title: Effects of reorganization on laboratory quality: preliminary findings and lessons learned.
abstract: Reorganization and downsizing are common challenges for managers. This case study describes the implementation of a major restructuring of a clinical laboratory within a large, integrated medical-delivery organization. Economic trends prompted us to evaluate the effects of a major laboratory reorganization, with a significant shift from clinical laboratory scientists to lower waged, nonlicensed technical staff, on the analytic quality and other indicators of laboratory performance. Although a laboratory reorganization may be implemented slowly, this reorganization effort was completed quickly. Data were collected during both the pre- and post-reorganization period. Postimplementation performance indicators show no reductions in analytic quality. Effectively dealing with the human side of significant change appears to be the biggest challenge for managers, both in the short term and well after the reorganization. These results and qualitative information and insights might be of value to laboratory management contemplating a laboratory reorganization.
authors.affiliation: Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, California, USA.
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Christian
authors.forename: K Michael
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Peddecord
authors.forename: Cindy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wiesner
authors.forename: Ernest S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Tucker
mesh_terms: D002140:California; D003363:Cost Control / Q000379:methods; D003625:Data Collection; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D006754:Hospital Restructuring; D006801:Humans; D007755:Laboratories, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D017056:Medical Laboratory Personnel / Q000523:psychology / Q000600:supply & distribution; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010563:Personnel Turnover; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D000078329:Workforce; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology