Monday, 5 September 2016

6 TIPS TO IMPROVE PATHOLOGY LAB PERFORMANCE AND ENSURE ERROR FREE REPORTING




















In the era of evidence-based medicine, laboratory reports are the backbone of any major or minor clinical decision. As any owner of the pathology laboratory, to improve laboratory performance and generate report error-riddled least is probably the highest on your list of priorities. As leading LIS software, work closely with different pathology laboratories and saw the confidences of challenges and worked with them to create solutions.

Working with several laboratories of pathology, we have analyzed the most common and often repeated patterns of errors in laboratory reports and list down 6 ways to get that perfect error free report here.

1. Using the identification bar code system
Using a laboratory information system (LIS), a unique bar code can be generated for each sample which will also include the patient's UHID. Just at the point of sample collection, bar code can be used on delivered containing the samples. This will avoid any kind of duplication or wrong sample, wrong test confusion. A sample of the right by the right patient during testing for the right tests will in all possibility of unforced errors, accurate report.

2. Integration device
Interconnect as many possible processes with LIS would mean that human intervention is reduced significantly; less human intervention, the greater the chance to avoid human intervention induced errors. The purpose of LIS is automating your laboratory as much as possible. Interlink and integrate laboratory devices as possible with your LIS.

3. Pre-analytical CheckPoint
A single point of pre-analytical control can be set up and made part of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to be followed before the actual pathological test. This will greatly help to avoid wrong test results due to human error as well as help in reducing the time wasted on the wrong samples.

4. Have a calibration and maintenance program
When automating your lab and strongly depend on the equipment to give you completely free of error reports and maintain your turnaround time (TAT) is required to be close supervision according to the maintenance schedule and calibration of equipment. Only well-calibrated and maintained equipment will be possible to generate error free report 100% on a daily basis. You should also do some random checks IQ on equipment to ensure that the reports generated from it are accurate.

5. Login rigorous use
Only authorized personnel should finally allow the test result. Using logon account of another staff to an unauthorized person must be closely monitored and should not be entertained. When an SR technologist. authorizes a test report by a specified access to a pathologist would certainly reduce the workload of the pathologist but the technologist cannot read the report as the pathologist it would, perhaps loses on an important finding that can make a significant difference in the treatment the patient or early detection of an important clinical condition.

6. Automate the generation of Report
More often than not, it's not the wrong testing procedure or wrong sample which results in a bad relationship; but it is a simple typo. While automating your lab, ensure that the equipment is programmed to generate standard laboratory report format reports. This will help eliminate the role of the typist from the process, which in turn will eliminate all the typos. This, too, will play a significant role in reducing labor costs.


These tips are focused on using technology to deliver that perfect error free report because while focusing on quality relationships you cannot forget your tattoo. Timely and error free reports are key to the laboratory edging out the competition successfully.

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