising lean thinking in clinical laboratory for turn arond time

Utilizing Lean Processes To Reduce Turnaround Time for Emergency Department Troponin Test results

As technological advances are realized in all sectors of economy including health sector clinical laboratories yearn for valuable and cost efficient pathology services in to improve speed in the laboratories procedures . Research reveals that there is urgent need to advance the effectiveness of pathology services in laboratories so as to offer superior , more expedient and faster services for those who are sick and need attention of the clinical staff . Therefore , there is need for slotting in new methods

for instance re-designing and streamlining the laboratories in to attain considerable effectiveness gains that can support the whole health facility . The introduction of advanced techniques of management for instance lean technique is very crucial in that such approach will ultimately advance patient wellbeing and assist transform clinical practice in the offering the pathology services (Womack and Jones , 2003

Lean thinking method is centered on determining the critical processes and purposes in the laboratory , the stream and interconnections linking them . It also assists in drawing the actions , performance and movement of employees with the intention that what is believed as not indispensable is removed so as to make best use of the prolific time and energy available to the organization . Lean thinking is a philosophy borrowed from the Japanese car industry that requires continuous elimination of non-value-added components from processes that make up a service or industry . This elimination will lead to the provision of services that are of greater value than may be currently given . Eight forms of waste were identified by Womack and Jones , overproduction waiting , transport , extra processing , excess inventor , motion , defects and underutilization (Correl , 1999

Lean thinking is a process that can be applied in all areas of healthcare . Basic principles of lean thinking are true process improvement that are designed to understand patient needs , find what it is of value the laboratory can provide , focus on the process , have a teamwork attitude and look out for continuous quality improvement . Lean thinking helps to improve patient care and cut down cost . By reducing turn around time for lab results , patients are able to receive quality care in a timely manner . Washington Adventist Hospital is a cardiac care centre that specializes in chest pain cases and does heart catheterizations and open-heart surgeries . Patients that come to the emergency department with chest pain are given utmost care . Cardiac panel tests are run on a stat basis . Troponin-I is a cardiac marker tested as part of the cardiac panel . Increase in cardiac troponin I (cTnI ) in a clinical setting is defined as an acute Myocardial Infarction . cTnI is a very sensitive indicator of cardiac necrosis Following an MI , troponin levels begin to rise in 3-6 hours , reach peak concentration in 14-20 hours , and return to normal in 5-10 days Troponin is repeated three times at six hour intervals (Bishop Fody Schoeff , fifth edition Clinical Chemistry . Troponin determines if the patient has undergone acute myocardial infarction (Bates , 2001...