title: Turn-around time for chemical and endocrinology analyzers studied using simulation.
abstract: Simulation can be a means for the laboratory management to investigate the effects of proposed changes in the laboratory. Also, when specifications of analyzers are available one can investigate which analyzer should be purchased to fulfill existing needs. The potential of simulation is shown here by simulating the turn-around time of batched samples under several conditions. Three routine analyzers (DAX, AXON and Immuno-1) were modeled. The temporal pattern of the arrival of the samples at the different analyzers was determined. The impact of these patterns and the two batching methods on the turn-around time was investigated. Simulation proved to be a useful method to study the effects of batching and arrival patterns on the turn-around time.
authors.affiliation: Maastricht University, Department of Medical Informatics, The Netherlands. siebren.groothuis@mi.unimaas.nl
authors.forename: Siebren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Groothuis
authors.forename: Henk M J
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Goldschmidt
authors.forename: Esther J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Drupsteen
authors.forename: Jules C M
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.forename: Arie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hasman
authors.forename: Godefridus G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: van Merode
mesh_terms: D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004704:Endocrinology; D006801:Humans; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013996:Time and Motion Studies