[Regional pilot study to evaluate the laboratory turnaround time according to the client source].
OBJECTIVE
To show turnaround time to client source in eight laboratories covering eight Health Areas (2,014,475 inhabitants) of the Valencian Community (Spain).


METHODS
Internal Laboratory Information System (LIS) registers (test register and verification date and time), and daily LIS registers were used to design the indicators, These indicators showed the percentage of key tests requested (full blood count and serum glucose and thyrotropin) that were validated on the same day the blood was taken (inpatients and Primary Care and/or at 12 a.m. (inpatients). Urgent (stat) tests were also registered as key tests (serum troponin and potassium) and were recorded in minutes. Registers were collected and indicators calculated automatically through a Data Warehouse application and OLAP cube software.


RESULTS
Long turnaround time differences were observed at 12 a.m. in inpatients, and in the day of sample extraction in primary care patients. The variability in turnaround of stat tests is related to hospital size, activity and validation by the laboratory physician.


CONCLUSIONS
The study results show the large turnaround time disparity in eight Health Care Areas of Valencian Community. The various requesting sources covered by the laboratories create the need for continuous mapping processes redesign and benchmarking studies to achieve customer satisfaction.
Laboratorio Hospital Universitario de San Juan, Alicante, España. salinas mar@gva.es
M
M
Salinas
M
M
López-Garrigós
M
M
Yago
M
M
Ortuño
J
J
Díaz
G
G
Marcaida
V
V
Chinchilla
A
A
Carratala
C
C
Aguado
E
E
Rodríguez-Borja
B
B
Laíz
M
M
Guaita
A
A
Esteban
M A
MA
Lorente
J
J
Uris
D019985:Benchmarking; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004630:Emergencies; D006742:Hospital Bed Capacity; D006748:Hospital Departments; D006753:Hospital Records; D007755:Laboratories, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D058996:Quality Improvement; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D013030:Spain; D013997:Time Factors